Dealers have been asked to take bookings of discontinued variants only if they have available stock
Based on demand, carmakers update the variant list on a regular basis. Adjusting the variant list allows for better utilization of available resources and possibly secure higher profit margins. Working on a similar strategy, India’s second largest carmaker Hyundai has discontinued a total of 10 variants of Santro, i10 Nios hatchback and Aura sedan. As per the latest update, Santro will only be available in CNG, while i10 NIOS and Aura will only be available in Petrol engine option.
Nios and Aura discontinued variants
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios trim levels on offer include Era, Magna, Sportz, Turbo and Asta. Among these, Sportz and Sportz AMT diesel variants have been discontinued. This means all diesel variants of i10 NIOS have been discontinued, and now it will only be available in petrol. Same is the case with Hyundai Aura.
Trim levels for Aura are E, S, SX, SX(+) and SX(O). Discontinued Aura diesel variants are S and SX+ AMT. Just like i10 NIOS, Aura is also available in only petrol variants from now on. With demand for diesel cars in the entry segment on the decline, it is likely that Hyundai has decided to discontinue their diesel offerings for good, from the said segment.
Both Nios and Aura share the same powertrain options. The 1.2 litre Kappa petrol motor generates 83 PS / 114 Nm. The 1.2 litre CRDi diesel motor makes 75 PS / 190 Nm. Transmission options for both these engines include 5-speed manual and smart auto AMT. Third engine is a 1.0 litre turbo petrol unit that churns out 100 PS / 172 Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Both Nios and Aura offer CNG option with the 1.2 litre petrol motor. With CNG, the engine makes 69 PS / 95.2 Nm. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
In hatchback sales, Nios regularly features in the top ten list. In March, it was placed at 5th place with sales of 9,687 units. Aura is also a bestseller in sedan segment. In March, it came third with sales of 3,775 units.
Hyundai Santro Discontinued 2022 Variants
Hyundai’s most affordable offering in India, Santro’s discontinued variants include Era Executive, Magna, Sportz, Sportz AMT, Sportz Executive CNG and Asta. Based on current variants listed on Hyundai website, it means that all Santro variants have been discontinued, except one – Sportz CNG.
Unless Hyundai decides to launch new variants soon, it would mean that Santro will henceforth be a CNG only model. This will be something new for the industry, but it does seem logical in view of the current situation where production is constrained. In addition, increase in petrol and diesel prices has pushed demand for factory fitted CNG small cars to a new high. It is possible that a significant percentage of Santro sales comprises its CNG variant.
Santro may no longer enjoy the same level of popularity as it did earlier, but it continues to contribute consistent numbers for the company every month. Santro was placed at 15th spot in the list of bestselling hatchbacks in March 2022. Sales were at 2,494 units, an increase of 15.20 percent YoY. In April 2022, sales declined to 1,793 units.
Santro is powered by a 1.1 litre MPI petrol motor that generates 69 PS of max power and 99 Nm of peak torque. When running on CNG, power and torque output drops to 60 PS / 85.3 Nm. While petrol variants are offered with transmission options of 5-speed manual and Smart auto AMT, Santro CNG is available with only 5-speed manual transmission.