Hyundai Santro 2020 Review: Prices, Offers, Mileage, Specs and Pics

Hyundai Santro Variants and Features

Hyundai Santro starts at Rs. 4.57 lakhs(ex-showroom) for the base variant Era variant and goes all the way to Sportz CNG variant at Rs. 6.20 lakhs. Hyundai Santro offers a lot of features and equipment to its occupants in this price range. The introduction of the AMT gearbox has added more value to the overall package. The bifurcation of various features are listed below.

Which trim should you opt for?

Hyundai Santro Sportz variant is the best bet if you’re out in the market to buy one. Priced at Rs. 4.81 lakhs(ex-showroom) this variant is loaded with features like 17.6cm touch-screen audio, steering mounted controls, rear AC vents and power windows both front and back.  It is the most value for money proposition of this lot.

Hyundai Santro Offers(March)

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What is the power source for this nostalgic car?

Hyundai Santro has always been the preference for buyers with small families. Hyundai Santro is powered by a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, as a base variant, packs a punch of 68 bhp and 99 Nm of torque. The engine is refined for the city’s driveability which makes it a perfect city car option. For the first time, Hyundai has offered AMT gearbox options along with a 5-speed manual. More on that later, let’s focus on what the overall package has to offer to its customers.

We tested the Sportz AMT variant and we found out that the engine despite being modest on the power figures, lacks the pace. The general ideology of small block engines is that once you start climbing the tachometer, there is an engine vibration that can be felt inside the cabin.

Steering feedback from Santro is very light at low speeds, thanks to the Electric power steering system. Keeping the speedo in three digits for long will give strain on the engine, which beats the purpose of highway cruising and makes it restricted for city driving. Hyundai Santro has a prominent advantage in the city driving due to its smaller size. Feather-light steering and light clutch pedal that makes the driving in congested areas or B2B traffic a breeze. There is a noticeable amount of body roll which can be felt maximum during heavy cornering or sudden change of lanes at high speeds.

The suspension system underneath does its job pretty well of absorbing road bumps. However, going over uneven bumps at high speeds might make you lose confidence. Even under hard braking, there is a significant amount of body roll which reduces the braking confidence. Brake pedals feel a little rubbery but do their job for which Santro stops firmly on those 14-inch tyres. Hyundai has provided an adequate amount of cabin insulation which keeps the NVH levels to a minimum. 

How well does the new Santro balance out on performance and efficiency?

This segment is mostly adhered to by the customers who upgrade from either bike and being their first four-wheeler, the foremost factor to decide their buy is the fuel economy. Hyundai has done its best to provide the Santro with a less thirsty powertrain. But the manual gearbox equipped ones tend to slip out of the border. The AMT equipped ones, however, manage to get the best out of a litre.

Rivals in the segment also offer similar figures but creature comfort and engine refinement take Tiago a step ahead of others. Santro is a car for those daily errands and urban transportation, which it does pretty well. The manual gearbox equipped variants are on the thirstier side, but not too grave as it manages to chuck out more than 20 kmpl for a litre, which is efficient enough.

A small form factor means, a small fuel tank and this results in a much lesser range of travel. Santro has the least range of the lot and there is no escaping it. A combination of the smaller fuel tank and lesser mileage figures make it a quicker pit stopper than the rest of its competition, which has a range of around 800 km.

How feature-rich is the cabin of 2020 Hyundai Santro?

The department where Hyundai Santro competes with the competition is the cabin feels and roominess offered to its occupants. The company has put in the use of good-quality plastics and fabrics to keep the feel of cabin intact. The company has used the traditional design theme in the cabin, majorly noticeable in steering and infotainment housing. The steering wheel is small and grippy with enough clearance for a proper outside view. The dashboard is flat and houses all the necessary bits and bobs in place within reach. The fit and finish are what impresses us, despite being the entry-level product there is no ill-fitted panel insight.

Once you get seated inside the seats will impress you just like other components of the interior. Those front seats are comfortable and give proper support to both bolster and lower back. The front seats are manually adjustable with height adjustment only offered in the top XZA Plus variant. Even the top variants miss out on leather-wrapped seats which are not something we were expecting either. Rear bench occupies three people with ease but due to limited leg-space, long journeys may become a tiring affair. Wide window openings and adequately sized rear glass make the cabin feel roomy and adds more to the cabin space.

What are the various infotainment features on offer in Hyundai Santro?

Hyundai tried to squeeze in all the best equipment they could in this price bracket. The 7-inch touch screen unit works like a charm additionally, the system does offer AUX-in, Bluetooth mobile connectivity for calling and music streaming. The factory-fitted speakers surprisingly give a rich sound output which will be adequate for daily needs. Other key features of the infotainment system are the high-quality reverse camera output, which provides a clear vision even in the dark. 

All of these features make it, one of the best-bundled one in this segment. Hyundai was always known for its insane value for money proposition and the number of modern features that comes with it. The automaker has not let us down here as well and so we get one of the best-equipped infotainment setups in this segment. The various features are listed below.

Infotainment Features

• 7-inch touchscreen 
• Bluetooth audio streaming
• AUX, USB plug-in audio
• FM-Radio
• 2-din deck
• Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink
• Hyundai iBlue support

How spacious is the cargo space in the Hyundai Santro?

Despite its small size Hyundai Santro is capable of hauling around 230 litres of cargo space which is adequate for a weekend getaway. Santro has the advantage over others with a low loading point which makes the moving of cargo much easier. However, there is not an electromagnetic boot release along with the central locking system, which means you have to unlock the boot with the key separately. Just in case if you have to increase the boot space, just fold down the rear seats and you’re good to go.

The rear seats, however, don't fold down completely but is enough for the extra space needed. The spare tyre and emergency toolkit is neatly tucked away beneath the cargo floorboard and thus provides for a hassle-free storage space. The material is soft touch and thus will be easy on fragile cargo as well.

Model	Hyundai Santro	Tata Tiago	Maruti Alto K10	Renault Kwid
Boot capacity(L)	235	242	177	279
Seating	5	5	5	5

Hyundai manages to chuck out a commendable amount of cargo space out of the tiny Santro, which puts it bang in between the competitors. Alto K10 has the least due to its low slung structure and Kwid with its tall boy design has the most cargo volume.

How has Santro changed over its predecessor, in looks?

The design of the new Santro is completely different from its predecessor. From being a curvy and round-shaped hatchback, new Santro has grown some edgy shaped out in front. Maintaining the characteristic of a tall-boy type body design, new Santro has grown an edgy looking front fascia. With fog-lights placed just under headlights, it takes some time to get used to the looks.

The side shoulder line is strong and gives an aesthetic design to the overall look. There is a subtle treatment of chrome around the car to give it a classy look and the upswept foglamp positioning really puts it apart from the crown of hatchbacks out there. The rear flaunts a rather simple look which is reminiscent of its predecessor.

The rear profile gives a rather pleasing view than the front, with beautifully designed taillights. The only thing missing on the boot area is the magnetic boot release, instead, there is a traditional key lock that has to be used every time you open the boot. 

What are the various safety features on offer in Hyundai Santro?

Safety has been the most discussed topic in recent times among the Indian audience. Hyundai has always given priority to the safety of passengers and improved a lot over their past few years. Hyundai is known for manufacturing the safest cars in the segment and the efforts put into Santro is a testimony of the same.

Loaded with basic safety features like ABS and both front airbags, Santro keeps up as the benchmark in this segment. The chassis construction is composed of a lightweight alloy that offers a high level of safety and rigidity without adding up on kerb weight and thus not compromising on performance and efficiency.

Safety Features

• ABS and EBD
• Driver and Passenger Safety Airbags
• Rear parking sensors and camera
• Rear Defogger
• Speed-sensing auto door locks
• Front row seatbelt pre-tensioners

How does Hyundai Santro stand against its well-established competitors?

Hyundai Santro VS Tata Tiago

Hyundai Santro VS Maruti Suzuki Alto K10

Maruti Alto is a legendary name in the Indian automotive market and not many players have been able to take its top spot in years. The refinement of its 3-cylinder engine is the main reason why sales chart is on fire for the K10. Santro has come up to take that spot from Alto, but it will be tough one. Maruti has the advantage of huge after-sales support, nationwide. Maruti over time has not given any major revamp to Alto which is a disadvantage as Hyundai Santro offers a better feature-listing for the same price. Hyundai Santro is a better value for money proposition of the two.

So, does the new Santro stir up those old memories?

Hyundai Santro is an upgrade over its previous generation. Priced at Rs. 4.19 lakhs, Santro is one of the most affordable and nostalgic models to buy from the stable of this well-versed Korean automaker. There has been a major improvement with the introduction of AMT gearbox which can be useful for many buyers. It carries forward the same peppy and compact nature with which it won over many hearts back in the day but now does the same in a very new and modern form factor.