Forgotten Hyundais: Getz To Terracan
Hyundai Motor India recently marked its 30th anniversary in India. They are the second-largest car manufacturer in the country, and the road to that position was not easy. As a brand, they had to face multiple challenges. Some products became instant hits, while others failed to make an impact. Hyundai learned from its mistakes to become what it is in India today. During this 30-year journey, Hyundai was not just about the Hyundai Creta; the brand launched several models in the market. Here we have a list of some of these cars that are almost forgotten by people today.
The Getz was a hatchback that Hyundai launched in India in 2005. Unlike other hatchbacks in the market at that time, the Hyundai Getz stood out for its premium styling and spacious cabin. It also offered decent ride quality.
It was initially offered with a 1.3-litre petrol engine that generated 83 PS and 115 Nm of torque. Later, it even received a 1.5-litre diesel engine that produced 110 bhp and 235 Nm of torque. However, with the arrival of the Maruti Suzuki Swift, the Getz lost the race in this segment.
The Hyundai Accent Viva was a notchback version of the Accent sedan. The sedan was aimed at buyers who wanted something different or fun compared to the usual boring family sedan.
The Accent Viva came with a 1.5-litre CRDi diesel engine that produced 81 bhp and 187 Nm of torque. Sadly, the Indian market was not ready for such a sedan at that time, and Hyundai slowly had to remove it from the lineup.
India received the third-generation Elantra back in 2004. It was once the most expensive car from Hyundai, and it was available with both petrol and diesel engine options.
It was offered as a premium product, but the Indian market was not in a position to look at Hyundai as a premium brand back then. It rivalled cars like the Honda Accord in the segment.
The Sonata arrived in the market before the Elantra. It was offered in GLS and Gold variants, and it was actually positioned as a premium offering. In fact, it was more expensive than the Elantra that followed it.
The Mercedes-Benz-like styling along with premium features at less than half the price was what Hyundai was aiming for. However, Hyundai was still too young as a brand in India to pull this off, and the Sonata couldn’t survive in the market.
The second-generation Santa Fe was the first version we got in India. It came as a CBU, and naturally, that attracted a high price tag. The idea of a really expensive SUV from the makers of the Hyundai Santro didn’t sit well with Indian customers.
People opted for SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner instead, and the rest is history. Hyundai later introduced the third-generation Santa Fe with a more fluidic design in India, but even that failed to perform well.
During the initial years, when Hyundai was still testing the waters, the brand launched several models to see how customers would react. One such model was the Terracan. It was actually the first SUV that Hyundai ever offered in India.
It was launched back in 2003 and came with several premium features like leather upholstery, a black-and-wood dashboard combination, automatic climate control, and more.
It was a proper 4x4 and came with 4L and 4H options. The SUV was powered by a 2.9-litre CRDi diesel engine that generated 148 bhp and 343 Nm of peak torque. It came with a manual gearbox only.
Hyundai discontinued the Tucson from the Indian market last year. The first-generation Tucson came to India back in 2005. Once again, it was probably too early for Hyundai to offer such a premium product.
The SUV was priced a bit too high because it offered several features that none of its rivals provided at the time. It came with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. India is a price-sensitive market, and that is one of the major reasons why the Tucson struggled initially.