The Hyundai Xcent is joining a closely fought market segment.
The sub-four-metre entry sedan
segment is a weirdly unique segment in the Indian market. It is a
segment that was created to leverage the advantages offered by
legislation which allowed for a lower tax incidence. And it is a segment
where the buyers are willing participants in a clever marketing game
that makes them believe that they are getting a sedan, while they are
only buying the hatchback with a boot strapped on to the rear.
There
have been many entrants in the past few years who have tried to ride
the wave. None have been as successful as the Maruti Suzuki DZire, and
more recently the Honda Amaze. There are more in the pipeline and the
increased choice is welcome because despite the number of options there
haven't been enough high quality compact sedans to choose from.
The
first off the block marking the new wave of compact sedans is the
Hyundai Xcent. Meant to refer back to the Accent, the first sedan from
Hyundai Motor India, the new Xcent is the booted version of the Grand
i10.
Design
Thankfully, the Xcent's design is
not as unwieldy as its name. It is amongst the most cohesive, most
acceptable redesign of a hatchback into a sedan. The Grand i10 was
conceived with a planned compact sedan to follow, and it shows. There is
no abruptness to the design especially at the rear. The roofline flows
smoothly down to merge with the boot lid and the dimensions chosen for
the sedan still seem proportionate,though the front of the car remains
identical to the Grand i10.
There is no getting away
from the overall cab-forward design of the front. Yet the design of the
Xcent manages to achieve some balance. Some additional chrome elements
in the bonnet grille and a similar chrome treatment to the tail-lamp
combination, which refers to the hexagonal theme of Hyundai's new design
language, are the only visible changes in the Xcent compared to the
Grand i10. The boot now conceals 407 litres of storage space. The new
15-inch alloy wheels and chrome door handles in the Xcent add to the
car's looks, though the wheel arches still don't get filled out
sufficiently, because the ground clearance has been raised by about 5mm,
to handle the expected increase in gross vehicle weight.
Cabin
No
other compact sedan manages to leverage exterior footprint to interior
space as well as the Honda Amaze. The Grand i10 has its limitations due
to the lesser overall width compared to the Amaze and the DZire. But,
the space in the cabin isn't bad and thanks to a tall roofline, it
doesn't feel claustrophobic even at the rear. Legroom and shoulder room
are identical to the Grand i10, though the Xcent's rear seat is said to
have gotten a more relaxed backrest angle.
In typical
Hyundai style, the Xcent's cabin gets a lot of equipment to boost its
appeal. The overall layout and quality of materials used in the cabin
remains identical to the Grand i10. But a few changes are evident like
the automatic climate control panel that seems to have been borrowed
from the i20. Depending on the variant, the Xcent also gets more
equipment in the form of rear aircon vents, an electro chromic rear view
mirror, a smart key and push button start/ stop, auto folding door
mirrors and a reverse parking assist system. A few of these are segment
first and together they make the Xcent quite an attractive package.
A
brown, biege and dark grey colour theme runs through the cabin
including the centre console and the seat fabric. The seats are comfy
and the rear bench now has the option of a flip down centre armrest with
cup holders. There is also the cooled glove box and the boot lid lamp,
convenience features that are rare in this segment.
Performance
The
Xcent is powered by the same 1.2-litre Kappa petrol and the 2nd
generation, 1.1-litre U2 CRDi diesel engine. The 4-cylinder petrol
engine has also been retained in the same state of tune as in the Grand
i10. It is a dual VTVT unit (variable valve timing) and its refinement
is already well known. The overall performance of this mill in the Xcent
is very similar. Linear acceleration is not great, but there is enough
power and torque available in the key rpm range to help the driver
handle most situations in city and on the highway. The 3-cylinder diesel
engine has been marginally retuned to give peak power and peak torque a
small boost. That hasn't really made the 1,120cc engine any peppier
than in the Grand i10. The engine does feel a bit underpowered on the
highway and peak power tapers off fast after the 4,00 rpm mark. But
while driving in city and with a considerable amount of low-end torque
available on tap, the Xcent diesel feels just right. The engine is a bit
buzzy on the highway, but surprisingly quiet for a 3-cylinder mill.
Both
the engine versions are offered with 5-speed manual transmissions. The
petrol engine version is also offered with a 4-speed automatic
transmission. Gear ratios have been changed in the Xcent compared to the
Grand i10.
NVH packaging (noise, vibration and
harshness) is amongst the best in the segment, keeping the cabin quiet
comfortable. Testing the Xcent on an already searing afternoon in
Hyderabad showed that buyers will surely appreciate the rear aircon vent
during the summer. Rated fuel efficiency numbers places it very close
to the Amaze.
Handling
The Xcent's handling too
is very similar to the Grand i10. The only difference in its on-road
behaviour can be felt when it is pushed around corners. There is a bit
more body roll than in the Grand i10, and the Xcent's slightly raised
body stance and the softer rear suspension accentuates body roll. The
steering feels well-weighted, though, being tuned for easy in-city
maneuverability has robbed it of more feedback. For its segment, the
Xcent's steering is precise enough. Suspension quality is good and just
like the Grand i10, the Xcent's is also pliant and capable of soaking up
bad roads well.
Bottomline
The Hyundai Xcent
is joining a closely fought market segment. It stands a good chance of
upsetting the apple cart, thanks to its excellent value-for-money
package. The Xcent's perceived quality is also likely to be higher than
the others in the segment. Hyundai has introduced the Xcent with special
launch prices starting from Rs 4.7 lakh for the base petrol variant.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/smartbuy/automobiles/is-hyundais-grand-xtension-the-sedan-for-you/article5868288.ece?homepage=true
