2 New Hyundai Launches Confirmed For 2017

The 2016 festive season witnessed a plethora of launches, setting the tone for the first half of 2017. But despite two recent launches in the form of the 2016 Elantra and the Tucson, the country's second largest carmaker, Hyundai, is planning to build further and launch another couple of new cars next year – the 2017 Grand i10 and the next-gen Verna, sources have confirmed.

The first of this duo will be the 2017 Grand i10 that is expected to break cover in January. The car has been spied testing in India of late, but under heavy camouflaging. The new hatchback is expected to be inspired from the UK-spec car, which didn't undergo heavy changes in design. Only the new cascading grille and fresh front and rear bumpers are expected to be the highlights, along with LED DRLs.

Elsewhere, advanced safety and connectivity features are expected to be adopted from higher segments, with interiors set to feature an all-black/blue colour scheme and plush leather upholstery. Mechanically, the car will retain the 1.2-litre Kappa petrol motor and the 1.1-litre three cylinder U2 VGT diesel mill under the hood.

The other new car in Hyundai's 2017 plans, as mentioned earlier, will be the next-gen Verna that will feature the ISG stop-start technology. The current model of the sedan has been facing the heat from the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz that heavily undercuts the former because of tax benefits as a mild hybrid. It is equipped with Maruti's SHVS technology, something that the Korean carmaker now aims to emulate through the forthcoming Verna.

Expected to be rolled out by mid-2017, the new Verna has been carved out from the Verna concept unveiled at the Beijing International Automobile Exhibition in April, with minor tweaks. The styling is in line with Hyundai's new design language that was also seen on the new Elantra. The interiors and other features are also expected to be taken from its elder cousin to further enhance the dynamic appeal of the car.

The current version of the car comes with four engine options – 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel, and the line-up is expected to remain unchanged in the new Verna as well. As for the ISG, we expect the bigger diesel powerplant to be the ‘mild hybrid' of the lot.

Watch The First Look Of The New Verna