2018 Hyundai Santro spotted for the first time; likely to make a comeback at Auto Expo

Having withdrawn the Santro nameplate from the Indian market, it is becoming increasingly evident that South Korean automaker Hyundai could be inching closer to heralding its comeback. This comes after what is believed to be a prototype of the hatchback was spotted in the country, fuelling fresh rumours of the arrival of Hyundai's once famed model.

The latest images of what is believed to be the new Santro came from the folks at Rushlane. From the images, there is nothing much that one could pull out. However, the sighting could be the first hint of the arrival of the model.

It was reported earlier that the new Santro could get two petrol engines -- 1.1-litre and 1.2-litre and possibly priced at around Rs 4 lakhs. The engines are likely to come mated to a five-speed manual transmission. As far as the competition in the market is considered, Hyundai's new car is likely to rival Renault Kwid, Tata Tiago and Maruti Suzuki Celerio among others.

The hatchback could essentially be the replacement of i10 in the Hyundai India line-up and could be slotted between Eon and Grand i10. The new Santro is speculated to retain the tallboy design with a contemporary twist. The project is reportedly codenamed AH.

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Santro and its impending return has been a constant feature in discussions across the auto industry since its withdrawal from the domestic market. The Santro, which paved the path for the South Korean automaker in the Indian market, was unceremoniously driven out of the market to allow the company to push ahead with new models such as Grand i10 and Xcent.

However, Hyundai seems to have changed its stance after coming to the realisation that Santro still appeals to the auto lovers in this part of the globe. If the information holds well, its return as a new car to the market will be warmly welcomed.

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The new compact car from Hyundai may also have AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) technology. The emerging reports suggest that it could be part of Hyundai's pavilion at Auto Expo 2018 with a launch expected later in the year.