French car maker Renault entered the burgeoning small hatchback with a bang. The Kwid hatchback launched in September 2015 carved its space in the segment which is the domain of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. The Kwid hatchback with SUV-ish stance is a never-tried-before combination in the segment and the USP has worked well with the SUV-loving Indian customers. Kwid has over 7000 units of average monthly sales and it has certainly eaten into the volumes of market leader Maruti Suzuki Alto.
Also read: Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS launch date revealed
In reply to the heat from the Kwid, Maruti Suzuki is reportedly working on an all new car slated for debut at Auto Expo 2018. The new hatchback will replace the Alto in Maruti Suzuki's portfolio and it will have cross-hatch silhouette to directly rival Kwid, reports Autocar India. The new hatchback will is expected to be powered by the same 800cc and 1.0-litre petrol in a different tune.
Maruti Suzuki will not compromise on the fuel efficiency and competitive pricing on the new car as these two factors drives sales of a car in the entry-level car segment. In addition, it will have a better feature list as Hyundai is also planning to launch new Santro in crossover avatar next year.
Hyundai's new Santro will also give Kwid a run for its money. Rumoured to be priced under Rs 4 lakh, the new Santro will retain tallboy design with a contemporary twist. It will essentially replace the i10 in Hyundai's portfolio. The details on the new car are scarce at the moment. The project is internally called AH and work on the new version is in full swing in South Korea.
