Hyundai has just launched a face-lifted version of its Hyundai Xcent compact sedan. Prices start at Rs 5.38 lakh going up to Rs. 8.41 lakh, (ex-showroom Delhi).
So what’s new with the 2017 Hyundai Xcent? Here’s a quick round-up of everything that has changed.
New Front Design
The front of the Hyundai Xcent has been completely reworked, taking into account Hyundai’s evolving fluidic design philosophy. It gets a wider, more aggressive grille with plenty of chrome thrown in.
This extends to the bumper and around the rectangular fog lamps on the higher variants. The top-end variants also get daytime running lamps. The trouble with this design is that it’s hard to differentiate one Hyundai from another at a quick glance.
New Rear-End Design
One sore point with the older Xcent was the rear-end design. It looked quite quirky. Hyundai has tried to fix that with the new tail-lamp design, that extends on to the boot lid, giving the car a wider feel.
A chrome strip connecting the lamps also gives it a feeling of width. Boot space continues to be among the best in the segment at 407 litres (and a reason why this car is quite popular with cabbies).
New Infotainment System
The Xcent gets an updated infotainment system. This 7-inch touchscreen system features Android Auto and Apple Car Play as well as Mirror Link. It gets a push button start and steering-mounted audio controls as well.
It is the only compact sedan in its segment to get these features, although Tata’s Zest and Tigor have really good infotainment systems. The upcoming Maruti Dzire is also expected to add this feature soon. However, Hyundai has gotten rid of the 1 GB on-board storage function.
Added Safety Package
All variants of the Hyundai Xcent will now come with two airbags as standard fare. This is a welcome move, as new safety norms call for better standards with all cars. The Ford Figo Aspire is the only other car in this segment to offer dual airbags on all variants.
However, ABS is available only in the top two variants – the Hyundai Xcent SX and SX(O) variants. There are also rear view cameras and parking sensors in the top two variants.
New Diesel Engine
A big change with the new Hyundai Xcent is the upgrade of the diesel engine. It now gets a 1.2 litre three-cylinder diesel engine that puts out 75bhp of power and 190 Nm of torque. The older 1.1 litre three-cylinder diesel was seen as being a little too under-powered for this car.
This update brings it on par with the Maruti Swift Dzire in terms of power specs. All variants feature an alternator management system to reduce load on the engine during hard acceleration. The petrol variant continues with the 1.2 litre Kappa four-cylinder petrol, putting out 83 bhp of power and 114 Nm of torque.
The Xcent comes with a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic option for the petrol variant. Fuel efficiency is 25.4 kmpl for the diesel, 20.14 kmpl for the petrol manual, and 17.36 kmpl for the automatic variants.
New Alloy Wheels
The top-end variants get a new 15-inch alloy wheel design. This differentiates the car from its hatchback sibling, the Grand i10, which was given a facelift a few months ago.
The Hyundai Xcent is available in five variants E, E+, S, SX and SX(O). Hyundai has updated the infotainment system and added cosmetic updates. It does get fully automatic climate control now. Other small additions include a shark-fin antenna. It is available in five colours.
The existing Hyundai Xcent (without the facelift) will continue to be sold as well. It will be called the Hyundai Xcent Prime, and will be available in only two variants for the taxi fleet market.
It will be interesting to see how this car fares against its competition such as Tata Tigor, Ford Figo Aspire, Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Dzire. Here’s a quick video on what’s new with the Hyundai Xcent:
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