The Hyundai Exter is the much-anticipated micro-SUV from the Korean carmaker. Now on sale in India, the Exter is priced from Rs 6 lakh up to Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up against the popular Tata Punch in the domestic market. The design of the Exter is boxy and upright, with the cabin sharing much with the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios hatchback. In typical Hyundai fashion, the carmaker has tried to play the value-for-money card on its latest model, with several first-in-segment features and a long list of kit on top variants. Safety too looks to be an area of focus with Hyundai packing in six airbags as standard while ESC and hill start assist are available as options on base variants and standard on the rest.
Also read: Hyundai Exter Micro-SUV Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs 6.00 Lakh
Coming to the competition, the Exter’s main rival is the Tata Punch though it will also compete with crossover-styled hatchbacks such as the Maruti Ignis and the Citroen C3 which also sit in a similar price bracket. So how do the rivals compare to the Exter in pricing?
| Model | Price |
| Hyundai Exter | Rs 6.00 – 10.00 lakh |
| Tata Punch | Rs 6.00 – 9.51 lakh |
| Maruti Ignis | Rs 5.84 – 8.16 lakh |
| Citroen C3 | Rs 6.16 – 8.92 lakh |
Tata Punch (Rs 6 lakh to Rs 9.51 lakh)
The Tata Punch has proven itself to be a popular choice with buyers since its launch in the Indian market. Launched in India in late 2021, the micro-SUV from Tata has already crossed the 2 lakh unit production mark as of May 2023. In terms of pricing the Tata’s starting price is at par with the Hyundai at Rs 6.00 lakh (ex-showroom). Do keep in mind that the Exter’s pricing is introductory and will be revised down the line. Coming to the top-spec variants, the Punch undercuts the Exter by almost Rs 49,000 though the Hyundai is the better-equipped model. While both offer goodies such as auto headlamps, auto climate control, cruise control and a touchscreen infotainment system with connected car tech, the Exter offers a more diverse range of connected car features along with packing in safety kit such as ESC, hill start assist and six airbags.
Also read: Hyundai Exter Bags Over 11,000 Bookings
The Exter however has a slight advantage when it comes to powertrains with the Punch yet to get a CNG option.
Maruti Ignis (Rs 5.84 lakh to Rs 8.16 lakh)
With a starting price of Rs 5.84 lakh, the Ignis undercuts the base Exter by about Rs 16,000 though it misses out on some of the kit on the latter. This price gap seems to widen as you make your way up the range with the top petrol AMT Ignis costing a notable Rs 1.84 lakh. However, the differences in equipment do become apparent with the Ignis missing out on a fair bit of kit offered in the Exter such as connected car tech, six airbags, sunroof and more. The Ignis however is the more frugal model with a claimed 20.89 fuel efficiency figure to the Exter’s 19.4 kmpl for the manual and 19.2 kmpl for the AMT.
Also read: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Crosses 500 Units Sales In India
Citroen C3 (Rs 6.16 lakh to Rs 8.92 lakh)
As with the Ignis, the C3 is a hatchback that gets crossover-inspired design elements. At Rs 6.16 lakh, the C3 actually has the highest starting price here though buyers may find the car to be lacking in features. The new top-spec Shine trim, at Rs 8.92 lakh, does address some of the car’s missing features though some may still find some key features such as auto climate lacking. The Citroen’s USP though remains its spacious cabin and great ride and handling balance. It’s also the only car here to get a turbocharged engine which at 109 bhp and 190 Nm is significantly more powerful than the others in this comparison.
All prices, ex-showroom
