Hyundai Eon

South Korean car maker Hyundai, claimed to be world’s fastest growing automaker and fourth largest car manufacturer across the globe, has introduced its eight car and fourth hatchback-Hyundai EON in India. Within no time after its incorporation in 1996 in India Hyundai Motor India became the country’s second largest car manufacturer and it offers seven cars in India including three hatchbacks, three sedans and one SUV. The eight addition of a hatchback was earlier known as Hyundai HA and Hyundai 800 in car market. However the company started publicizing the name-EON soon after that. Hyundai EON is blowing trumpet left, right and centre with this three letter name which actually means ‘long period of time’. According to Hyundai ‘India is ON’ now with the advent of this bug-eyed hatchback. 

Produced at Hyundai’s Chennai plant, the EON car has been conceived, designed and developed over four years, keeping the Indian consumer’s preferences in mind and is not a hurried result. Chennai-based Hyundai’s research and development team in Hyderabad worked in tandem with Hyundai’s R&D engineers in Korea to develop the Eon exclusively for the market in India. The new Hyundai small car is sure to stir competition in the under Rs 3 lakh price range as it is accorded with a starting price of Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It yells to be a close rival of cars from top player Maruti India and homegrown Tata Motors. It will be the arch enemy of Maruti’s bestselling car ‘Maruti Alto’ and will no doubt sit over Tata Nano. Although the car is launched the actual sales and acute competition will be visible after a few months only when the car will be perfectly perceived by the Indian audience. Being priced affordably, it will also prove to be an excellent option of people’s hatchback Maruti 800 which is thinking of a re-launch.

Hyundai EON at a price tag of Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) is the cheapest Hyundai car in India. But still, many interior features are loaded in EON. The roomy interiors are done with 2-tone beige and brown colors. The floor console is deluxe with enough legspace for front passengers. Hyundai designers sampled a considerable 30 mineral water bottles for size before designing the door pad of EON. While the front seats are bucket-type, there is upright seating position for rear-seat passengers to place their feet under the front seats. Thigh support is fairly decent and headroom is sufficient as well. The best place to sit, of course, is up front. The seats are reasonably large and supportive and semi-cloth premium seat upholstery is used to cover them. Boot space is something on which car can trump over its competitors. But buyers will have to mull for long over knee-room for rear-seat passengers which is supposed to be tight, especially when there’s a tall driver at the wheel. 

EON is based on fluidic model of Hyundai for smooth and comfortable journey. The five-seater car features power and tilt steering, front power windows, armrests, air conditioner and 3 spoke metallic finish steering wheel in the partially and fully loaded variants but the base variant of Hyundai EON is devoid of these features. However, exclusive dashboard storage with pedestal space, cup holders and 3 assist grips are present on the base D Lite model. Driver seat adjustment will be manual and remote levers for fuel lid and tail gate are standard in all variants. The interior space is said to be better than Maruti Alto with good amount of leg space. A 5-speed manual gearbox can be seen in the cabin with a digital gear shift indicator in futuristic instrument panel. EON sports a CD player with Radio and MP3, USB support with AUX-in port and remote locking (not in all 6variants). Moreover, utility features like map-pockets in front with bottle holder, rear parcel tray, metallic finish curvy central console and molded door trims are add-on features in some variants of Hyundai EON. The company is expecting to drive volumes with this low cost car which is designed keeping the urban audience in view.

 Talking about the interior features of Hyundai Eon LPG variants (D-Lite Plus, Era Plus and Magna Plus); they are no less in any way. The Hyundai Eon D-Lite Plus features an impressive air conditioning system along with power steering making the ride for the owner much simpler and pleasant. On the other hand, the Hyundai Eon Era Plus is a higher model than D-Lite plus and features central locking system along with power windows. The highest LPG variant, Hyundai Eon Magna Plus and is loaded with ample features, including power steering, power windows, air conditioning system, heater, central locking and 2-Din audio/MP3 player with USB support.

Hyundai EON is based on the platform of Hyundai i10 but is essentially smaller than it. Pictures of this car suggest that it will not share Santro's tall boy proportions. Clever use of steel in varied proportion and thickness enables EON to be reasonably stiff and light. EON which means an 'indefinitely long period of time' hints that the Korean car makers are relying on the hatch big time. Features of Hyundai EON make it a strong contender of Maruti Alto, Chevrolet Spark, Indica e-Xeta and Tata Nano among which the Alto is the arch rival. Hyundai EON has a reinforced body structure. The body structure of EON is pretty strong with square shaped radiator panel and reinforcement on the floor panel.

 The hatch has an independent type of front displaying a sporty look. The front end gets the hexagonal chrome tip radiator grille, which is now the new global face of all Hyundai cars. Meanwhile, large headlights with chrome detailing and clamp type bonnet enhance luxury element in the car. The front look is dominated by steeply raked front windscreen. Even the tight-fit roof with a micro antenna renders the sporty look to Hyundai EON. Fog lamps will not be a standard fitment but they are present on top-end variant of Hyundai EON in triangular shape. The small car gets body colored bumpers in 4 of its top variants. In profile, the Hyundai EON gets a rather sweeping shoulder line and body colored door handles and side mirrors. The wheels have full cover with hub cap looks slick and stylish while cruising. The shoulder line and the wheel arches can be compared to super luxurious Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. A sharp ridge runs up the B &C-pillar at the sides. There is a keyless entry option in high end variant which also adorns body color door handle and side mirrors.