Hyundai Eon Claims India Is "On"!!

Maruti Alto remains to be a charismatic leader in the entry-level hatch segment, ranking at the top ever since its launch in the sales figures. There is nothing to be surprised of this because it’s a Maruti, a buzz-word dominating the Indian market. But if there is one company that can challenge Maruti, it ought to be Hyundai. In fact, it’s a threat not just to budget brands, but to big-wigs as well, even in the international market. Now with its stylish Eon hatch, Hyundai plans to expand its reign in the Indian small car market to take on the Alto head-on.

The Hyundai’s “India-On with Eon” campaign is nothing but an outright “Alto-Off” propaganda. With the Eon, Hyundai has proved convincingly that cheap cars don’t have to look cheap, and with just one of its swoopy lines, it has made the Alto look completely dated. The Hyundai’s ‘Fluidic sculpture’ design has worked wonders to give this car a bold and distinctive look, unlike a typical budget car. The hexagonal grille and the large, swept-back headlamps with almost-triangular fog lamps dominate the face. The smart crease on the lower portion of the doors and the fluidic lines are very well executed. The rear is smart, with crescent-shaped tail lights and high bumper.

All the variants of the Eon feature a two-tone interior colour scheme. The dashboard design and its layout, though not as radical as the exterior, are attractive and exciting for a car of this segment. The instrument cluster with LEDs are clear and easy-to-read and features a readout that alerts you exactly when to shift gears, to achieve optimal fuel economy. The dashboard uses good quality plastics and fit and finish is also impressive. The rear knee room is just adequate and the head room is quite limited, thanks to its rising window line.  In a nutshell, the interior is top class and oozes a level of feel-good factor not seen on cars in this class.

   

The Eon comes with a 3-cylinder 814cc petrol engine with a power output of 55bhp to a 5-speed gearbox taken from the Santro. It is best suited for city-driving as the engine lacks the pep, but the refinement levels are decent. Shifting down a gear is mandatory for overtaking bigger vehicles. The notchy gearbox is however not so nice to use. But the smaller engine with light kerb weight makes the Eon exceptionally fuel efficient. The ARAI-certified fuel economy figure is an impressive 21.1kmpl. The suspension is a combination of McPherson struts in front and a torsion beam at the rear, common for cars of this class. The ride is very absorbent and straight-line stability on the highway is also good. The steering feels direct with decent handling-dynamics.

The well-specced top-end Sportz variant cost Rs.3.71 lakh, making the Eon slightly more expensive than the Alto K10 variants. But its eye-catching design, lightness and easy to drive character will endear it to newbie drivers, who will undoubtedly form a large portion of its customer base. Given the Hyundai’s vast service network and a stress-free ownership experience, the new Eon will quickly make good numbers on Indian roads.