Hyundai has thrown the cat among the pigeons in the extremely competitive compact SUV market with the launch of the Exter.
It comes faces off with the Suzuki Ignis, Renault Kiger, Suzuki Fronx, Toyota Starlet and according to Hyundai their biggest competition is likely to be the Nissan Magnite.
There are five derivatives available in five-speed manual or five-speed automated manual (AMT) with three trim grades: Premium, Executive and Elite.
Built in India, the Exter shares the same platform as the Grand i10 sedan and hatchback and, at first glance, looks a bit like something you would find in a Lego store.
From the front it sticks to Hyundai’s crossover design elements with the front grille design and its signature H-shape LED daytime running lights above the halogen headlights. From the side the bold wheel arches filled by 15-inch alloys (for the Executive and Elite versions) give it a bold stance.
The rear of the Exter won’t be to everyone's liking though with some people describing it as an afterthought. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I don’t think it’s likely to be a deal breaker.
The front and rear are fitted with skid plates to give it a bit of an offroad look and with ground clearance of 185mm it should easily take on more manicured dirt roads.
There’s a lot of hard plastics in the interior, as you would expect from an entry SUV, but it’s not garish or of an inferior quality and should be hard wearing considering most of its time it’s likely to be a home, school, work, home mode of transport.
The 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster gives it a pleasant upmarket feel with a clear and uncluttered layout that’s easy to read and also includes a tyre pressure monitor.
The same goes for the eight-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay that displays the rear-view parking camera image in the Executive and Elite versions.
The Hyundai Exter is powered by a plucky naturally aspirated 1.2-litre four cylinder petrol engine with 61kW and 114Nm driving the front wheels.
On launch we drove the mid-range 1.2 Executive MT that’s likely to be the most popular choice given its well-specced features.
I’d shy away from the AMT because I’m yet to drive one that’s easy to use or is better and more efficient than a manual or fully automatic car.
The driving position is surprisingly comfortable for such a small and light (940kg) vehicle with ample knee, head and legroom.
In this age of electric vehicles and turbo-chargers the Exter’s outputs may seem underpowered but it provides enough get up and go to keep the little SUV from struggling to keep up in traffic or on the highway.
The clutch is light and gear changes through the gate are effortless and the multi-functional steering wheel just as light and easy to manoeuvre.
As with most cars built in India they’re not really designed to cruise at 120km/h for long distances. It’s the same with the Exter and while it doesn’t really struggle, at sea level in this case, the rev counter was hovering around the 4,000rpm mark.
It doesn’t mind high revving though and with the easy gear changes we found it to be quite responsive and fun to drive.
There is quite a bit of engine noise that comes through though, but given its city runabout status it’s unlikely to be a regular occurrence.
With McPherson Struts with coil springs in the front and a coupled torsion beam axle in the rear the Exter proved to be a well balanced ride over the couple of hundred kilometres we drove it with excellent fuel consumption of just over 6l/100km when we returned to the airport.
Safety is taken care of with six airbags (dual front, side and curtain), electronic Stability Programme (ESP) for the Premium and Executive AMT variants and the Elite, Hill Assist Control (HAC) on AMT variants, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, child seat anchors (ISOFIX) on outer seats of rear bench, ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution, speed sensing auto door lock and rear parking sensors for all variants, with a rear view camera for the Executive and Elite.
The Hyundai Exter comes with a seven-year or 200,000km warranty, three-year or 45,000km service plan and roadside assistance for seven years or 150,000km.
Hyundai Exter Pricing
Exter 1.2 Premium MT – R269 900
Exter 1.2 Premium AMT – R294 900
Exter 1.2 Executive MT – R289 900
Exter 1.2 Executive AMT – R314 900
Exter 1.2 Elite AMT – R334 900