Hyundai's i10 replaces Santro as flagship model

Hyundai’s next generation hatchback i10 has overtaken the company’s best-selling car, Santro, to become the flagship model for the Korean auto major, according to the sales figures for the past few months.

Average sales of the i10 have touched 12,000 units a month, against about 7,000 for the Santro, prompting Hyundai to consider this hatchback, launched two years back to counter Maruti Suzuki’s growing popularity, as its flagship model.

However, the Korean auto major does not say so formally. “We follow a mutli-model strategy and look at consolidated sales of Santro and i10. Sales of the Santro and i10 together contribute a sizeable chunk of the compact car segment and it adds to a larger customer base,” said Arvind Saxena, senior VP at Hyundai Motor India. For the current year, Hyundai expects Santro sales at 85,000 units and the I10 to gross 1.4 lakh units.

Company executives offer varied reasons for the growth of the i10. But contemporary styling, competitive pricing and superior technology have remained the common features for the growing popularity, say executives connected with the development.