Can the Hyundai HA bring down the Maruti Alto?

For a car that sells every 2 minutes, the Maruti Suzuki Alto really needs no introduction. For more than a decade, this little warrior has fought every competitor to retain the crown. Some competitors were fierce such as the Tata Nano, some were rather meek like the Chevy Spark and others never went into production.

But the best selling car in India refused to budge from its No. 1 position.

Now the Alto faces a new competitor – Hyundai HA. The Koreans have decided to challenge the Japanese at their own game. Back in 2008, Hyundai started working on the prototype of the HA. Our readers Sarun Selvanesan and Rohan Patil have caught the HA on different occasions during testing this year.

Now, a team-bhp.com member with the nickname Dhuli has clicked the HA from every angle possible. The test mule was spotted near Sriperumbudur, HMIL's plant site. The rear window line clearly indicates that it is HA. Moreover, the car looks pretty much a completed project just waiting to be launched.

If you observe the headlamps clearly, you will notice that the HA is very much inline with Hyundai’s new fluidic sculpture design. The Hyundai HA will not replace the Santro and the company is targeting rural areas to drive up sales. We have complied the list of features that are expected on the HA in this post. Beige interiors, EPS, normal bucket seats, USB/MP3/CD player with sophisticated controls and front power windows are some features on the top-end HA variant.

As you can see, the list of features is very tempting. Hyundai India has a considerable experience in the small car market by selling the Santro and the i10 for years on end. Adding to that, previously too, Hyundai India has managed to gobble up entire segments and has reached a state of high customer confidence. The i20 hatchback is another feather on their hat.

If the Alto's days have to be numbered, there's no one better than Hyundai who can carry out the job with the perfect mix of quality, low price, perception, small car market know-how and strong after sales network.

Will the HA put a full stop to the Alto’s legacy?

[Source - Team-BHP.com]