Launching Tomorrow: Hyundai Xcent Facelift

If you are in the market for a sub 4-metre compact sedan, it is a good time to be out shopping; the Tata Tigor has been launched at a competitive price, the all-new Maruti Suzuki DZire will be launched soon, Ford has launched a 'sportier' Aspire - and Hyundai is launching the Xcent facelift tomorrow.

In short, the changes include a comprehensive exterior update, a new diesel powertrain, a new infotainment system and additional safety equipment.

The only official photo of the car shows that the Hyundai Xcent facelift will feature a significantly updated front-end; this includes blackened headlamps, new signature 'cascading' grille with 5 horizontal slats, an all-new aggressive-looking bumper with redesigned fog lamps and integrated LED DRLs. The Xcent facelift will look significantly different from the Grand i10, which is important considering this is considered a premium product.

Spy shots show that the 14-inch alloy wheels design has been changed, these look like units on the older Honda City. The design changes at the rear are comprehensive too; the taillamps now extend onto the boot lid, the chrome strip above the number plate holder connects both the taillamps, the bumper design mimics the front and the boot lid seems to be slightly modified for a larger opening.

Leaked documents suggest that the Xcent facelift will be offered with 11 variants as compared to the nine variants of the model it replaces. The 'Base' variant will be called the 'E' variant, a new 'E+' variant will be added above that. The other variants will continue to be called the same - S, SX and SX(O).

While dual-airbags will be standard on the Xcent facelift, Hyundai will remove ABS from the base 'E' variant, as per leaked documents. The E variant will also miss out on central locking, a day/night IRVM, full wheel cover for the steel wheels, rear centre armrest, the digital clock and the passenger-side vanity mirror. The changes made to the base variant could lower the starting price of the Xcent range significantly - the petrol variants of the car are currently priced from Rs 5.49 lakh, while the diesel variants start at Rs 6.35 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

Hyundai will also add an Alternator Management System as standard across the range. This stops the alternator from charging the battery during acceleration/high load situations, and allows it to do so during coasting - this reduces the strain on the engine, which in turn improves efficiency and performance. 

The 'SX' and 'SX(O)' variants also get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Also available on the Grand i10 facelift, the unit is smartphone compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The screen also doubles up as a rear-view camera display.

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The one and the only mechanical change to the Xcent facelift will be the new diesel motor. The 1.1-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged motor on the current model will be replaced with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder unit; this develops 75PS of maximum power (as compared to 72PS earlier) and 190Nm of peak torque (as compared to 180Nm before). 

Stay tuned to the ZigWheels social media pages for live updates from the launch tomorrow.

Spy photos and leaked details courtesy Team-BHP.com