The Exter is the smallest Hyundai SUV and aimed at getting a slice of the small SUV space, targeting at hatchback buyers. At its media drive, we were fairly impressed with the car but a longer test for a few months was needed to further get under the skin for this new Hyundai.
It helped that we had the blue AMT for some time and that is the version which we recommend in terms of convenience. In blue, the Exter looked funky and to our eyes, looks interesting if a bit boxy. We are glad that it is not some shrunken Venue though and has its own personality mainly due to the H pattern DRLs and the two part grille while the slab sided side view also adds a sense of functionality.
The best use of the Exter came across my commute and how compact it is. It is smaller than an i20 and that means, getting through narrow lanes and parking is easy. What also helped is the very good rear camera and the good driving visibility. The compact size of the Exter means you can really take it anywhere without any hassles of parking.
The 1.2l engine makes 83 bhp and largely does the job of being a comfortable commuter. This tried and tested Hyundai motor is smooth and has a linear power delivery but the star here is the AMT gearbox which is very smooth in traffic. Yes, shifts might be a bit slow, but they are smooth and the best AMT gearbox honestly.
I did not use the steering paddles much in the city but on the highway, it helped to overcome the lag. While the motor does now have the sheer power of a turbo, it is a comfortable cruiser. The steering is light and that also helped in the city while stability at high speeds is decent. The 185mm ground clearance also meant that I took it through some bad roads with no problem. In terms of the ride, it was slightly on the softer side but speed breakers and sharp potholes are felt though.
During my long hours doing inter-city routes, the cabin impressed save for some missing stuff. The seats felt slightly thin for a 6 footer like me and I wanted an armrest plus wireless Android Auto. That said, a decent audio system (not a Bose audio though), connected car tech and wireless charging were useful. It even gets a dash cam which is very much required these days while there is a voice operated sunroof too- features like these make the Exter remove the feeling of being a budget SUV.
Also, the interior quality was nice with hard use not inducing squeaks and rattles. In city, I got 12-13 kmpl while calm highway driving increased it a bit. The boot on the other hand is quite big but the rear seat is best for two passengers only although headroom/legroom is above class standards.
The Exter overall comes out on top as a city SUV which has a decent amount of features. Sure, it does miss a few including armrest and the engine does not provide exciting performance- but neither do its rivals. The addition of safety features as standard is also a big point.
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