Hyundai Motor Co.'s Eon mini-hatchback sales in India surpassed the monthly 10,000 unit mark for the first time in February, making it the best-selling model for Korea's largest carmaker on the subcontinent, industry sources said Monday.
Automotive industry sources said sales of the small-sized, economical car that was specifically built for the Indian market hit 10,480 units last month, which made it the fifth most popular car in the country after the Alto, Swift, Dzire and Wagon R made by rival Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
Strong sales also made the Eon, which started reaching consumers in September, Hyundai's top selling model in the South Asian country, outpacing the company's i10 subcompact whose sales reached 10,324 units.
Hyundai designed the Eon using its trademark "fluidic sculpture" design language to appeal to Indian consumers. The company limited options and technology packages that can be installed to best meet local market conditions, and further cut prices by procuring most parts from local suppliers. A basic trim model sells for about US$5,500, according to the company.
The car, with its sporty-looking hatchback styling, comes with an 800cc engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission that can generate 56 horsepower and 7.65 kilogram-meters of torque.
Related to Eon's strong showing, the vehicle was named the micro-mini car of the year by the Overdrive automotive review program that is aired on CNBC-TV18, a business news channel based in Mumbai, India.
Hyundai Motor's, meanwhile, said that it sold a combined 36,805 cars in India last month, which is a 12.8 percent rise from a year earlier. (Yonhap)