India’s second largest car maker Hyundai Motor India Ltd has stopped production of its entry-level Accent sedan, which it launched 10 years ago.
add_main_imageA senior official in the company confirmed the development without elaborating on the details.
A second official linked the move to the planned launch of a new compact car that would compete with Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s Swift. The new car will be positioned between Hyundai’s i10 and i20 models.NextMAds
“We will be launching our small car both in petrol and diesel variants. The move to phase out Accent is taken in that direction,” the second official said.
A company spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.
On 31 January, Mint reported that Hyundai was preparing to introduce a small car to take on Maruti’s best-selling Swift as it looks to boost its market share in India. The new car, code-named BA, is being developed by Hyundai in South Korea. The car will follow the so-called “Fluidic” design that characterizes Hyundai’s i20, Verna and Elantra.
Sales of the Accent have been declining in recent years due to the non-availability of a diesel version and rising competition.
In the last fiscal, sales of the car declined 67% to 2,931 units, according to data provided by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.
