Hyundai Motor Company announced that cumulative sales of its compact hatchback i10 have surpassed 3.3 million units globally, reinforcing its status as one of India’s most popular cars. Of the total, 2 million units were sold in India’s domestic market, while 1.3 million were exported to over 140 countries.
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) confirmed the milestone on April 29. First manufactured in 2007 at the company’s Chennai plant, the i10 has consistently sold over 100,000 units annually in India. Key export markets include South Africa, Mexico, Chile, and Peru, and the model was once available in Europe as well.
Originally launched as the successor to the Santro, the i10 gained early acclaim, being named India’s Car of the Year in 2008. Now in its 18th year, the i10 has evolved through three generations-from the original model to the Grand i10, and the current Grand i10 NIOS. Today, it is available in three powertrain options: 1.2L Kappa gasoline with manual transmission (MT), 1.2L Kappa gasoline with automated manual transmission (AMT), and a 1.2L bi-fuel (gasoline + CNG) variant.
Hyundai plans to build on the model’s success with a long-term strategy tailored to the Indian market. In 2023, the company acquired General Motors’ manufacturing plant in Pune, Maharashtra, and is preparing to begin operations there in the second half of this year.
Eon Seo Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai’s India Regional Headquarters, stated, “The i10 currently achieves a localization rate of 91.3% for domestic models and 91.4% for export variants. With the upcoming launch of our new plant in Maharashtra, we aim to further expand exports to emerging markets and increase our global footprint.”
