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Harikrishnan

7w

Why is Hyundai hesitant to bring the Hyundai Palisade or the new-generation Hyundai Santa Fe? Both would have huge potential in the market if locally manufactured.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
6w
Hyundai had introduced the Santa Fe in the Indian market in the past, and it wasn’t very successful. Though both the Pallisade and Santa Fe are very good global products, the limited volumes they would sell in India mean they can only be brought in as imports or the CKD route, which faces higher customs duties than products that are completely localised and manufactured in India.
Hence, prices for the Pallisade and Santa Fe would be quite high, and for that sort of money, consumers would rather buy a German luxury brand, which has a lot higher badge value or status than a Hyundai.
However, Hyundai India has announced plans to launch its luxury brand, Genesis, which will be an easier sell in the Indian market.

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Hi, I am planning to buy a Kodiaq Sportline. It came to my attention that it does not have hill start assist and hill descent control. How crucial is this technology for normal hill driving? Does the Kodiaq Sportline handle hill drives easily, and does it feature any additional technology to compensate for hill hold or hill descent?

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The Skoda Kodiaq Sportline does not come equipped with hill hold or hill descent control. While hill hold assist is a convenient feature, especially for steep urban parking ramps or stop-start traffic on inclines, it’s not essential if you know how to manage the car on slopes. Hill descent control, on the other hand, is primarily useful for off-road conditions with loose surfaces. It’s not a feature you will miss in normal hill driving situations.This Skoda car is powered by a 204hp, 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The engine offers strong torque and smooth performance, which helps the car climb inclines easily. However, since the DSG is a twin-clutch unit, it can roll back slightly if you take your foot off the brake before the clutch engages. This is typical behaviour for such transmissions.You can easily work around this. Either use your left foot lightly on the brake until you feel the clutch bite, or engage the electronic parking brake when stationary on a slope. It automatically releases as you press the accelerator, making hill starts much easier.

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Posted on: 31 Jan 2026