It all started pretty innocuously when Hyundai released advertisments, mainly in print and over the radio, pushing the Santro Xing as a 'legal' 5-seater car. The intention was simple - to educate the buyer about the possible legal violations and safety hazards of a car that allowed 3 people to occupy the back seat, but didn't have the necessary additional seat-belt for the extra person. So the ad basically said, "Well, the Xing does! So, in your face, all you other 4-seaters parading as 5-seaters!" And to back their claim up, Hyundai claimed they had certification from The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
Shortly after, the ARAI came out crying foul demanding an explanation from Hyundai on the ad, their main peeve being that the ad did not clearly name the competitors' models that the Santro was positioning itself against (it didn't take a genius to figure out that Hyundai was hitting out at the WagonR) and that it had also had issues with its name being flashed in the ad. They would rather be referred to as 'the country’s premier certification and homologation agency', thank you.
Not one to to be bogged down, Hyundai's out with new ad that calls them just that as well as mentions very clearly the 5-seater and 4-seater B-segmenters available today. Check out page 17 of today's Chennai edition of The Hindu for 'Kissa Kursi Ka'.
The 5-seaters: Hyundai Santro Xing, Hyundai Getz, Maruti Zen, Tata Indica, Fiat Palio, Opel Corsa Sail
The 4-seater: Maruti Wagon R, Maruti Alto, M800
Also see: Which is really the better car?
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