From Santro to new-gen Verna, Hyundai hits 5 million car mark in India

While Santro established Hyundai as a mass-market car in India, the company has since expanded its product portfolio and is also the largest auto exporter in the country.

File photo of Santro.

New Delhi: Hyundai on Tuesday announced the rolling out of its five millionth car - a Verna - in India. The Korean auto company first began production here in 1998 with the Santro and has since added a number of cars to its portfolio.

While Santro was a runaway success and established Hyundai in the Indian car market, it has since been discontinued. It, however, was the one-millionth car in the country in April of 2007. Since, the company has exponentially increased production and hit the two million mark in November of 2010 and the three million mark in July of 2013.

The company then took two years and four months to reach the four million milestone - in November of 2015. "Today, we are very happy to roll out the 5 millionth car with the NextGen Verna, the fastest in the industry symbolising our long-term commitment to this market," said Hyundai Motor India managing director and chief executive YK Koo."We will continue this momentum with strong efforts towards customer delight."

Recently also ranked best in an after-sales satisfaction survey, Hyundai has managed to widen its product portfolio in the country to include SUVs, premium SUVs, sedans and luxury sedans. While Maruti remains the country's largest car manufacturer, other car makers too have upped their game to give stiff competition. Hyundai, nonetheless, remains the largest exporter from the country and now has 480 dealers and over 1,260 service points.