page_title: Hyundai Atos
section_title: Debut of original Atos
hierarchical_section_title: Hyundai Atos / Overview / Debut of original Atos
caption_attribution_description: English: Hyundai Atos
context_page_description: The Hyundai Atos is a city car that was produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai from 1997 until 2014. It was also marketed under the Atoz, Amica and Santro model names. From 1999, the Atos with a different rear fascia and restyled rear side doors is marketed as the Atos Prime and in South Korea and Indonesia as the Kia Visto. It has been available only with a five-door hatchback body style.
  It was replaced in most markets by the i10 in 2007, but production continued in India until late 2014. The Santro nameplate, used in India, was revived in October 2018.
context_section_description: The development project for a Hyundai minicar started in October 1995 after the main Korean competitor Daewoo had already put in place the production of a compact car, exposing numerous concepts in various international car showrooms that would have foreshadowed the production model (which would become the Matiz designed together with Italdesign Giugiaro). Hyundai produced a concept of a city car which was extremely compact and economical to sell not only in South Korea but also in Europe (market with high sales in the city segment seen the successes of cars such as Fiat Panda, Cinquecento, Renault Twingo and Peugeot 106) and in India. In just 23 months, with a total investment of 155 million dollars, the car passed from the blank sheet to production. In September 1997, Hyundai released it as the Atos, less than 3.50 meters long, characterized by a soft design but a very spacious interior thanks to the shape of the mini-van body, five doors and five seats. At the debut the engine was a four-cylinder petrol 800 cc Epsilon that was approved according to the new restrictive emission standards entered into force in South Korea. For export markets, the Atos adopted a larger 1.0-litre four-cylinder Epsilon engine. 
  Production in the Ulsan plant (South Korea) started in September 1997. The European version was presented at the International Motor Show Germany in Frankfurt the same month and sales began in March 1998.
  Hyundai for the Atos created a specific base platform, very simple in the mechanical and economic setting to produce because the car had to be sold in emerging markets and therefore have a low price list: the front wheel drive scheme was adopted, with MacPherson front suspension, and a torsion-beam suspension at the rear, front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The design of the Atos is characterized by a front with circular headlights and bumpers in raw plastic, the rear lights are in an upright position near the rear window, and the tailgate is very large to facilitate access to the luggage compartment. 
  The Atos was one of the first compact city cars (A-segment) to be sold in Europe with the five-door body. The trunk has a volume of 263 liters that rise to 1064 by breaking down the back sofa. The dashboard had a simple design, with a large shelf in the dashboard in front of the passenger side and two central vents with the levator climate controls. Safety devices (driver and front passenger airbags and ABS) were paid or standard only on top models.
caption: Interior
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