‘Where the clear stream of reason, has not lost its way, into the dreary desert sand of dead habit.’ These lines have been echoing in my mind for a while now, with the daily grind, the dreary, dead routine. The clear stream of reason being the one-off breaks that we take to refresh, rejuvenate, and realign our thoughts, which gives us the motivation to go back to the office on a Monday morning! And this is where the Hyundai Exter comes in! It is an SUV with a compact footprint which works beautifully well in the city and even highway jaunts as I found out!
So, on my way to office on a Monday morning, I took the liberty of simply turning the Exter around and took for a small town called Chakrata, ahead Dehra Dun, nestled in the hills of Uttarakhand. The joy of taking off on a Monday, bunking office is rather underrated. I put my playlist on shuffle and before the fifth song came on, I was already on the highway to Dehra Dun.
An hour later, I pulled into a dhaba, for a sumptuous breakfast of chai and parathas laden with white butter. With the body and soul satiated, I was back on my way to Chakrata, soaking in the sights and sounds, nibbling on fresh sugar cane, since the route that I took passed right through the sugar cane belt of Northern India. And not before long, I came across a bad patch of road.
The advantage of having the Exter is that you don’t have to shy away from an unexpected stretch of bad road. Just like the one I took to a beautiful spot that was right beside the Yamuna, flowing in all its glory.
You don’t have to think twice going off road and explore something new. It might not be a big, burly SUV but it surely blitzes through the rough stuff with as much ease as smooth tarmac, thanks to a plush ride quality. The ground clearance on the Exter gives you the confidence to tackle bad roads and even have some fun while you are at it! It feels reassuring and solid on tough terrain and even on steep climbs, with no dearth of power.
Its 1.2-litre engine is more than capable for city rides but also shines on highways and hill climbs. It is frugal but doesn’t compromise on comfort and features. And most importantly, it is loaded with safety features, the jewel in the crown being the standard six airbags and a dashcam that records everything happening on the road in front of you, adding an extra layer of safety. The compact footprint of the Exter makes it a breeze to maneuver through traffic snarls and tight spaces. It is an easy car to drive, with near zero fatigue on long commutes and road trips.
Chakrata! It is a beautiful, little slice of heaven, just 90-100 km from the hustle and bustle of Dehra Dun. With considerably less commercialisation than other popular hill stations, Chakrata is a popular for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. my accommodation too was at the base of a hill, with mountains on all sides and a beautiful view, looking over the valley. One could spend countless hours reading a book and sipping on endless cups of chai.
The idea was to reach the destination and slow down time. So, for a couple of days all I did was take photos of birds and trees and plants, catch up on rest, finished a rather interesting mystery novel and patted myself on the back that I took a couple days off. And the Hyundai Exter made it happen, all so effortlessly.
The Exter is a comfortable place to be in, whether you are driving in the city or out on a road trip. The engine is smooth, and the power delivery is linear. The Exter offers spirited performance and is particularly entertaining on the twisties, thanks to a responsive steering.
It is important to take a quick break and head into the wilderness every once a while, to clear your head, to streamline your thoughts and to just get away from dreariness and the mundane routine. For this outing, I had the Hyundai Exter and what a surprise it turned out to be. It is sprightly, comfortable, practical and it is the perfect companion for a road trip. Not to mention, its distinct style with the parametric front grille makes it stand out on the road.
