As long as humans dwell in dense societies, the need for a compact car shall sustain. People are spoilt by choices thanks to the big bang of SUV demands. Larger cars are becoming affordable, but their competition forces them also to make good value for money sense. The presence of physics and finance cannot challenge reality. SUVs come with the cost of owning a large vehicle, which also includes periodic maintenance and then raises physics problems. Manoeuvring these cars through city traffic, in and out of tight parking spaces, etc., can get tiresome for some. Thanks to the enormous demand in the automotive space, cars of all genres are getting better. Hyundai understands the new age demand to own a car, and considering what the Grand i10 NIOS brings to the table, it almost fills the compact car plate.
Ride quality has matured like fine wine.
Nothing is too exciting about the 1.2L Kappa 4-cylinder petrol engine on the Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS. It is mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission on normal and CNG variants or paired with a 5-speed AMT. Either way, the engine and transmission are smooth. The engine does not enjoy being revved, and if you are looking for some performance, you will have to play with the revs and gears to get the most out of this compact beauty. We drove the manual with a great clutch action, light and precise. But, there is a change in how this car’s ride quality has taken a significant leap in handling our Indian roads. Thanks to the 175/60 R15 tyres, the ride quality has improved, making this car more plaint on most roads. There is more confidence at high speeds, corner steering at sustained momentum, and tackling road undulations.
Steering input has always been light on the i10 NIOS, and the newer leatherette-wrapped steering wheel makes this car feel even more confident and accessible around the city and highways. Speaking of highways, cruise control seems a fantastic addition to inter-city travel. The dead pedal and no throttle inputs on highways were brilliant to witness on a compact car. A host of electronic aids help induce an innate sense of surety while driving the Grand i10 NIOS. Though it gets disc brakes on the front and drums on the rear, the braking performance is more than adequate and hard braking never had the ABS shivering. If there was a performance vs comfortable ride graph, the Grand i10 NIOS sits deep inside the comfortable ride radius.
Interiors of a larger car
Grey is the new beige. The Grand i10 NIOS gets a newer colour on the dashboard, doors and newer NIOS embossed light-grey textured seats. The updates on the inside are plenty to call this car a facelift simply. It’s got a facelift and body lift and then some. The driver seat gets a height-adjust mechanism. The overall interior silhouette is similar, but the newer colour and additions like Qi wireless charger, Type-C PD port, newer MID with analogue and compact centre digital console with TPMS and a cooled glove box make this car seem like a thoughtful update to meet demands of this era. The space for all passengers is satisfactory, and the newer upholstery colours perceive a sense of space inside the cabin.
The most significant update on the inside is the newer steering wheel with leatherette stitching, cruise control, and symmetrical buttons on either side of the steering input. Hyundai offers the Grand i10 NIOS with 4 airbags as standard, while 6 airbags (seats + curtains) with ESC, VSM, HAC, and ABS with EBD are available on the top-end variants. The usual bits like rear AC vents, Start/Stop button, rear defogger with a rear wiper, etc., is steady and constant. There’s also a DRVM (driver rear view monitor), allowing the new rear camera with sensors to be used as a rearview monitor while driving. The best part is that it also has a mic for audio in the cabin. Hyundai = Features!
Updates and upgrades
The front design of the Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS reminds us of another Hyundai vehicle which was recently discontinued. Nonetheless, the front fascia looks sharp with newer auto projector headlamps, a larger, sharper gloss black grille and a beautiful tri-shaped DRL replacing the fog lamps from its predecessor. The Hyundai batches, too, have transformed into matte-finish logos compared to the chrome before. On the sides, there is nothing much apparent than the larger 15-inch diamond-cut alloys or steel rims compared to the 14-inch on the older i10 NIOS.
The biggest visual update is the inclusion of a rear red-coloured reflector that spans across the boot, giving a faux-connected tail-lamp look to the boot area. The tail lamps, too, are primarily LEDs with similar tri-shaped designs as the DRLs up-front, adding symmetry to the design. Top-end variants also get turn indicators on the ORVMs and chrome door handles with a request sensor. Overall, the updates seem meaningful, and that is a welcome addition.
A good compact car
The Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS offers a host of new features, better ride quality with 15-inch tyres, electronic aids, safer airbags and cruise control. The updates on the small facelift car from Hyundai make it a fantastic small package for people looking for their first car or a compact car that lacks nothing apart from wired-only Android Auto & Apple CarPlay. The world is wireless! The rear and front look sharper than before, but despite the newer tri-shaped LED design, the rear connecting reflector takes the icing on a tastier cake than its predecessor.
Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS
1.2L Kappa 4-Cyl Petrol
83PS / 115Nm - Petrol
69PS / 95Nm - Petrol with CNG
5-speed Manual (Petrol/CNG), 5-speed AMT (Petrol)
ESC, VSM, HAC, ABS with EBD, 4/6 airbags
DRVM with rear camera and sensors (audio)
Length and wheelbase - 3815mm and 2450mm
15-inch tyres, auto projector headlamps
Price (Ex-showroom) - INR 5.49L - 8.47L
