The Hyundai Aura is to the Xcent Exactly What the Grand i10 Nios is into the Grand i10. This is fundamentally the new generation model of this Xcent and we spend a day using it to see how it fares on city roads and highways of Madhya Pradesh.

Among the few automobile sections in India that include a semblance of perfect competition is the subcompact automobile section. And the latest kid on the block is your Hyundai Aura. The subcompact sedan segment in India saw an overall decrease of 28 percent in 2019 with Hyundai itself seeing a huge 54 per cent decline during the same time. Hyundai hopes to change this scenario with the newest Aura and our initial impression of the car is an excellent one. We spent some time with the new Hyundai Aura and here’s our review.

Hyundai Aura Features

The Aura is to the Xcent exactly what the Grand i10 Nios would be to the Grand i10. This is fundamentally the newest generation model of this Xcent also it’s predicated upon the Grand i10 Nios and that’s evident in the front end. It’s perhaps completely similar to this Grand i10 Nios, right down to the hexagonal grille along with the twin set of LEDs flanked on the inside. The projector headlamps will be the exact same unit as well. Aside from that, the car has a few creases on the bonnet along with the profile, adding more character to the appearance of the automobile. The back too sees significant changes together with the boot lid now obtaining a sculpted look and the z-shaped wrap-around tail lamps together with an 3D outer lens add to the overall look of the car. But we are not exactly fans of the means by which the way it looks. The chrome part on the boot is a bit of overkill and the tail lamps too do not quite sit well with the total layout of the automobile.

Hyundai aura delivery

Hyundai aura delivery

It has a wheelbase of 2450 mm and boot space stands at 402 litres. The dimensions make it a spacious car and it could comfortably seat 4 people, with the back seat being particularly comfortable. For commercial fleet sales, Hyundai will continue together with all the Xcent Prime and maintain the Aura nameplate for private customer sales.

Our’turbo-pack’ test car had the same crash pad onto the passenger side which ups the superior feel along with the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system which includes smartphone connectivity too. The double tone gray interior with splashes of red adds a sense of sportiness inside. These include features like two USB charging interfaces, wireless charging for both cellular phones and a rear-view monitor. It is the same as the reversing camera, except, it may be switched on when the vehicle is moving ahead.

The 1.2-litre gas makes 82 bhp and 114 Nm and comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox as also a 5-step AMT too. The newest addition is a 1-litre Turbo GDi motor which is a section first! All engine options are all BS6 compliant.

Now, it’s a rev-happy motor and once you go beyond the 3,000 rpm mark, that is when the engine comes to life. And it is a comfortable highway cruiser as well. So that you can cruise at triple digit rates all day long. There is an anemic response when you’re below 2,500 rpm but once you go past that, you will like what the automobile has to offer you.

Obviously, the Hyundai Aura does impress us with what it offers in terms of performance and features. The car is a definite upgrade over the Xcent in terms of looks as well, maybe! The prices start at $ 5.80 lakh and move up to $ 9.22 lakh, undercutting the Maruti Suzuki Dzire and the Honda Amaze, two of its main rivals, by a small margin. Is it value for money? Yes, definitely! If it features in your account listing for a subcompact sedan? A hundred per cent!