Hyundai Grand i10 Nios First Drive | Safer & Still A Great City Car

The Grand i10 Nios has received a considerable update for 2023 with the addition of two airbags, visual tweaks and a few other features as well. It has also lost a drivetrain option or two along the way. Is it now an even better city car or have the deleted engines hurt its appeal? 

The Cosmetic Changes

• New Bumpers with new, wide, honeycomb-esque grille

• New DRL design 

• New shallower emboss for the Hyundai logo on the bonnet 

• New design for the 15-inch alloy wheels

• Connected tail lamp like design but the connected element part doesn't light up 

• Overall an update that does make quite a difference even though the changes are minor

The Interior 

• The interior has received quite a boost for the segment with three interior colour options to choose from: grey dual-tone, black with green accents & black with red accent options

• Design and layout remains the same though it’s still the best in the segment in terms of fit and finish

• There is also an updated wireless charger and USB type-C fast-charger added in to the mix

• The features list stays impressive for the segment with rear air con vents, eight-inch touch screen infotainment, steering-mounted controls and climate control

• New additions include auto headlamps, cruise control and ambient lighting in the footwells

• The interior is also comfortable for four and can also easily fit in five reasonably sized adults 

• Wish there was a central armrest for both rows

Drivetrain

• It now also has only the single 1.2-litre petrol engine option with the diesel option having been dropped a while back and the 1.0-litre turbo also being axed with this update

• A CNG option is available though

• Transmission choices are a five-speed manual and a five-speed AMT 

• Hyundai is also claiming that these powertrains are Real-world Driving Emission Norms (RDR) compliant

• The petrol engine is also compatible with E20, 20 per cent ethanol-blended fuel, too

• Power output is a claimed 83PS and 113Nm

Driving Experience 

• The Grand i10 Nios was always an easy car to drive in the city and it still remains so with light controls and good visibility all-around

• We only had the manual car on test so can't really comment on the performance of the AMT

• The torque low down and smooth engine delivery make it a good choice for novice drivers

• Not the most exciting engine for more experienced drivers

• Ride is compliant at city speeds, but the suspension does get caught out on bigger bumps

Safety Boost 

• A solid boost to the safety package, the Grand i10 Nios now comes with four airbags as standard with the top-spec Asta variant getting a six airbag setup.

• Hill assist, driver rear-view monitor, vehicle safety management  and ESC are also part of the package

Verdict

The Grand i10 Nios is now looking fresher and safer than ever. Yes, the pocket-friendly diesel engine has been dropped because of new emission compliance issues and a claimed lack of demand. And the enthusiast friendly 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine has been saved for more premium products. But that still doesn't change the fact that, for most buyers, the Grand i10 Nios stays the comfortable, practical, easy driving city car it always was and a safer one too.