Opening
Hyundai Grand i10: The Grand Hatch
Hyundai has successfully made a mark in the Indian mass car segment. The company was careful in selecting products for India. It enjoys the reputation of being the second largest automobile manufacturer and largest automobile exporter in the country.
The company started with Santro, a hatchback which looked different and offered more features. The Santro helped Hyundai make a mark in the Indian context, giving competition to leading domestic manufacturers like Maruti and Tata.
Hyundai cars also enjoy great reliability and that is why they are not discontinued very often. Even the Accent which was launched in 1999 and sold in good numbers was recently retired from the Hyundai portfolio.
The Hyundai i10 which is doing well in its segment had everything but a diesel engine. The immediate model after the i10 was the i20, a much advanced model. With an intention to introduce another model to plug this gap and also offer a diesel option, the Grand i10 was launched. In now a signature Hyundai style, the Grand i10 too offers a galore of features with an all new Diesel engine. We take this Grand new offering for a spin.
Appearance Exterior
Hyundai cars were never made to look good earlier. Take the Verna or the Sonata, neither of the cars looked nice forget appealing but then with the advent of the fluidic design philosophy, everything has gone upside down. Present day Hyundai cars look the most aggressive and cut edge. The new Hyundai Sonata totally steals it from competition with its shark style design.
The Grand i10 too offers a lot in terms of sheer design. It does drop some inspirational hints from the Hyundai Eon but then the Grand i10 takes it further. It does not look similar to competition. The design boasts of aggression and impressive styling. Hyundai has made sure that even though it is not a premium hatch does not mean the design should be bland and boring.
Look at it from front and the Grand i10 has a wide look. The headlamps have a sweep back design. The hexagonal front opening makes the car look wider and the contrasting black bar stands out in the design. The horizontal slats under this bar also aid the air movement to the engine. The radiator grille is a very slender chrome lining running across the width with the Hyundai logo placed on it. Even the front angular fog lamp design is impressive. The fog lamps are finished in chrome.
It has a strong yet subtle wedge line running on the side profile. The door handles are done in chrome. The external ORVMs electrically retract when the car is locked. They can be adjusted internally too. The ORVMs are also equipped with turn indicators. The level of detailing done is interesting as even the turn indicators get a slight dash of chrome around it.
With the window line starting at a lower position and flowing all the way to the rear C Pillar at a higher position, it makes the car look front inclined. The roof line flows over the strong A pillar before finally sloping till the rear and with the roof mounted spoiler, the design completes very aesthetically.
Just to make sure the design stays strong, there are matte black door protectors which contrast the body paint too. My favourite on the side profile have to be the 14 inch alloy wheels. The machine finished black alloy wheels make the car look really sporty. Another sporty addition to the exterior has to be the roof mounted rails which have been integrated very neatly with the body.
This is for the first time; I have been so impressed with the design of a hatch in this segment. The rear quarter profile of the Grand i10 is impressive indeed with the flowing contours and the fluidic lines flowing in equal harmony.
The rear profile of the Grand has to be the best looking. The bulge on the rear tail door looks nice and not just in appearance it also helps pack in more luggage in the boot section. The C-Pillar flows all the way to the rear tail door. The door also gets its share of creases to give it more character. These guys didn’t let it go that easily even the rear reflectors have been designed very neatly. The rear windshield is sufficiently wide and aids while reversing the car. Our variant also had a rear wiper.
The Grand i10 is one impressive looking hatch in its range. It is offered in 8 different colour shades and the Golden Orange is the flagship colour. The orange is a fresh change over the tried and tested white, greys and silvers. In fact, personally we feel the Grand i10 looks sportier than the i20 but only if the Grand had bigger wheels.
Appearance Interior
Normally the cabin of a hatchback does not offer any space and if you ask for features, the showroom sales guy gives you a sarcy smirk. Attributes like power windows and power steering are luxury features in them but then the Grand i10 goes beyond offering the mundane.
The multi functional steering wheel has everything one can wish for. In fact with so many buttons, I was wondering if Hyundai gave the accelerator and clutch controls too on the steering wheel. While other manufacturers give puny blink it and miss it control buttons, Hyundai prefers giving grand buttons which are highly functional.
The buttons help you juggle between different entertain models like radio, CD, Bluetooth or USB option. Then there are the trip adjustment and reset buttons which fit on the internal crevice. The other buttons help increase decrease volume while there are some to control Bluetooth telephony too.
The steering wheel is highly functional. It lacks reach adjustment but then it offers tilt settings which has become a standard in this segment. Even after adjusting the steering wheel to the highest point with the seats at the lowest height, the instrumental cluster is still clearly visible. This is very impressive as even some premium sedans go wrong with this combination of positions.
The internal trims are completed in 2 tone beige and black colours. The black makes it look premium while the beige contrasts it. The dashboard sees a strong beige panel while the door trims are primarily done in black with only the lower portion being beige.
The steering wheel gets leather but not the seats. The seats are finished in high quality fabric. Only the driver’s seat gets height adjustment. The stitch quality looks decent. It has decent lumbar support but there is no lumbar support adjustment. The front row seats are bench type and provide adequate thigh and back support. We were extremely comfortable till 150 Kms. The front row seats come with an integrated headrest while the rear passenger headrests can be adjusted.
In the rear section, the legroom is very impressive and feels very spacious. The sloping roofline can be an issue for tall passengers. These seats too have great cushioning and are high on comfort. One small discomfort is the rear door design. Since the rear window line climbs all the way, the visibility for rear passengers is less.
All four windows drop down completely. The driver’s window has an auto drop down function too where the glass goes down at a single click. The length of armrest on the door trim is very less and hence the buttons might feel located in an awkward position. Also one more discomfort is the fixed grab handles mounted on the roof. Taller passengers might get affected by this.
It has a 4 speed AC motor with different modes. The Grand i10 also offers a segment first rear AC vents which is an amazing addition. It was always seen as a feature only for sedans but then the Grand i10 becomes the first hatch to offer it too. The rear AC does not have speed settings but then it follows the one being used in front. Interestingly, the rear AC vents have an option to be opened or closed while the front AC vents don’t have that option. The vent design is the reason for it.
The entertainment system in the Grand i10 is very impressive with amazing audio playback quality, It has four speakers on each doors. Music can be played via the 2-Din integrated entertainment system. It has an optional USB-AUX-in option too. The USB is located at a very convenient position near the central storage space.
Streaming music via Bluetooth is also not a difficult task as the phones pair very easily. The knob clicks and rotates to shuffle between different options. It can pair a maximum of 5 phones. The entertainment system is very easy to operate. It also offers various options in addition to the normal bass, mid and treble settings. One can also choose a preferred area of listening inside the cabin by adjusting the fader and balance setting. The display on the music system is very lucid.
The instrumental cluster too is very simple. It displays essential information like engine running time, average vehicle speed, dual tripmeter and optimum gear to engage. It shows everything but misses on the most important distance to empty tank. Even the Figo offers it. We think the engine running time could have been ditched for this as it is a very useful feature.
The glove box has enormous space. It also doubles as a cold storage option. Even in the central console there are numerous storage pockets. It gets two different types of cup holders on the central area with an intermittent rectangular stowage space. The front door pockets are useful too as they offer space to keep essential documents as well as a litre class bottle. Even the rear door gets a generous door pocket. There is also a back pocket behind the co-driver seat for keeping magazines but the same is not given behind the driver’s seat. The rear boot space too is very grand in nature and can pack in amazing quantities of bags. This space can be increased by collapsing the rear sear bench.
Performance Drive
I always believed budget hatchbacks are not cars to look out for in terms of sheer performance. After all, its main purpose is to commute from point A to point B. They are supposed to be dull and boring. There is a new contender to challenge this belief.
Hyundai offers the Grand i10 in 1197cc petrol and 1120cc diesel engine options. We had the Asta diesel variant for our review. The petrol engine is very similar to the Kappa 2 1.2 VTVT which is offered in the i10. The diesel engine on the other hand is the all new second generation Euro 5 compliant engine. Hyundai states that this engine generates a great torque at lower engine speeds.
This 12 valve DOHC diesel engine produces a power of 71 PS at 4000 rpm and a torque of 16.3kg-m at a wide range of 1500 to 2750 rpm. The diesel engine comes with a 5 speed manual transmission. The petrol however gets an optional automatic box which was launched without making any noise. The diesel engine can also do with an automatic box too provided the demand is strong.
The Asta variant has a keyless entry option and comes with a start stop button instead of the conventional setup. Get the gear stick to neutral and keep the clutch engaged, only then is the ignition turned on. When the engine is cranked up, there is no audible rattling of a diesel engine. The engine idles at little less than 1000 rpm.
The high torque at less engine speeds is very true about the Grand i10. It does not wait to reach a particular engine speed to start performing. At 1st gear, the engine reaches close to 5,000 rpm before making it shift to second. The torque spread is indeed very wide and the need to shifts gears is very less. Even at third gear, the engine keeps pulling hard and reaches high speeds at great ease.
Shift it to 4th and crossing 100 km/h is not difficult at all. The engine cruises effortlessly at speeds of 120 – 130 km/h and that too at low engine speeds like 2500 rpm. If you wish to really twist the throttle hard and shift gears on the go then the rev needle maxes out at 5000 rpm followed by a drop till 3000 rpm before shifting to the next gear. The change in gears does not make the engine speed drop considerably thus maintaining the momentum of the engine.
The steering wheel feels very nice and the bolster support on it is adequate. Even the positioning of the buttons on the steering wheel is very nice. The wheel feels of the correct size and makes manoeuvring very easy. Steer the Grand across tight corners and then you tend to realize that this is not a hatch you should be doing cornering sessions with.
The reason for the above is not poor handling but the small R14 Goodyear tyres. It has a superb ground hugging design. Also, due to its fantastic design lines, the resistance against air is also very less. It has a very negligible body roll but not that it really makes any difference. However, if only the tyres are changed, the full potential of the Grand can be seen.
This 3 cylinder diesel engine does have its share of merits and accolades but then it has some spoilers too. While graduating from lower engine speeds to higher engine speeds, the stress on the engine is evident. The same is not the case in a 4 cylinder engine. Even when the engine is climbing on gradients, it tends to lose breath easily and demands a downshift.
Leaving these two factors aside, it is a sheer pleasure to drive. Inside the city, it manoeuvres very easily. Even on the highways, the steering wheel feels precise and does not fight back even at high speeds. It has disc brakes in front and drum brakes for the rear and both perform superbly. The vehicle does not lose track even while braking at great speeds.
The suspension setup clings more towards softer settings. It does not completely take the uneven roads but then performs decently when being driven over them. The cabin is not completely disconnected from the undulations but then it is not disappointing. The suspension tunings are perfect for city driving conditions and urban roads.
Tech Specs
| Technical Specifications | |
| Make | Hyundai |
| Model | Grand i10 |
| Variant | Asta |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Engine Type | 1.1 CRDi Diesel |
| Displacement/ No. of Cylinders | 1120/3 CYL |
| Power PS/RPM | 71/4000 |
| Torque Nm/RPM | 160/1500-2750 |
| Transmission | 5/M |
| Tyres | 165/65 R14 |
| Dimensions in mm | |
| Length | 3765 |
| Width | 1660 |
| Height | 1520 |
| Wheelbase | 2425 |
| Ground Clearance | 165 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (L) | 43 |
| Fuel Efficiency in KMPL | 25 |
Features
| Features | Era | Magna | Sports | Asta |
| Petrol | ||||
| Ex showroom Mumbai in Rs | 4,54,422 | 4,74,859 | 5,16,155 | 5,77,994 |
| Diesel | ||||
| Ex showroom Mumbai in Rs | 5,52,855 | 5,73,298 | 6,14,603 | 6,76,456 |
| Clear lense Head lamp and tail lamp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Turn indicators on outline of Mirrors | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Spoiler | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Alloy wheels | No | No | No | Yes |
| 2 Tone beige interiors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Front and rear door Map pockets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome finish on gear lever knob and parking lever tip | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Warning and Indicators for Gear shift,fuel,doors,seatbelt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi information display for Average engine speed,Engine running time | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2 DIN Integrated Radio+CD+MP3Player | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Front and Rear speakers | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Steering mounted controls Audio+Bluetooth | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electric power steering | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manual AC with heater | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear AC Vents | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tilt steering | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Central Locking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Front Fog lamps | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear De fogger | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Driver and passanger airbag | No | No | No | Yes |
| ABS | No | No | No | Yes |
Competition All Specs
| Specifications |
Hyundai
Grand i10 |
Maruti Suzuki
Ritz |
Ford
Figo |
| Variant | 1.1 CRDi Diesel | ZDi | Titanium Diesel |
| Ex showroom Mumbai in Rs | 6,77,265 | 6,73,716 | 6,14,599 |
| Engine Displacement | 1120 | 1248 | 1399 |
| Power PS/RPM | 71/4000 | 75/4000 | 69/4000 |
| Torque Nm/RPM | 160/1500-2750 | 180/2000 | 160/2000 |
| Transmission | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M |
| Turning radius in M | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| Tyres | 165/65 R14 | 185/70 R15 | 175/65 R14 |
| Dimensions in mm | |||
| Length | 3765 | 3775 | 3795 |
| Width | 1660 | 1687 | 1680 |
| Height | 1520 | 1620 | 1427 |
| Wheelbase | 2425 | 2360 | 2489 |
| Ground Clearance | 165 | 170 | 168 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (L) | 43 | 43 | 45 |
| Fuel Efficiency in KMPL | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Features | Asta | Zdi | Titanium |
| Steering mounted Audio controls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Leather wrapped steering wheels | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers for surround sound effect for all doors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air conditioner | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic power steering | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Front power windows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear power windows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable tilt steering | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electrically adjustable ORVM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyless central door loacking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Front fog lamps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear wiper,washer,defogger | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated music system with backlit buttons | Yes | Yes | No |
| Driver SRS airbag | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Co-Driver Airbag | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-Lock Braking System | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conclusion
The Hyundai Grand i10 was intended to fill in the gap between the i10 and i20 but then the Grand i10 offers amazing list of features which make it a very lucrative offering. It comes in Era, Magna, Sportz and Asta trims. It is priced between Rs. 4,51,440 to Rs. 6,73,470 (Ex-Showroom Mumbai). It is loaded with features and also comes in an all new diesel engine which delivered a realistic mileage of 17 Kmpl. The petrol variant also gets an optional automatic transmission option.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz too is offered in petrol and diesel engine options. It is priced between Rs. 4,671,41 to Rs. 6,73,716 (Ex-Showroom Mumbai). The Ritz has certain advantage over the Grand i10 as the former is dimensionally bigger in length, width and height also the Ritz comes with a 4 cylinder 1248cc diesel engine while the Grand i10 has a 3 cylinder 1120cc engine. However, the Grand i10 takes the lead when it comes to styling, interior comfort, mileage and features offered.
We believe that the Grand i10 has all the perfect ingredients to make it a strong competitor. The diesel engine might feel over priced but then it also comes loaded with segment first features like on board 1GB memory, auto retractable mirrors, rear AC vents, Keyless Start Stop etc. Thus, if you want a modern hatchback which looks impressive and drives great without burning a hole in the pocket, the Grand i10 is our suggestion to you.
