Hyundai Aura

The Hyundai Aura is a sub-4m sedan, which shares its platform with the Grand i10 Nios. It rivals the likes of the Maruti Dzire and Honda Amaze, both of which have received a proper makeover recently. However, unlike its rivals, the Aura hasn’t been updated since the launch of its facelift back in early 2023, which in itself was a rather mild update to begin with. So will your experience be an outdated one if you pick the Aura over its rivals? Let’s find out:

• The Hyundai Aura has a simple design which shares resemblance with the Grand i10 Nios, especially at the front.

• Its front bumper is covered almost entirely by the grille, which gets upside-down L-shaped DRLs hugging the body coloured bumper panel to break the monotony.

• The headlights are exactly the same as you get in the Grand i10 Nios with similar halogen projector elements within it.

• The simplicity in design continues at the rear where there isn’t much going on in terms of cuts and creases.

• Hyundai offers the Aura with 15-inch alloy wheels in the top-spec SX trim, which suits the simple design of the sub-4m sedan.

• Lower variants of the Aura also get 15-inch steel wheels with dual-tone covers, but the base-spec variant gets 14-inch steel wheels only.

• I think the rear is probably the most stylish angle to view the Aura from.

• The sleek LEDs in the tail lights and the sporty-looking spoiler add substance to the design.

• Overall, the Aura might not look as modern as its recently updated rivals, but it still doesn’t look old or outdated, and the design is likely to age well.

• In terms of colour options, there are 6 shades to choose from: Typhoon silver, Starry night, Teal blue, Atlas white, Fiery red, and Titan grey.

• There are no dual-tone shades available with the Aura.

Design & Quality

• While the Aura shares the same interior design as the Grand i10 Nios, Hyundai has applied different shades to compliment the dual-tone interior, which helps it look more stylish.

• I particularly like the copper finish on the dashboard, which goes well with the honeycomb pattern on the passenger side trim.

• Most of the cabin is made up of plastics, but they don’t feel cheap or scratchy.

• Sparse usage of chrome inserts, and leatherette on the steering wheel and gear knob uplift the feel of the cabin.

Driving position

• Aura’s front seats offer a balanced cushioning, which feels comfortable on both short and long journeys.

• An average-sized adult would have nothing to complain about in terms of space and comfort at the front.

• There’s no telescopic steering adjustment, but with driver seat height adjustment being offered as standard, along with tilt steering from the S variant, finding a comfortable driving position is easy.

• There are no issues in terms of overall visibility as well.

Passenger comfort

• The Aura’s rear seat offers a good amount of legroom and knee room, and the underthigh support is adequate.

• But the headroom will be slightly restricted for taller passengers due to the sloping roof design.

• Three people here will be a tight squeeze and the middle passenger doesn’t get any dedicated headrest.

• For comfort and convenience at the rear, there are rear AC vents and a central armrest with two cupholders.

Storage options

• Hyundai has equipped the Aura with just the right amount of storage options for a small family.

• It gets 1-litre bottle holders on all four doors, a good amount of space in the cooled glove compartment and two varying-sized cupholders in the central console. 

• I found the open section beside the handbrake to be rather convenient to store your phone or key. If not, you can use the wireless charging pad to store your loose items.

• Rear storage is limited however with seat back pocket only on the passenger side seat and two cupholders in the central armrest.

Features

• The 2025 Hyundai Aura’s features list won’t wow you, but it doesn’t miss on anything functional or must-have.

• The 8-inch infotainment system is easy to use with a good resolution and response times. It also gets wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

• The 3.5-inch MID display for the driver is simple and tiny, but relays information clearly. Toggling between its menus is also fairly simple.

• Wireless phone charger is available, but it requires to be plugged into the 12V socket. So you can’t use other accessories if you’ve got the charger connected.

• Other features in the Aura include auto AC, push button start/stop, cruise control, fully electric outside mirrors, type-C fast charger, and auto headlights.

• While the Aura doesn’t miss out on anything that you’d complain about, the segment now offers features like a sunroof, bigger infotainment systems, and even ADAS features.

• The 2025 Hyundai Aura hasn’t been crash tested by any independent crash test agency.

• In terms of features, it gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers as standard.

• Higher variants further add features like a tyre pressure monitoring system, ISOFIX mounts, a rear parking camera, hill-hold assist, and electronic stability program.

• For some reason, Hyundai offers ISOFIX mounts only in the top variant, while it should be offered as a standard fitment.

• Hyundai claims that the Aura has a boot space of 402-litres.

• It has a long and deep boot, which allows it to accommodate larger bags easily.

• So you can store a full suitcase set including one large, medium and small suitcase, and still have space for a couple of cabin suitcases or duffle bags.

• Opening the boot will require you to pull out the key, because the Aura does not get a request sensor to open the boot.

• Hyundai Aura gets a single 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated (NA) petrol engine, which can be paired with either a 5-speed MT or a 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT).

• A CNG kit is also available, but only with the manual transmission.

Petrol

• Noise and vibrations levels of this engine are good and won’t cause you any discomfort.

• In terms of performance, this engine will feel at its best when you drive it in a relaxed manner.

• I found the power and acceleration to be smooth and linear, perfect for city commutes and overtakes.

• The engine cruises at speeds of 80-100kmph with ease.

• But beyond those speeds, you will have to downshift to make a quick overtake.

• You will have to plan your overtakes on the highway, and you’ll have to constantly be in a lower gear to keep up with traffic if you’re driving in hilly areas with load in the vehicle.

• While the clutch isn’t heavy, you have to be careful with it because it tends to stall.

• I would recommend the AMT for its convenience factor. It might not be smooth or quick when you want a brisk overtake, but it works well in regular usage.

• The Aura returns a fuel efficiency of around 12-14kmpl in the city, with marginally better efficiency on an expressway.

CNG

• Driving the Aura CNG in the city is easy and you’ll barely notice the difference in power compared to the petrol mode.

• Cruising at speeds of 60-80kmph feels comfortable with the CNG.

• But you will have to be patient while making a high speed overtake. Despite making a downshift, the acceleration will be slow, and it is best to switch to petrol in such a situation.

• For its tradeoff in performance, the Aura CNG returns a much better fuel efficiency than the petrol with a figure of around 20km/kg.

• The Hyundai Aura has a soft suspension setup, which keeps you comfortable over the regular speed bumps and potholes found in our cities.

• Some side-to-side movement can be felt over really rough roads, but that is acceptable.

• The car remains stable at highway high speeds, but any sudden undulation or imperfections in the road can be felt inside through some up and down movement.

• Overall, the Aura’s ride comfort will rarely ever give you a reason for complaint.

• The car doesn’t lose its stability around a fast corner and you will feel confident behind the wheel.

• The 2025 Hyundai Aura can be had in 5 variants: E, S, Corporate, SX, and SX(O).

• The CNG kit is available in all the variants, save for the top-spec SX(O) variant.

E

• Dull base variant only gets LED tail lights, body coloured bumpers and some chrome garnish at the rear. Sits on 14-inch steel wheels with no covers.

• Packs only the most basic equipment like manual AC, front power windows, driver seat height adjustment, and rear adjustable headrests.

• 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and 3-point seatbelts are standard features.

S

• Much better looks with LED DRLs, black grille, body-coloured door handles and mirrors, 15-inch steel wheels with covers and a rear spoiler.

• Improved comfort and convenience with keyless entry, rear central armrest, tilt steering, rear AC vents, all power windows, and electrically adjustable outside mirrors.

• Packs a 2-DIN audio system with bluetooth connectivity and steering mounted controls. Also gets 4-speakers, a 12V socket (front & rear), and type-C port.

• Improved safety kit with manual inside mirror, rear defogger, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Corporate

• No change to the exterior and interior look and feel.

• The main highlight is the addition of a 6.75-inch touchscreen system with bluetooth audio connectivity.

• No additions in the safety kit.

SX

• Improved looks, thanks to 15-inch alloys, turn indicators on the ORVMs, shark fin antenna and chrome door handles. Also gets projector headlights, but only with the AMT.

• The interior feels more premium with glossy black inserts, chrome finished gear and handbrake knob, and metal finished door handles.

• Top additions include a wireless phone charger, push button start/stop, cruise control (petrol only), fully electric ORVMs, and passenger vanity mirror. Auto AC is only available with the AMT version.

• The infotainment experience gets better with an 8-inch touchscreen system that gets wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

• Electronic stability program, hill-start assist, and rear parking camera are the only additions in the safety kit.

SX(O)

• Same exterior, but interior feels more premium with leatherette on the steering wheel and gear knob. 

• Fully automatic air conditioning and automatic headlights are the only main additions to the features list.

• No changes in the safety kit, save for the addition of ISOFIX mounts.

CarDekho Recommends:

• The base E variant is too bare bones. Pick the S variant for a better entry-level package if you’re on a tight budget as you won’t have to spend on any aftermarket accessories.

• The one-below-top SX variant offers all the functional features, along with a decent entertainment package. This balance of features and safety equipment makes it our recommended variant.

Evidently, the Hyundai Aura is not as premium, modern or feature-loaded as some of its rivals’ recently launched new-generation avatars. But what it still does rather well is deliver on the basics of a small family car, which is to offer enough functional features, space, practicality, and safety equipment for a family of four. 

Cars to consider instead of the Hyundai Aura

Maruti Dzire

Reasons to consider

• Looks more premium

• Better rear seat space

• More features like bigger infotainment system and sunroof

• 5-star safety rating from BNCAP

Reasons to ignore

• 3-cylinder engine isn’t as refined

• Top variants are more expensive by Rs 1 lakh

Honda Amaze

Reasons to consider

• Looks more premium

• Offers a better feature package

• Packs camera-based ADAS features

• Offers a more sophisticated CVT gearbox

Reasons to ignore

• No CNG option

• Top variants are more expensive by Rs 2 lakh