Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

The Hyundai i10 has been one of the most popular and longest-running nameplates in India. The Grand i10 Nios carries forward a legacy of nearly two decades with its mild facelift that was launched back in 2023. 

It competes with the Maruti Swift, which has been around for longer, and I have experienced both in their latest versions. Does the i10 still have the qualities that made it so well-liked? Find out here.

The Grand i10 Nios looks youthful. The compact size, clean but sharp lines and interesting colours build its vibe. 

I particularly like the way the front profile has been designed. It almost makes it look happy and optimistic. You spot halogen projector headlamps up front, that taper towards the Hyundai logo. The grille is massive, which also houses the Y-shaped LED DRLs, and the front design is completed with a slim bumper.

Its profile is pretty plain, it tells you how compact this hatchback is, and there aren’t any cuts or creases here. The only thing that adds some contrast to this flat profile are the chrome inserts on the door handles. It sits on 15-inch alloy wheels which do look good, and lower variants get 15-inch styled steel wheels and 14-inch steel wheels with covers.

The rear end brings back the flair with its connected LED tail lamps, which are actually connected by a reflecting element in the middle. There is a small roof mounted spoiler, and straight lines across the boot and the bumper.

Hyundai offers it in 6 monotone shades: Fiery Red, Typhoon Silver, Teal Blue, Atlas White, Titan Grey and Titan Grey Matte (new).

Design & Quality

Due to its small size and doors that open wide enough, getting in and out of the i10 becomes easy. Even for the elderly, egress and ingress will pose no challenge.

You get a dual-tone black and grey cabin theme which is predominantly light. This makes the cabin feel airy and prevents you from feeling cramped inside this small cabin. The dashboard is finished in plastic with a mesh like finish on the passenger side, and the remaining half is taken up by the screens.

You also get subtle brushed aluminium inserts on the steering wheel, inside door handles, and around the AC vents.

In terms of quality, the i10 Nios felt like a benchmark when it was initially launched. Now though, it feels ordinary. The seats are fabric, the steering wheel and gear knob are wrapped in leather, and the rest is finished in smooth plastic. The buttons also feel solid and sturdy. We only wish that Hyundai had provided some padding on the door armrests.

Front Seats

Neither driver seat height adjustment nor tilt adjustment for the steering wheel is available in the base variant. This makes it difficult to find our ideal driving position. However, both these features are offered from the one-above-base Magna variant.

The front seats of the i10 have enough space to comfortably seat an average size adult. Someone with a large frame might not fit properly, but there is ample width, headroom, and underthigh support for an average adult. 

In terms of visibility, there are no major blind spots, and the wide windshield along with the sloping bonnet provide a good view of the road.

Rear Seats

The rear seats of the Grand i10 Nios are comfortable for two occupants as they offer adequate knee, foot and headroom for people of an average height. Due to its limited width, fitting three adults at the back will be a tight squeeze.

Rear occupants don’t get a central armrest, but they do get rear AC vents and a 12V socket. Lastly, due to the light cabin and wide windows, the overall visibility is good.

Storage Options

Front passengers in the i10 get 1-litre bottle holders in the doors with some space on the side for smaller items. They also get small cupholders in the centre armrest, and a decent sized glovebox.

Rear passengers get bottle holders in the doors and seatback pockets. Unfortunately, there are no cupholders for the rear passengers.

Charging Options

To charge your phone, you get a wireless phone charger, a USB Type-A port, a USB Type-C port, and a 12V socket up front. Rear passengers only get a 12V socket.

The i10’s cabin does offer everything you’d expect in this price and segment, whether it is adequate space for four or good cabin practicality. If it only had a rear centre armrest and better practicality for rear occupants, the cabin experience would have become much better. 

Boot space

While Hyundai has not disclosed the actual number, the Grand i10 Nios has a boot big enough to store a medium and small size suitcase with some space to spare. Due to the shape of the boot, fitting a large suitcase does not leave you with much space. 

The CNG variants get a dual cylinder layout, thanks to which, you get an actually usable boot. There is enough space to keep two cabin sized suitcases. The rear seats can be folded flat in case you need to store larger items.

With the i10, you get all the features you’d want for your daily drives and it does not leave you wanting for more.

It also gets an 8-inch touchscreen which is easy to use, has large icons, and it runs smoothly with no lag. However, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay is wired, not wireless. 

There is also a rearview camera with an acceptable quality. The feed does get a little grainy in low light conditions, but it is clear enough to not cause any major problems.

On the safety front, the i10 gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers as standard.

Higher variants get electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), hill hold assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a rear defogger, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and a rearview camera.

The Grand i10 Nios was crash tested at Global NCAP back in 2020 where it only received a 2-star safety rating.

Engine and Performance

The Hyundai Grand i10 only gets a single 1.2-litre, four cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine option. Transmission options include a five-speed manual or an automated manual transmission (AMT). A CNG kit is also available with the manual transmission.

1.2-litre Petrol

There are no complaints from the noise and vibrations levels of this engine. The engine’s performance is smooth and acceleration is never sudden, but always linear.

City Performance

The performance in the city is adequate, and you won’t have any troubles cruising around. Overtaking others around you does not require much effort, but the overall drive experience will be very relaxed.

Here, you get a light clutch with the manual so changing gears constantly in traffic will not be very tiring. But, in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you have to be a little careful with the clutch to avoid stalling the car. 

We’d recommend the AMT for more convenience. The gear shifts are noticeable and a little slow compared to actual automatics, but it gets the job done. As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, you’ll be able to get around 12-14kmpl in the city.

Highway Performance

On the highway, the driving experience is a little dull. Getting to 80 kmph will not take much time, but acceleration beyond that speed will be slow. Similarly, overtaking at average speeds will not be a hassle, but beyond 80 kmph, you will have to plan your overtakes.

The AMT will change gears on time, but it will be a little slow, and you’ll have to get used to such a driving experience. For better operation, you do get manual controls.

Fuel efficiency here will be around 16-17kmpl.

1.2-litre Petrol + CNG

The driving experience between petrol and CNG isn’t very different in the city. It still feels smooth and performance feels adequate for keeping up with the traffic. The difference will be felt on the highway, where overtakes will require more planning than usual.

I found that switching to petrol mode is better when driving the car with a full load in hilly regions with steep inclines. With the CNG, you get a better fuel efficiency of around 20 km/kg.

Ride Comfort

At slow city speeds, it absorbs most of the undulations and road imperfections without translating them into the cabin. Even its highway high speed stability and ride quality is good. But rear passengers will feel some up and down movement if there is a change in surface or elevation. It is only over deep potholes and sharp bumps that you feel some impact inside the car, but it doesn’t get uncomfortable.

Handling

With its small footprint and light steering wheel, the Grand i10 Nios is easy to drive in the city. On the highways, it does not startle you during sudden lane changes, and the steering wheel has enough weight to inspire confidence while driving around corners.

• The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is available in five variants: Era, Magna, Corporate, Sportz, Sportz (O), and Asta.

• CNG is available in the Magna and Sportz variants.

• The Sportz, Sportz (O), and Asta variants are also available with a new VIBE edition.

Era

• Dull exterior design only gets 14-inch steel wheels and body coloured bumpers.

• Functional equipment includes manual AC, keyless entry, front powered windows, adjustable rear headrests, footwell lighting and map lighting.

• No infotainment or audio system, and driver gets a 3.5-inch MID display.

• Safety kit gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, central locking and three-point seatbelts for all passengers.

Magna

• Better exterior looks with LED DRLs, LED tail lights, wheel covers, body coloured outside mirrors and door handles, and turn indicators on the outside mirrors (AMT only).

• Big functional improvements with all four power windows, electrically adjustable and foldable (AMT only) outside mirrors, driver seat height adjustment, passenger vanity mirror and Type-C charging port.

• Features a basic audio system with bluetooth connectivity and front and rear speakers.

• New safety features include tyre pressure monitoring system, manual inside mirror, and AMT-specific electronic aids like electronic stability program, vehicle stability control, and hill-start assist.

Corporate

• Slight improvement in looks with projector headlamps and 15-inch steel wheels with covers.

• The only feature addition is a 6.75-inch touchscreen system.

Sportz

• Improved looks with 15-inch alloy wheels (dual tone variant only), roof rails, sharkfin antenna, and black tape on the B-pillar.

• Gloss black inserts, leatherette on the steering wheel (dual tone variant only), and chrome finished gear knob uplift the cabin’s look.

• Top features additions are a wireless phone charger (dual tone variant only), cruise control (petrol only), auto AC (CNG only), and auto headlamps.

• Improved infotainment package with 8-inch touchscreen system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

• New additions in the safety kit are rear camera with static guidelines, and rear defogger.

Sportz (O)

• Chrome outside door handles, 16-inch alloy wheels, and metal-finished inside door handles are offered for a more premium look similar to the top-spec variant.

• Only gets two new features - push button start/stop and auto AC.

• No changes in the safety kit.

Asta

• No changes in exterior, but interior gets leather wrapped steering wheel and chrome finish handbrake tip.

• The only feature addition is a wireless phone charger.

• Improved safety kit with ISOFIX mounts, dashcam and rear wiper and washer.

VIBE edition

• Features exclsuive black-painted 15-inch alloy wheels.
• Gets an all-black interior with red inserts and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
•  No feature addition over top-spec Asta variant.

CarDekho Recommends:

• You should opt for the one-above-base Magna variant if you’re on a tight budget and just want a basic car with all must-have functionalities.

• The Sportz and Sportz (O) variants feel the most value-for-money with their premium looks and good features and safety package.

Packaging a small car to deliver on parameters of a family car like space, practicality, comfort and refinement usually involves a compromise on some front or the other. With the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, not only does it pack ample space and practicality for a family of four, it also offers a refined and comfortable drive experience, without any compromise on daily-use creature comforts that you’d expect at this price point. If anything’s missing, it would be a more exciting turbo-petrol engine, which was once offered with the nameplate.

Other cars to consider instead of the Grand i10 Nios

Maruti Swift

Reasons to consider

• Slightly bigger

• Looks sportier

• Better fuel efficiency

Reasons to ignore

• 3-cylinder engine isn’t as refined

• Top variants are more expensive

Tata Tiago

Reasons to consider

• Better infotainment experience

• Option of an automatic (AMT) with the CNG

• More affordable

Reasons to ignore

• Slightly smaller

• Cabin quality isn’t as premium

• 3-cylinder engine isn’t as refined