Hyundai Grand i10

The South Korean car maker Hyundai Motor Limited is said to be bringing in a new hatchback for the Indian car market. The company has also revealed the car officially, and also disclosed that the car would be launched on September 3, 2013. Some auto portals and magazines too were invited for a short drive including CarDekho. This yet to be launched hatchback will be positioned between the prevalent Hyundai i10 line up and the Uber Cool Hyundai i20 model series. This new vehicle line up is christened as Hyundai Grand i10 and will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options for the customers to choose from. As both the Hyundai i10 and i20 have been a huge success in the country's lucrative car market, the Hyundai Grand i10 is also expected to be a super hit with the populace. This hatchback might further bolster the revenue generation of the company and amplify their market share. One of the most important aspects for the sales of these Hyundai cars has been the stunning designs they have. The hatchbacks are sleek and compact, while the sedans are smooth and lustrous with the highly acclaimed fluidic design, which has been brought in the new Grand i10 as well. With a captivating and stylish body line, the Hyundai cars have been able to capture the hearts of millions across the country.
Hyundai Grand i10 is said to be tailor made for the requirements of the Indian road and market conditions. The exterior design of the Grand i10 looks to be an amalgamation of subtlety and style. The company is expected to capture those car enthusiasts, who would want something a tad better than the Hyundai i10 and can come in a slightly lesser price range, which is of the Hyundai i20. The Grand i10 does get some lustrous designing cues from the other fluidic cars in the company's fleet. The company designers would have certainly worked very hard to bring in some new elements and this hatchback might get a slightly narrower front grille along with a radiant headlamp cluster, which seems to be quite similar to that of the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV. Regarding the side profile, it is rather smooth and flowing with some character lines and fluidic design elements that help the vehicle look a lot different. Hyundai Grand i10 would be a very practical five-seater vehicle, with more space than the competition and the existing i10, courtesy the longer wheelbase. The roof has been given stylish roof rails along with a compact antenna, making it look sporty and aggressive. The rear end is curvy and stylish with a bright tail lamp cluster, which makes it resemble the Hyundai i20 hatchback.
On the other hand, the insides of this yet to be launched Hyundai Grand i10 are lavish. The central console has air conditioner controls along with a couple of vents. Othe features are a music system, steering mounted audio controls and Bluetooth connectivity with the segment-first rear AC vents for comfort. The speakers might be placed in the doors to keep the rear parcel tray empty for keeping some smaller things handy for the passengers. The gear box is on the lines of the Hyundai i10, which gives more space to the front row passenger. There are expected to be a couple of bottle holders in between the front seats and some storage space for smaller things. The interior plastic quality is good and smooth which makes it appealing. The company any ways carries a reputation of using good quality material for the interiors and they have certainly kept the reputation with this yet to be launched hatchback as well. Apart from all these aspects storage spaces such as bottle and cup holders, map pockets, sun visor, assist grips and many more such features are likely to be offered in the car. Designers have kept the interior them in black and beige dual tone, which further enhances the overall look of the car. Since the wheelbase of the Grand i10 is more than the existing i10, it provides more space to the back seat passengers.
The boot space will also be an important aspect of the Hyundai Grand i10 as well. Some of the safety features into the car are a rear parking sensor, a smart key along with the advanced push button start and stop function, a cooling glove box, electrically folding and adjustable external wing mirrors, air bags for enhanced protection of the passengers and anti-lock braking system (ABS) for proficient braking.
Coming both in the petrol and diesel engine options, the exact details on power output has not been revealed yet, but the vehicle we drove impressed us with its driving dynamics. The petrol engine is the same standard 1.2-litre Kappa based mill with the same VTVT (variable timing valve train) technology, also used in the i20 and existing i10. The petrol mill will be offered with a smooth and efficient five speed manual transmission gear box. A four-speed automatic transmission version too will be kept in the list of variants. And this time around we will see a new 1.1-litre U2 diesel engine powering the Grand i10, which will make it a genuine competitor for the segment topper Swift. The diesel mill is likely to be enough powerful, generating pertinent torque and power output suitable for the Indian roads. This diesel engine is also expected to be coupled with a five-speed manual transmission gear box. The details about the power and torque generation for both these petrol and diesel engines have not been revealed as yet. The mileage, pick up and acceleration is also not been disclosed. All these and other such information will be revealed closer to the official unveiling or at the launch itself. There is no confirmed date of time frame that has been announced regarding the launch of this hatchback. So all of us will have to wait and watch for any further information pertaining to this yet to be launched Hyundai Grand i10.

Hyundai Grand i10 Models

 

Hyundai Grand i10 Mileage

There is no information what so ever regarding the fuel economy of this model series as yet. All we know that the Hyundai Grand i10 will be coming in with both petrol and a diesel engine based variants, which are expected to churn out healthy mileage. This is one of the most important aspect of any car and this hatchback series will certainly have a good mileage, within the city limits as well as on the highways.

Power of Hyundai Grand i10

The petrol engine based versions are expected to be equipped with a 1.2-litre based Kappa mill. This petrol motor has a variable timing valve train and can displace 1197cc. The prevalent engine produces a peak power of 82.9bhp at 6000rpm in combination with a maximum torque yield of 113.7Nm at 4000rpm, which is rather good. On the other hand, the 1.1-litre U2 engine will churn out pertinent power and torque figures, which will be perfectly suited for the Indian driving conditions. As of now, there is no confirmed details, which have been given by the company pertaining to this diesel mill.

Acceleration & Pick-Up

The new Hyundai Grand i10 model series will be launched with a peppy 1.1-litre diesel mill and also a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol power plant. There is no confirmed information as yet regarding the time taken for these engines to propel this hatchback from 0 – 100kmph. On the other hand, the top speed of the petrol as well as the diesel engine variants have also not been declared as yet.

Hyundai Grand i10 Exteriors

This yet to be launched Hyundai Grand i10 model series is being said to be custom made for the requirements of the Indian roads. The exterior design of this Hyundai Grand i10 looks to be a mixture of stylishness and practicality. The company is expected to target those buyers, who would want something a little better than the Hyundai i10 hatchback that can come in a affordable price range, which is of the Hyundai i20 model series. The front fascia of the Grand i10 series gets a sleek front radiator grille along with a single strip of chrome and the company's emblem affixed in the centre. This grille is flanked by a radiant head lamp cluster, which also has the side turn indicator in it. Below this is the body colored bumper, which has a large air dam that helps in cooling the engine quickly. This air dam has been surrounded by a pair of bright round shaped fog lamps, which further enhances the visibility of the driver. The sides are rather smooth and flowing with some fluidic design elements that will certainly make it look a lot different. There is a thick strip of body side molding, which will save this hatchback from any minor scratches of damage. The top end versions of this hatchback might get a modish set of newly designed alloy wheels, which will certainly be covered with tubeless radial tyres. The entry level variants might get a set of robust steel wheels, which might be further covered with wheel caps. The door handles as well as the external rear view mirrors are also of body color, while the door handles are pull type, the wing mirrors have been integrated with side turn blinkers that further add to the exterior design. We can only say that the Grand i10 model series will be a very practical, utility based hatchback, which will also have good space in it. The rear end is curvy and stylish with a bright tail lamp cluster, which makes it resemble the Hyundai i20 hatchback. The rear windscreen has also been integrated with with a rear wash and wiper along with a defogger. There is also a rear spoiler, which has a centrally mounted stop lamp that is making this hatchback look sporty. The roof is gets a pair of stylish roof rails along with a compact antenna as well.
Exterior Measurements:
The company has not yet revealed the exact exterior measurements of the Hyundai Grand i10 model series. The overall length is more than that of the i10 hatch, whereas the width seems to be similar to the Hyundai i20. The height and the ground clearance seem to be pertinent for the Indian road conditions. The minimum turning radius diameter should also be smaller as it is in the other hatchback's. We will have to wait for the exact dimensions from the company to make any conclusion on this section.

Hyundai Grand i10 Interior

As far as the interior cabin section is concerned, it is really plush and rich with a beige and black color scheme. This hatchback gets the same gear shift knob as of the Hyundai i10 that is mounted on the dashboard. The company used rich quality plastic, which will endorse the Hyundai's reputation for using high quality material. The Grand i10 comes equipped with lots of features inside the cabin that include an in-dash music system with Bluetooth connectivity and steering mounted audio controls. The steering wheel and the gear shift knob have been wrapped in premium leather upholstery. There are two large AC vents fitted to the dashboard and to the central console as well, which will cool the cabin within no time. The driver side door has been equipped with a set of switches that should work as control switches of the power windows. The instrument cluster is inspired from Hyundai i10 model, which comes with a tachometer, a speedometer, a trip meter and a fuel indicator. The space inside the cabin is very good compared to i10 because of the larger wheelbase, but it is not much wider. The seats have been covered in premium dual toned beige black combination upholstery and there are pockets behind the front seats for keeping some small stuff.
Interior Comfort:
According to the sources, the Hyundai Grand i10 model series is going to receive impressive and very practical features inside its cabin that will enhance the level of comfort for all the occupants. This yet to be launched hatchback model lineup is expected to get all the features, which would be required in any car in this segment. Its basic and standard features will include a proficient air conditioning system that will now also have a single rear blower along with the front AC vents as well, power windows for all windows with auto up and down function, an electric power steering wheel that is leather wrapped and a stylish gearshift knob and many more such aspects. Apart from these, this hatchback is expected to get sophisticated features like an advanced music system with input options such as a USB port and a Aux-In interface along with Bluetooth connectivity, audio and phone controls mounted on steering wheel, electrically adjustable external wing mirrors with side turn blinkers, a cooling glove box, rear parking sensors to make the parking of this hatchback simpler, a smart key access with push button start/stop function and many more such aspects. These features will certainly add to the lavishness of the in-cabin and will give utmost comfort to the occupants.
Interior Measurements:
The wheelbase of the Grand i10 is about 100mm more than that of the existing Hyundai i10 hatchback. This will ensure that all the occupants inside the car will get ample head and shoulder space along with knee and elbow room as well, which will give them a comfortable driving experience. The leg space will also improve due to this extended wheel base and there is expected to be a decent boot space as well along with a large fuel tank that can store a good amount of fuel for longer drives as well.

Hyundai Grand i10 Engine and Performance

The Hyundai Grand i10 model series is going to be introduced with both petrol and diesel engine options. There are going to be a total of three engine options in this upcoming hatchback series. In the petrol version, there will be a 5-speed manual as well as a 4-speed automatic transmission option for the buyers to choose from. While, the diesel mill is expected to be coming in with a 5-speed manual transmission gearbox only at the moment. The company is going to bring in the petrol version of this hatchback with the same engine of the prevalent Hyundai i10 series. This means that the petrol version of the Grand i10 will sport a 1.2-litre Kappa2 petrol mill, which can displace close to 1197cc. This engine can generate a maximum power of about 78.9bhp at 6000rpm, while yielding a 111.7Nm of peak torque at 4000rpm. This engine has been integrated with a multi point fuel injection (MPFI) based fuel supply system and also has a (DOHC) dual overhead cam shaft based valve configuration as well. The mileage of this petrol version might also be the same as that of the existing i10, which is about 15kmpl in the city limits and about 18Kmpl, when driven on highways, which is quite impressive. Another important factor of the petrol engine is that the cylinder block as well as the head are made up of aluminum alloy, which further lowers down the weight of this power plant and increases its proficiently. Then the variable line pressure system in this petrol mill as well as the overdrive lock mechanism aids in providing longer engine life. On the other hand, its diesel engine will be a new 1.1-litre CRDi (common rail direct injection) fuel supply system based mill, which is being manufactured at the company's Chennai based plant. As of now, there are no details available regarding the specifications of this 1.1-litre U2 CRDi diesel mill. Reports suggest that this diesel power plant will be incorporated with three cylinders, which will increase the durability and enhance the fuel efficiency. Apart from this, the power and torque generation will also be at par with its other contenders in the market and the mileage will also be competitive. Then this engine might also have the hydraulic lash adjusters as well as the electrical exhaust gas recirculation system with an inter-cooler that might also ensure lesser noise, vibration and harshness levels as well. All this put together will further ensure lower maintenance in combination with lower emissions as well, which will be beneficial for this vehicle. While, the high pressure CRDi fuel supply system will also air in keeping the the power, torque and fuel efficiency on a higher scale.

Stereo & Accessories in Hyundai Grand i10

Car owners can customize this hatchback series with quite a number of stylish yet sophisticated accessories right from the exteriors to the insides. As there may not be much features added to the standard version, car owners can incorporate a music system that can support USB/AUX-in support, FM/AM player and more. Also, one can choose the seat covers between premium fabric and leather upholstery with the color scheme of their own choice. The steering wheel and the gearshift knob can be covered with premium leather upholstery. Apart from these, accessories like mobile holders, floor carpets and several other aspects can be added. There will be a lot of options for the car owners when it comes to the exterior accessories. One can assemble this hatchback with a set of spoilers, mud guards, protective claddings and several other such accessories that brings a sporty fell to this car series.

Wheels

The company is being expected to offer the top end trims of this hatchback with a stylish set of 14 inch alloy wheels. However, the base variants could get the robust steel wheels as standard. While these wheels will be covered with the tubeless radial tyres as standard in all the variants. These tyres will provide a superior grip even on the slippery roads. The company will certainly affix a spare wheel in the boot compartment of this hatchback model series along with the other tools, which are required to change the tyre. This will be a standard features across all the variants.

Braking & Handling

As far as the braking and handling is concerned, the new hatchback will be introduced with the conventional disc and drum braking system. The front wheels will be fitted with disc brakes, while the rear wheels are going to be equipped with drum brakes. The top end variants of the hatch will get the anti lock braking system (ABS) along with electronic brake force distribution system, which will enhance the braking mechanism and reduces the risks on slippery roads. On the other hand, it is believed to get the same suspension system as it is currently assembled to the Hyundai i10. Thus, its front axle is likely to be assembled with McPherson Strut type of suspension, while its rear axle would get twist beam type of suspension system. This will help the car to be stable and agile on roads, which will further improve the handling aspects.

Handling & Safety

Handling of the Hyundai Grand i10 is found to be better than the existing i10. This new model from Hyundai gained a bit of weight that added to the stability of this hatchback. This car seemed to be stable and agile even at the speed around 100kmph, which is a good thing about this car. Although, the company added some weight over the current i10 model, it remained light to handle. The electric power assisted steering system is very responsive, but felt a little heavy at the speed over 100kmph. When it comes to safety features, the new Grand i10 will be offered with several of them including an anti lock braking system, dual front air bags for enhanced protection of the passengers, rear parking sensor for easier parking in tight slots, reflector lamps on the rear bumper, black color body side moldings and few others. However, most of these features could be equipped to the top end variants as standard.
The i10 began a new phase in Hyundai global innings giving them a boost not just to set a new trend, but also an improvement in their market share and even the customer’s image of the brand changed drastically. In India, the i10 and even the i20 were runaway success products. Then the next thing that worked in Hyundai’s favour is that fact that the Fluidic Design got well accepted and the company was able to displace best sellers in the C+ and D segment. The design philosophy got Hyundai a market share in the segment, where even Maruti Suzuki has failed to capture. The Baleno, SX4, Grand Vitara and the Kizashi have gone down the drain for the company.
With more than half a decade later, Hyundai is ready to introduce the second-generation i10 in the European market, while India gets a special version that has been tweaked for Indian market. Several specfications have been changed and more focus has been implemented on the Indian consumer demands. We get the Grand i10 for a short spin. Dig in further as we share the story of the new upcoming Grand i10.

Design:

The Hyundai Grand i10 has been engineered for the Indian market needs. The design of the Grand i10 is a meld of subtle and style. Hyundai is targeting car buyers between the i10 and the i20 with the Grand i10. The Grand i10 has some designing cues from the Fluidic language. This design is unmistakably a Hyundai, with the narrow front grille and headlamps that somewhat resemble the Fluidic i20.
The side profile of the vehicle makes it look a lot different and the first thought is that the vehicle is practical and it has good space. The Indian version has a larger greenhouse area to make the cabin feel airy. It gets roof rails and even the rear is stylish. The diamond cut alloy wheels also look stylish and add some appeal to it.

Interiors:

The interiors of the Grand i10 are stylish and it gets the same i10 like gear-knob that is mounted on the dashboard. The quality of the plastics is good. Hyundai has maintained its reputation of having good quality plastic, be it on the Eon or even the Sonata. The Grand i10 comes loaded with several features like in-dash music system, steering mounted audio controls and even Bluetooth connectivity.

The designers at Hyundai have given the interiors beige and black dual tone. The Grand i10 has been designed keeping the Indian consumer in mind. Hence, the vehicle has spacious and airy interiors. The Grand i10 has roomy interiors and a spacious large boot. There is also a segment first, rear AC vents that makes it’s easier to cool the cabin. The other features on the Grand i10 include rear parking sensor, smart key with push start and stop button, glove box cooling, electrically folding ORVMs, dual airbags and even ABS.

Engine and transmission:

The Hyundai Grand i10 gets a 1.2-litre Kappa 2 petrol engine with the same VTVT technology. This engine will be available with five-speed manual transmission and four-speed automatic transmission. Other than this, the Grand i10 will also be available with a 1.1-litre U2 diesel engine. This is the second-generation U oil burner from Hyundai. The Korean manufacturer hasn’t disclosed the powertrain specifications, but we assume it will produce somewhere in 70-75bhp as this is a short-stroke diesel engine. The torque however will be lesser, due to its design. This is a three-pot diesel engine and it revs up to 4500rpm. The pressure of the injection is fairly high, that is one reason why the engine is so quiet while idling. The NVH levels of this engine are fairly low and you can mistake it for a petrol engine, this is due to the refinement of the engine and also the insulation used by Hyundai in the fire compartment.
The power delivery from this oil burner is linear and the good bit is that the power produced by this engine in the lower revs is good for the engine to pull in city traffic. This means the vehicle is highly drivable even when lugged into a higher gear. Above 3500rpm, the engine just revs without producing much power. Being a short-stroke the power produced is lesser at high rpm. This oil burner comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The gear ratios are short for the initial four cogs as this improves the drivability in city and the vehicle has been designed for more of city driving. The engine easily clocks 120km/hr, however post that it does take its own time. Hyundai claims that the Grand i10 will have the best fuel efficiency in this segment.

Driving Dynamics:

Most of the Hyundai’s have been soft, but the Grand i10 sits in between. Its suspension is tweaked for plush ride. Most of our driving was on smooth roads, hence we cannot get into the complete details about the behaviour of the vehicle at this point of time. Do read our in-depth review of the Grand i10, sometime in September.
The handling is also decent, even though there is roll when you push it to the limit.  But as we mentioned the vehicle has been designed for city driving and so is the gearing. Its good enough for city driving, however the steering feels is a bit vague. Not that we expected it to have a feel like a sports car, but it is definitely an improvement over the existing extremely light ones seen on the Eon and the i20. The Hyundai Grand i10 will be on sale sometime in Diwali. The hatchback strikes a balance between styling, practicality and efficiency. The 1.1-litre diesel has sufficient power and even the bells and whistles and space on offer is good for five people. Hyundai has a winner in its hand as the Grand i10 ticks all the correct boxes. Now, all depends on how well Hyundai prices the car. They have always been aggressive and we expect them to continue with the same.