Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS Turbo Petrol hatchback launched

Hyundai India has just launched its first turbo petrol hatchback in the form of the Grand i1o NIOS. Showcased at the recently concluded Auto Expo, the Grand i10 NIOS borrows the 1 liter turbo petrol engine from the Venue compact SUV. On the Grand i10 NIOS, this motor makes 100 Bhp of peak power and 172 Nm of peak torque.

This means that the power has been detuned from 118 Bhp (which is what this motor makes on the Venue) while the torque output remains unchanged. A five speed manual gearbox is standard, and there’s no automatic option. Prices of the Grand i10 NIOS turbo petrol start from Rs. 7.68 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. This represents a massive Rs. 1.2 lakh premium over the 1.2 liter petrol engined Sportz trims, and it remains to be seen if enough buyers would opt for the more powerful trim. Meanwhile, bookings are now open, and deliveries will begin shortly.

Changes on the inside of the car include an all-black colour scheme and contrast red stitching for the seat fabric. On the outside, the front and rear bumpers have gotten a mild restyling for a more aggressive stance while the grille goes all black, and also gains a turbo badge. The car also gets a dual tone option that costs an additional Rs. 5,000. The car is offered in Sportz and Sportz Dual Tone trims, and is aimed at those who seek a peppier drive on both city streets and highways.

The Grand i10 NIOS continues to be offered with two other engines: a 1.2 liter-4 cylinder naturally aspirated petrol (82 Bhp-114 Nm) and a 1.2 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged diesel (74 Bhp-190 Nm). Both engines are offered with 5 speed manual transmissions as standard. The Grand i10 NIOS is positioned above the Grand i10, which is likely to be discontinued shortly for the private car buyer market. The Grand i10 will then become a cab-only offering from Hyundai, aimed at Uber and Ola fleets.

The Grand i10 and NIOS models together do well over 10,000 monthly units for Hyundai, taking the fight to the Maruti Swift. There are a few gaps in the Grand i10 line up though. There are no automatic options available on the NIOS while the Swift offers AMT options on both the petrol and diesel engined variants. We expect Hyundai to fill this gap by adding automatic variants to the Grand i10 NIOS sometime this year. The Santro’s AMT unit could be a great fit for the 1.2 liter petrol.