2017 Hyundai Grand i10 Facelift Review
Car Tested: 2017 Hyundai Grand i10; Road Test No. 805
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 5.47 – 8.87 lakhs
The Hyundai Grand i10 is easily one of the best contenders in the hatchback segment
The Hyundai Grand i10 was launched in global markets as a successor to the i10 but both the models continued to be sold along side each other in India. The Grand i10 has been extremely successful for Hyundai and it is also one of the top 10 selling cars in the country. Hyundai has now given the hatchback a mid-life facelift that brings in refreshed exteriors, additional features on the inside and a revamped diesel engine.
Motor Quest: The Hyundai Grand i10 is one of the top 10 selling cars in India. It competes fiercely with the Maruti Swift and in the previous month, it managed to overtake the Swift in sales, thus acquiring the slot of the 4th highest selling car in the country.
While changes aren’t major, the Grand i10 does look fresh now
Exteriors – There are very few changes to the exteriors but they do give the car a fresher look. The front bumper gets a mild tweak in design which includes a new fog lamp housing, honey comb grille and LED DRLs, which come on only when the handbrake is disengaged. The side profile continues to remain similar save for the redesigned 14-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, the bumper gets the most apparent change which includes a thick black strip with circular reflectors on either side. The Grand i10 has always been a pleasant looking car and the update looks good too.
Interiors are largely the same, touchscreen is a good addition
Interiors – The dashboard and centre console continue to have the same layout but what has changed is the equipment list which just got better. You now get a 7-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system which also gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a reverse camera. It also gets Bluetooth, Aux-IN and USB connectivity but misses out on a CD player. The sound quality is fairly good for this price range but the rear camera could’ve definitely been better, especially during the dark when the images appear slightly unclear. The Grand i10 now gets an automatic climate control and trust me, the AC is a chiller even in scorching heat. The steering continues to get audio and phone controls. The interiors are comfortable and airy as ever and the keyless-go function is convenient too. The seats are supportive and cabin room is good but a third passenger at the rear could be a tight fit.
No changes have been made to the petrol engine
Performance – The petrol engine is the same 1.2-litre Kappa unit churning out 81 HP at 6000 RPM and 114 Nm at 4000 RPM. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed auto box which feels a bit dated. There are no changes to the petrol engine and it continues to offer average performance. Power delivery should be enough for those who don’t drive enthusiastically and most people driving in the city won’t complain. Gearshifts are smooth and the petrol unit gives out a fuel efficiency of 11-12 km/l in realistic conditions with the ARAI-claimed figures being 19.77 km/l and 17.49 km/l for the MT and AT variants respectively. However, the petrol engine now uses low friction bearings, Alternator Management System and improved oil viscosity levels which have led to a slight increase in efficiency.
The diesel engine is now a 1.2-litre unit with more power and torque
The diesel engine is peppier than before & churns out good fuel efficiency
The earlier Grand i10 got a 1.1-litre U2 CRDI diesel engine and the facelift now gets a 1.2-litre engine which is based on the previous engine itself. It still is a 3-pot unit but now produces 74 HP of power at 4000 RPM compared to the earlier 70 HP. Peak torque has also increased from 160 Nm to 190 Nm from 1700 RPM. The increase in power and torque is very evident as the Grand i10 feels quick to accelerate and the engine has a very peppy feel to it, right from low RPMs. The mid range gets stronger and power delivery continues till 4000 RPM. 0-100 km/hr comes up in 13.5 seconds according to our VBOX tests and we managed to max out the car at a little over 170 km/hr.
Gear shifts are smooth and the clutch feels light
The updated engine seems to have better NVH levels. It is a bit noisy when the car is idle and vibrates a bit when you turn the car on or off. At medium to high speeds, the engine feels pretty refined and not much of the clatter filters inside the cabin. It has an ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency of 24.95 km/l and we managed to get around 18-19 km/l under a mix of city and highway driving, which also included a lot of enthusiastic driving. The gearshifts on the diesel engine also feel very smooth and the clutch is again extremely light.
The Grand i10 has a supple ride, handling could have been way better
Driving Dynamics – The Hyundai Grand i10 has a sorted suspension and I personally love the ride quality it offers. It feels planted at all times and the suspension soaks bumps with ease. Even on really bad roads, the car remains stable and doesn’t cause any sort of discomfort. What really gets to me is the steering which is positively light at city speeds but feels lifeless as the speeds increase. It doesn’t inspire much confidence while driving fast on the highway or while cornering. Feedback offered is also very less and this is one of the factors that makes the car far from fun-to-drive.
The Grand i10 makes for a compelling case against its rivals
Verdict – I totally loved the Grand i10 when we had one in our long term fleet and with this update, Hyundai has refreshed the car nicely. The new diesel engine is very good for the segment and even though it still is a 3-cylinder unit, I think it offers very good performance and efficiency. The Grand also has an excellent ride and is pretty easy to drive. The interiors boast of excellent quality materials and even the fit and finish of exterior panels is better than most rivals out there. For me, the Hyundai Grand i10 is easily one of the best city hatchbacks around.
The Grand i10 excels in almost every department
What’s Cool
* An already smart exterior looks even better
* Cabin finally gets a touchscreen and reverse camera
* Diesel engine is highly improved compared to the older one
* Did I say the Grand i10 is super efficient?!
What’s Not So Cool
* Steering is a downer, can be way better
Alternatives: Maruti Swift, Chevrolet Beat, Mahindra KUV100, Maruti Ignis, Ford Figo
The diamond cut alloy wheels have got a new design
Further Reading –
Hyundai Grand i10 Long Term Review – Final Report
Hyundai Grand i10 Long Term Review – Initial Report
Hyundai Grand i10 Review
Hyundai Grand i10 Petrol Review
Hyundai Grand i10 vs Tata Bolt vs Maruti Swift
Hyundai Grand i10 vs Tata Bolt vs Maruti Swift – Video
Tata Bolt vs Ford Figo vs Hyundai Grand i10 vs Maruti Swift – Video
Hyundai Grand i10 vs Mahindra KUV100 vs Maruti Swift – Video