Hyundai on Tuesday launched the Aura, a sub-compact sedan that is intended as a next-generation successor to the Xcent. Priced between Rs 5.8 and 9.22 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the car comes with three engine variants and is aimed at tackling the likes of the Maruti Swift Dzire and Honda Amaze that dominate the segment.
All three engines are BS-VI compliant, including a 1.2 litre Eco TORQ diesel (making 74 bhp and 190 Nm of torque), a one-litre turbo GDi petrol (making 99 bhp and 172 Nm), and a 1.2-litre dual VTVT petrol option (making 82 bhp and 114 Nm).
The car bears many similarities to the Grand i10 Nios, with a few additions: Twin boomerang-shaped daytime running lamps (DRL), a wider grille and a boot. It has similar dimensions to the i10 Nios but is 190mm longer. The rear stands out in the segment with a unique sculpted design and wraparound tail lamps.
The interiors feature a wireless charging dock for smartphones supporting the Qi- standard. A 22cm (8”) touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity is nestled in the dashboard, with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car will not have the BlueLink smart features found in the Venue.
Hyundai Motors group head Puneet Anand said the car, the company’s first launch of the new decade, would be the first BS-VI diesel in the compact sedan category, as well as the first to feature a turbo GDI engine in the same.
The 1.2 petrol versions of Aura have priced between Rs 5.79 lakh and Rs 8.04 lakh while the 1.2-litre diesel trims are tagged between Rs 7.73 lakh and Rs 9.22 lakh. The one-litre turbo petrol is priced at Rs 8.54 lakh.
The petrol AMT trims are priced at Rs 7.05 lakh and Rs 8.04 lakh while the diesel versions with similar technology are tagged at Rs 8.23 lakh and Rs 9.22 lakh.
The petrol 1.2 litres (CNG) version is priced at Rs 7.28 lakh.
"The model would help us improve performance in the compact sedan segment which has long been dominated by Dzire and Amaze for a decade now," Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO S.S. Kim told PTI.
The company's current product offering in the segment, Xcent hasn't fared that well and the new model would help it do much better, he added. The Xcent will continue to be sold, however.
As per the company, the 1.2-litre petrol variants of Aura come with a fuel efficiency of 20.5 and 20.1 km per litre for manual and AMT versions, respectively.
The 1.2-litre diesel manual trims come with a fuel efficiency of 25.35 km per litre while the AMT versions come with 25.4 km/litre efficiency, it added.
With inputs from PTI