Hyundai Motors India Limited, a subsidiary of the South Korean automobile company Hyundai Motors, recently brought a new hatchback Grand i10 in the domestic market. Positioned between current generation models of Hyundai i10 and i20, the Grand i10 has been receiving positive response from customers. Interestingly, the new offering by the second largest passenger car maker of India comes packed with an array of features so as to attract price sensitive Indian buyers. Currently, the car comes with manual transmission system; however, if sources are to be believed, an automatic gearbox might be soon on its way.
Grand i10 was launched in the month of September amidst great hype and expectations. The target audience for this car are young professionals, aged between 25-35 years which is why the company has offered it a sporty look. The car features fresh and appealing exteriors with 14-inch alloy wheels and chrome door handles. Interestingly, Grand i10 happens to be an upmarket version of the current generation i10 model, which has performed exceptionally well in the Indian auto market. It must be noted that Hyundai i10 has performed exceptionally well in the market which is evident from the fact that it was awarded as the 'Indian Car of the Year' in 2008. It has some more awards to its credit in the domestic market like 'Car of the Year' by Overdrive, CNBC, NDTV and BS Motoring, amid others. It is expected that Grand i10 is going to follow suit and register a benchmark for itself in the coming future.
The good news for the firm presently is that it has recorded a high booking figure of 10,000 units for Grand i10 within a period of just 20 of its launch. It should be noted here that this count has been crossed at a time when automobile industry has been undergoing its worst times. The market graph has been declining for the past nine months and has received the least number of sales in recent past. Interestingly, this new hatchback has been provided with the maximum number of features and facilities in its price segment. Industry experts are of a view that this model has worked out to be extremely affordable at a starting price of Rs. 4.29 lakh.
With excellent interiors, trendy exteriors and power packed performance, Hyundai has tried its best to lure the customers. The Grand i10 boasts of enhanced technical specifications, which comprise 1.2-litre Kappa dual VTVT petrol engine that churns out a maximum power of 81 bhp with a mileage of 18.9 kmpl. Along with, the second generation 1.1-litre U2 diesel engine delivers 69 bhp of power output with 159 Nm of peak torque. The improved diesel engine returns a mileage of 24 kmpl. The technology used in the engines of Grand i10 delivers high performance and a decent level of efficiency with decreased amount of emissions and low running cost.
The cabin is more spacious with enough space for legroom and boot under the review of current generation i10. The latest two-tone beige and light brown interiors with blue illumination and chrome give it an altogether different and unique look. The exteriors have been worked on well which give it a sporty and attractive view. It has been facilitated with clear wraparound headlamps, rear combination lamps and turn indicator on outside mirror. To add this up, the car gets 14-inch alloy wheels and chrome door handles.
Equipped with safety features, this car has all the characteristics a customer looks for in a hatchback. In order to ensure the safety of driver and passengers, it has been provided with the use of dual airbags, reverse parking assist system, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and reinforced body structure. Industry experts are of a view that Hyundai Grand i10 has shown positive results and introduction of automatic transmission might just work as icing on the cake. It is speculated that the option of automatic transmission system version might arrive any time soon.
