[rtv]

Hi BHPians,

Its been over a month and just under 700 kilometers with my Aqua teal Grand i10 Nios Sportz AMT - about a good time I felt to pen down what I like, wished, disliked, hated and appreciated about this new car from Hyundai.


For avid readers on this forum, you must have already read an excellent, as-detailed-as-it-gets review of the Sportz AMT from Rahul Goyal and must be wondering what more one could add.

The grey sportz AMT looks really good but the aqua teal is not that bad either.



Well, I'd suggest you read Rahul's post first before you read mine. I will attempt not to repeat aspects that I already agree with him on. I will also avoid all aspects like the looks, colours and other aesthetic aspects for as important as they are, they are subjective and differ from one person to the other.

I have owned a Maruti Zen Estillo Vxi for the last decade - that should give you what I benchmark my month old experiences against.

Rather than just bucket my inputs into likes and dislikes, I am going to break them up into what "I just cannot stand", "bothers me", "would have loved it if" and "I love".

I just cannot stand

The ear piercing remote lock sounds
It looks like somebody thought it a smart move to connect the remote lock to the horn on the car. The sounds are soo loud that you want to be a few hundred meters from the car while you use the remote locks on the car. The sounds on the remote locks serve to indicate that you have locked or unlocked the car successfully and more often than not you would be fairly close to the car while you do it. It beats me on why Hyundai would want to make it so blaring ly loud. I checked with the dealer and with the service team at Hyundai both of whom acknowledge the problem and that most owners report it. The suggested solution - Have the wires disconnected after you first service. Disappointing to say the least.


What bothers me is that

The lack of a rear wiper
My decade old car had it but my brand new grand i10 that costs 8+ lakhs on road does not have a rear wiper. Wonder why Hyundai would do this across all their cars.


The second key does even have a remote lock
You get two keys to the car but the second one is a plain jane key that does not even have the remote lock buttons on it. Why does it matter ? It does matter if both you and your spouse want to keep a key each. In a few years, there are good chances one of your keys does not work as well. Now this is cutting corners rather deep.

Distance to empty does not show when really needed
As I was driving the car back home from the dealership I was desperately looking for the distance to empty number on the guage and to my surprise it would not show me anything. Apparently this guage only shows a number till we run into the reserve range where the fuel tank indicator shows up. Unfortunately, this is when we need the number the most.

No keyhole on the left front door
Well thanks to the very noisy remote lock buttons, I have to switched to using the key in the hole approach to open the door but alas I can only open the car from the driver's door for there is no key hole on the other side.

Seating is not comfortable for the elderly when getting in or out
Blame it on my being used to the tall boy Zen estillo, I must say that getting in and out of the car is certainly more difficult for the elderly for the seat is at a lower hight from the ground.

Even listening to the radio gives me a battery draining warning
Not sure if this is true with all in-car displays but even listening to the radio with the display off, gives me a switch on the engine warning. Hope the radio is not a power guzzler to drain down my battery.

The keyhole and the controls on the door are difficult to locate at night
There are at least 8 different controls on the driver's door but its very difficult to know one from the other at night. A little fluorescence would have immensely helped. Like they have it on the steering for the audio controls.

AMT

A lot has been said about AMT especially on the Hyundai cars for they are touted to be the best in business. Here are some instances where is does not work very well.. Now the Hyundai Nios Grand i10 at 1200 cc is a very powerful car but the AMT masks a lot of the power. Here is when it does not work very well.

Overtaking - Put your foot on the accelerator pedal and the first thing you want to see is the car zooming ahead. However the way the AMT works, you cannot predict if a gear change could slow you down during this process. Hence you have to be very cautious while overtaking or switch to manual mode. More on that mode later.

Going down a ramp - I am used to using the engine to keep speed while going down a ramp. However with the AMT don't be surprised if the car accelerates while going down a ramp. I have to use the brakes every time. Going up a ramp is a problem too during the gear change. The AMT gets close to stalling (but never stalls) while going up the ramp.

Hump after hump after hump - If this sequence sounds familiar on your daily route, the AMT really does not like it. Just when its successfully moved to gear 3 comes the next hump and its back to starting from 1 again. You feel for the AMT here since while you can see the next hump coming, it cannot. :(

Parking up a ramp - When we have to park up a ramp in a constricted place with a geared vehicle, we know how to handle the clutch, brakes and accelerator to create just enough power to go up the ramp and be in control once you are up there. With the AMT or even manual mode (that has the creep function always on), its not easy to control how fast you ascend. A little brake you cut off all power and a little accelerator and you are ascending too fast. You only appreciate what we do so well involuntarily when you try to AMT it.

The AMT is at its best when you let it slowly move up the gears to top speed.
I also like it that in the manual mode you never have to gear down.

Mileage
You buy the AMT so that you can drive comfortably in stop-and-go city traffic. For this kind of traffic however the AMT does not perform very well. I could just touch 10 km per litre with an avg speed of around 11 km/hr in the city.

One way to improve the mileage I found was to switch to fuel from Shell. It clearly gives at least a km and a half more per litre of petrol for almost identical driving conditions.

I also found that a trip to the airport at speeds over 80 improved the mileage to almost 18 km/l. I am unclear if the mileage shown is for the last few kms, last few litres or since the beginning of time (ever since the car was driven).

Manual mode
If you have been driving a stick shift vehicle all your life and thought you could do the same with the manual mode here, you would be wrong.

The manual mode does make it easy to shift gears up and automatically shifts them down but getting used to this takes a lot of time. Its not easy to find out which gear you are in unless you stare into the small font on the dash. Wish it were bigger. Also after moving the shift around an H all your life its not easy to to only move it slightly up.

I love the

Indicator that warns me when I park on a ramp
Should I park on a slightly inclined surface an indicator warns you to put on your hand brake. Very nice.

Low noise levels in the cabin. You can barely hear the engine
Hyundai as done an excellent job at this. The only noise you hear while idling inside the car is of the air from the A/C vents. You'd have to look at the dashboard to check if the engine is running otherwise. Wonderful!!

DVRM
The rear view camera is very handy not only during reversing but also while joining into a busy road. Its like having another pair of eyes behind your back as you join traffic onto a busy road. In the city I live in, autos, cows, dogs all move in unpredictable directions behind your back. Nothing like being able to keep an eye on them.

AMT
Yes. The AMT figures here again. Not having to touch the clutch in a long ride back home is such a relief to say the least and that we get as good a mileage for as powerful a car is just very good.

Turning radius
For a car its size the turning radius is still very good. I can still do the Us I used to do with a smaller car. The steering is very smooth and you can handle it with just one hand effortlessly.

Dash, indicators
Everything on the inside is very slick and stylish. Be it the gentle sounds on the indicator, the position of the controls, their size, reachability, the controls on the steering. The controls on the steering are placed right, the feel good and firm and neither too sensitive (like the touch screen dashboard) nor insensitive. You can easily operate them without having to look at the steering. And guess what its fluorescent.

The audio system
Just sounds great !!! Need I say more.

I would have loved it if

Had front parking sensors
Parking in India is always about not hitting anything in front of you. Why not add a couple more sensors on the front and better still show how many centimeters you are from the nearest obstacle.

Distance to empty could learn from my driving conditions
The number of kms left to drive with the fuel at hand plummets rather fast. Would it not be nice if the number were based on my driving conditions ?

Mileage can be displayed for each fill so that I know which bunk my car likes best
Need I say more

AC vents opened anti-clockwise
All my life I have opened things clockwise and close them anti-clockwise. Looks like with the AC vents I have to relearn some of these for the vents open clockwise and you guessed it right - close anti-clockwise

OVRMs
Do not close as snuggly as I would like them too. Besides I wish I could open and close then individually rather than together. Would it not be cool if the closed automatically when I locked the car ? Hyundai may never add this feature but who is to stop me from wishing.

Suspension
The suspension is a bit stiffer compared to the Hyundai Santro's of old. The odd pothole is not easy on the ride but guess its stiffer to improving handling around corners.

I knew why it beeps
The moment I cross 80 km/h, I hear a firm beep. Now I have no idea why my car does that nor does anything on the display tell me. Guess I'll ask during my first service.

[vvivek85]

Originally Posted by rtv

Hi BHPians,

I knew why it beeps
The moment I cross 80 km/h, I hear a firm beep. Now I have no idea why my car does that nor does anything on the display tell me. Guess I'll ask during my first service.

Congratulations on your purchase mate, awesome colour selection, my sister is looking to purchase the top trim.

On the beep sound, as per government order, all news cars will beep once every 3 minutes once you cross 80 km/h and continuous beeps when you cross 120km/h.

[Sarvodaya]

Autocar has the updated price list of BS6. Also AMT to be offered in top spec Asta.

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...57-lakh-415519

[RM Motorsports]

Hyundai has also revealed the sportier version of the Grand i10 Nios which is powered by a BS6-compliant 100hp, 1.0-litre, 3cyl petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by RM Motorsports

Hyundai has also revealed the sportier version of the Grand i10 Nios which is powered by a BS6-compliant 100hp, 1.0-litre, 3cyl petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

Do you mean the turbo petrol here ? Is it already launched and in showrooms?

[RM Motorsports]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

Do you mean the turbo petrol here ? Is it already launched and in showrooms?

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios range will see the introduction of a new turbo-petrol variant. Revealed at Auto Expo 2020, the new 100hp Nios joins the ranks of India’s most powerful mass-market hatchbacks.

Expect the Grand i10 Nios turbo to cost about Rs 50,000-70,000 more than the top-spec 1.2-litre petrol-manual. Buyers looking for a zippy runabout would do well to wait for this one.

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...owcased-415890

[volkman10]

Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS BS6 with deleted features – Variants, changes detailed.

The hatchback comes with four engine choices, but loses some features in certain trims.

Even the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios BS6 gets new engine options compared to the outgoing BS4 model, the car loses some features and equipment in certain trims.

The base Era trim does not get a passenger seat belt tensioner anymore while the higher Magna misses out on gloss-back D-pillars.

The Sportz variant also loses the black D-pillars alongside USB charger (and power outlet), cooled glovebox and Arkamys premium audio system.

The top-of-the-line Asta gets the same cut-downs as Sportz, minus the cooled glovebox.

As new additions, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor is available in Sportz MT and Sportz Dual Tone MT formats. The CNG powertrain comes in Magna MT and Sportz MT while AMT has been introduced in 1.2-litre petrol variant in Asta trim. The 1.2-litre diesel is available in Sportz MT avatar.

Link

[self_driven]

So the feature update saga has started! It's sad to see no worthwhile additions in the BS6 model. Even the 1.0 litre turbo petrol isn't available on the top-end Asta trim.

A bit OT but let me share what my friend went through a few years back. He had an early batch Elite i20 in Sportz O trim, costed 7 lakhs in 2014. Now this car was loaded to the gills; diamond cut alloys, push button start, auto dimming IRVM and what not. Unfortunately it was totalled in 2017 and he thought of getting another Elite i20. The Asta variant, around 7.5 lakhs, was in his budget this time but he was shocked, and equally disappointed, to know about the feature deletions by Hyundai. Forget push button start or alloy wheels, he was not even getting door side moulding from the factory! It was at that time when Hyundai had introduced some stupid steel wheels for the normal Asta variant. He then got himself a second-hand fully-loaded Asta variant from 2014.

[DCEite]

Pardon my ignorance, What does it mean when it says that Arkamys premium sound has been deleted from Nios BS6?

Is it a software enhancement or some kind of hardware that has been deleted from the ICE ?

[vscm]

I am seeking information on the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios's safety. Features like Dual Airbags, ABS and EBD are a standard. However, the NCAP tests are not done yet for the India spec car.

1. Is waiting for the results the only option? Does anybody know if this is scheduled?
2. The salesman at a nearby Hyundai showroom suggested that it has scored four stars in the Euro tests. He is not able to furnish details on whether the platform and build quality is same for the two specs. He also could not furnish any references to this. Moreover, there was no response when I checked if the Euro version might be offering six airbags. Searching on the internet, could only find a reference to second generation i10 getting four stars in Euro NCAP rating, and this is dated May 2014. Is this kind of information even relevant to the current Grand i10 Nios on offer in India? Or would the following link https://www.team-bhp.com/news/hyunda...ing-asean-ncap be more indicative?
   

Any information on the above is much appreciated.

PS: Wonder why a New Car Assessment Program rating is not necessary before a launch for new car launches? The GOI has done well to mandate a few safety measures recently. Mandating NCAP tests also might be a step too far?

[Venkatesh]

Hyundai plans to launch a new special edition of the Grand i10 NIOS called Corporate Edition, this new variant is essentially an extension of the Magna variant.

Corporate Edition brochure leaks, expected to launch soon











https://www.rushlane.com/hyundai-gra...-12375131.html

[Venkatesh]

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Corporate Edition launched at Rs 6,10,600, priced 19k more than Magna variant





https://www.rushlane.com/nios-grand-...-12375353.html

[RSR]

A touchscreen infotainment system (presumably with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto), electrically retractable mirrors with indicators, an air purifier with HEPA filter and larger wheels with wider tyres. All this at a reasonable price increase. This is what I'd call a meaningful limited edition!

The only trick they've missed is not offering this limited edition with the 1.0 Kappa Turbo GDi engine making 100 PS & 172 Nm. The existing Sportz variant with this superb engine is simply overpriced and a Magna CE would have made it more affordable.

[DriveOnceMore]

Originally Posted by RSR

A touchscreen infotainment system (presumably with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto), .... and a Magna CE would have made it more affordable.

I am not sure if you have already noticed this or not. But the touch screen music system on offer in this CE is not the one which you see in Sportz / Asta trim.
It's some aftermarket unit.

[RSR]

Mod Note: Our Grand i10 Report has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

Originally Posted by DriveOnceMore

It's some aftermarket unit.

So no Apple CarPlay & Android Auto? Then what was that "smartphone navigation"? Just screen mirroring then?