[vivee90]

I have been waiting for the time when I can write an ownership thread and create a biography for my car in team-bhp. Thanks to the inspirations of countless other threads that has motivated me so far.

My Background
Passion for automobiles run deeper into me since childhood as I seem to remember only those toys that had wheels in them! In my quest to convert that raw fascination into wisdom, I have studied Automotive and work in the industry since the past few years. However, the practical experience of owning and maintaining a car has been elusive. Now that I have moved to a new place, there arose a need to get a car. I am excited that I can finally indulge in the ownership of a car. So here is my experience in figuring out what would suit me technically, financially and emotionally.

Selection Criteria
1. I live and hope to live for considerable years in the towns of Maharashtra with roads grained with pot-holes and loose-stones. That means that the car has to handle those well and be comfortable on such roads. Ride quality is the foremost criteria.

2. It rains and shines like nowhere else I have been. It has to offer a good AC system.

3. I don't live in a city, so there won't be a lot of bumper to bumper traffic. The vehicle will be used for state highway journeys of a few hundred kilometres. The vehicle will be used occasionally but will be driven for a long distance in the aforementioned road conditions. So, that means that I have the luxury of choosing a Petrol vehicle. And I prefer a balance between FE and sportiness.

4. The vehicle should seat 4 people in comfort and pass over most speed breakers without breaking my heart and itself. So, decent rear seat space and high ground clearance are important.

5. Living away from big cities, I want to have an authorised service centre in the locality.

6. The vehicle should be available at the earliest.

Good safety is compulsory by default, so I am not listing it as a separate requirement.

The Search philosophy
Strategy A: The above criteria gave me the luxury to consider used cars. I personally wanted to get a used car so that I can experience a better car for a lower initial cost. In such a case, I can even compromise on the FE part and get an interesting vehicle from higher segments.

Strategy B: If the strategy A doesn't fall in place, I wanted to buy a new small car within 8 Lakh budget that would be "state of art" at that price point. I could then keep it for a long-term and if financials permit, make a risky buy of a used "single USP car" (Unique Selling Point) in 4-6 years time. By "single USP", I mean vehicles that are either sporty /off-road friendly/ luxurious but compromising on other aspects like FE/ serviceability or re-sale.

With the above two strategies in mind, I set off to explore what the market had for me.

Used Cars
I started scouting locally for cars on my list and was surprised with the number of vehicles available in the Chandrapur area. Cars in my list,

1. Duster/Ecosport
There are a lot of Dusters available in the market. 95% of them had mileage upwards of 50000 km and cost above 6.5 Lakhs. Nothing beats the ride quality of the Duster. It is the best vehicle for these roads. Period.

I test drove a 2013 Duster RXL Diesel with 90000 km on the Odo and it still drove well soaking bumps like no other. The asking price of 6 lakhs plus from the second owner of the car wasn't convincing enough. I looked at the listing of various other Dusters and shortlisted one in Pune with a dealer. But couldn't manage a fair deal. In general, I feel the Dusters and Ecosports are overpriced in the used car market too.

2. Fiesta Classic
I consider it as a safe bet although the model is not in production. I test drove a 2015 model Titanium Diesel with 30000 km mileage. I liked the powerful engine and precise steering feedback. The suspension was on the stiffer side but was comfortable as long as the speed is lowered appropriately. The asking price was 5.8 lakhs is quite high in my opinion but I shortlisted it for the next stage.

4.Liva 1.5 Petrol
My good friend (and an inspiration in buying used cars) "avinash_clt" suggested that it is fun to drive car backed by Toyota's reliability. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a model for sale in the locality. He also suggested looking at used Volkswagens that are very VFM. But, I wasn't confident about Volkswagen since there aren’t any authorised service stations nearby.

I tried to look for desirable models with the branded used car dealers, but couldn't find any locally. With some wise advice, I decided to consider using the private car evaluation services and scout for cars in Pune/Mumbai while being in the luxury of my home in interior Chandrapur. Not living in a big city is no more a deterrent for accessing the wide range of used cars. Avinash helped me find a Toyota Liva Sportivo LE with the 1.5L petrol engine in Pune with an asking price of 3.5 Lakhs. Initial analyses revealed that both the bumpers were replaced and some minor dents on the body. But, before I could analyse deeper about the car, it was red flagged for the interiors by my wife.

Alternatively, I also considered bringing my father’s 130000 km driven 2012 Dzire vdi from Coimbatore to Chandrapur. The car was absolutely trouble-free and maintained in great condition by the man I trust the most. Apart from some rattles in the interiors, the car just performed like new. I was very tempted since it would be most economical, helping me save more for the next proper buy. But my dad wouldn’t let it go (with good intention, of course! ) He was sceptical about me driving with TN license plates in Maharastra and suggested me to get a new car.

If I could stretch my budget and my courage, there was an Outlander in Mumbai that looked too sweet for the asking price. But being a first-time car buyer in a totally new place, I refrained. The fact that I was in a new state without even knowing the local languages leave alone trusted local mechanic/workshop, didn’t boost my courage to get a used car. And folks at home weren’t happy with buying a used car either. So, I had to drop the idea of getting a used car and stick to Strategy B.

So, I was back to square one after a couple of weeks of searching and it was too long a time when one is without any other mode of transport. After convincing myself and the family that the next car should be a used one, I began looking at new cars.

New Cars
Ford Freestyle 1.2P Titanium
The Ford Connection: My family owns a Ford already. My sister drives a 2016 Ford Figo Petrol and we simply love the car for the dynamics and the comfort. Being used to a 2012 Swift Dzire, the Figo had good vibes except for those days of fuel station visits! The general complaint about the lack of power was never a problem for my sister and the only major grouse was the fuel efficiency of 12.5 kmpl.

Some issues with the Figo that I hoped would be improved with the next version are the notchy gearshift and rattles due to the poor build quality of interiors (esp. the seat height adjusters that broke). In an all-new car built in an all-new plant, such issues are bound to happen! So, I wanted to get a proven car with some years in production.

The benchmark for the new car,


So, when an improved version of the Figo, the Freestyle was launched with a new Petrol engine and gearbox, I wanted to try it. Parshav Ford at Chandrapur was prompt in bringing a TD Petrol car of Titanium trim and I took it for a spin. Summarising my opinion,

+ Full safety of dual Airbags, ABS, EBD and Hill Assist.
+ The gear shifts have definitely improved over the previous gen.
+ The new 1.2L dragon engine is rev-friendly and peppy than the old one
+ The high ground clearance of 190mm
+ The dynamics seemed very similar to the Figo. It was confidence inspiring and very planted on the road.
+ Infotainment features (touchscreen but no Android Auto)

- The engine is reasonably refined but made a strange droning noise when revving down.
- New engine and gearbox. Even though Ford is in the midst of an engine development sweet spot, the dragon series engines are yet to be proven.
- The actual FE is still a mystery.
- Familiar interiors in a peculiar dashboard colour.

For the price of 7.6 Lakhs OTR, it seemed VFM. The dealer didn't have the colour/variant I preferred and quoted a 10-day timeline. The car was kept in consideration.

Tata Tiago XZ Petrol
Tiago was impressive in terms of what TATA offers in a small hatchback. The dealership Jaika motors and the SA were very professional and friendly. Test drove the XZ petrol that had done 50000+ km mileage. Summarising my opinion,

+ Safety kit: Dual Airbags, ABS with EBD
+ Delightful design
+ Spacious and ergonomic cabin
+ The music system from Harman
+ Good dynamics and stable ride
+ Utilities like the various hooks and the cooled glovebox
+ Claimed FE of 24 kmpl

- The dashboard and the interiors don’t seem to age well. The door handles were already losing the chrome coating and the dash had some rattles
- NVH levels in the cabin were mediocre
- Every bump, crack and pothole could be felt in the cabin
- Notchy gearshift
- Persistent issues in the new Revotron engines
- Constant price hikes by TATA since launch

The car was in serious consideration till the last moment. Tata had discounts on insurance and accessories but the final OTR of 6.1 Lakhs for an A-entry segment hatchback was unconvincing.

Toyota Liva SPL 1.2 Petrol
I have a soft corner for the Liva since it was launched with great expectations at the same time as I graduated. I heard stories that the Renault Logan was the benchmark for frugality and a couple of Logans were exported to Japan for a strip down analyses. I respect the Logan for the workhorse it is with the durable engine. I expected the Etios twins to stir the market but nothing of that sort ever happened. Nevertheless, it is the new benchmark in frugal engineering and is a no-fuss choice.

Thanks to Avinash for pointing me to the used Liva 1.5P, I also went on to enquire at the Toyota outlet here for a new one. I am very impressed with the experience of this test drive. The nearest Toyota showroom is basically a sales outlet for Grace Toyota in Chandrapur. My enquiry was duly attended and a test drive was promised. I was picked up from home by their SA Mr.Rajath Rao, who was friendly and knowledgeable about the car. He told me that they don't have a TD Liva with them but will try his best to help me experience one. I assumed that they would let me drive a car that has come for service and felt bad about it.

But what happened is beyond my imagination. We first went to the showroom and there I was allowed to sit and experience in a display car. I wasn't allowed to drive it as it was already booked. After I checked the features and space in the car, I was taken to an existing customer’s home to test drive in his personal car! I was amazed at the gesture and appreciated the sales team for the sincere effort.

Summarising my opinion from the test drive,
+ Matured handling
+ Slick gearshift feel
+ 1.2L engine felt peppy and refined

- Uninspiring interiors
- Evident cost cutting
- 15-30 days waiting time

The same dealership had a couple of 2017 Show cars for sale and I was interested in one of them. But, to my disappointment, they offered only Rs.10000 as the discount on the Ex-showroom price plus free insurance. The discount was no good and I let it go in spite of an initial good feel with the dealer.

Till this point in the search, I didn't consider either Hyundai or Suzuki. I wanted to explore other brands and haven't bothered to check them out. However, a close friend of mine insisted to test drive the Grand i10. In order to prevent any regrets in the future, I decided to try out the new Swift as well.

New Swift
I took the test drive of the New Swift Zdi (Petrol wasn't available for TD) The driver-focused design of the controls was good but otherwise felt the same as our Dzire. It could have been a logical choice with good FE, service availability and good resale value but somehow my heart wasn’t convinced. The vxi variant costs about INR 7.05 Lakh On-road. Blaming the 7 week waiting period, I ignored testing the petrol version and refused to add that to the final list. The Ignis was not considered since none of us in the family liked the design.

Grand i10
The next was the Hyundai Grand i10. The dealership (Ketan Hyundai, Chandrapur) was courteous and the test drive was immediately arranged. My initial impressions after the test drive of the Petrol Asta variant,

+ Quiet ride
+ Peppy engine.
+ Suspension that simply absorbed the cracks and ruts
+ Well insulated cabin. I drove it on the same stretch of road that I have test driven the other cars and the difference was remarkable.

- It didn't feel as planted as the Figo in highways and I had the feeling that the car was more narrow and tall
- Brake pedal had an instant bite
- Perception of fragility
- Hyundai after sales expenses

The refinement and the ride quality impressed me the most! I also test drove the i20, but the suspension dampening and noise insulation weren't that impressive.

I went through the review and the ownership reports of the Grand i10 and felt re-affirmed. The general complaint about the lack of steering feedback seems to be rectified and I also heard that in the Powerdrift review that the steering system was fine-tuned in the facelift. FE was claimed to be somewhere between that of Suzuki and the rest. Everything was convincing and I had almost made my mind at this point. This car wasn't even in my initial consideration! Lesson learnt to never ignore a product by perception alone before experiencing.

I requested the SA for a long test drive near our place the next day. The drive confirmed my belief and nothing seemed to be a big deterrent. I and my wife liked the car and the price was within our budget.

The final choice and booking
The Tiago and the freestyle were the final contenders along with the Grandi10. The Freestyle was a very good deal but familiarity with the interiors and the unproven powertrain acted against it. Ford dealer was offering huge discounts on the Figo Sports Diesel and for a moment I felt tempted. But sanity prevailed as it will mean an uncomfortable ride that would ensue at the cost of improved drivability. The Tiago was still there but wasn't as refined and fuss-free as the Grandi10. The additional 1 Lakh above the Tiago seemed very justified. The Grand i10 felt a segment above the Tiago and satisfied all my requirements.

Now the variant selection, the Sportz and Asta were the contenders. In order to help myself select, I assigned a price I would pay for each additional feature and checked if the sum would exceed the additional cost for the Asta. It did with a good margin and Asta it was. This way, I am convinced that it is a decision of both the head and the heart!

And moreover, I wanted to experience the Keyless system ever since I first tested it in the Renault Fluence in 2011. Other conveniences like height adjustable driver seat, adjustable rear headrests and rear wiper sealed the deal. I am sceptical about the alloy wheels, they look good but don't come with the special lock nut which makes it a vulnerability.

When it comes to the colour, the whole family liked the Star Dust colour and that was easy!

This is a glimpse of how cluttered my brain has become with all the options and evaluation. Yes, you see a worksheet with comparisons. No big decision is made without calling on this tool!


Once all the furore had settled in my head, I went ahead with the booking. The final cost break-up after some negotiation is,
Rs 613800 Ex-showroom, Chandrapur (incl. Rs 130000 GST & Rs 45000 discount!)
Rs 74855 RTO Fees,
Rs 14500 zero dep. insurance from Reliance general,
Rs.6938 4th-year Extended Warranty,
Rs 800 Fasttrack,
Rs.1205 4th-year Roadside Assistance,
Total On-road was Rs. 7.1 lakhs.

The standard warranty is 3 years / 100000 km with roadside assistance. Accessories like the car cover, seat cover and mats were offered by the dealer for free. The vehicle was available in the stock and delivery was promised in a week. My request to inspect the vehicle before the registration was accepted.

Delivery Experience
On the getting the VIN, I was initially apprehensive that the car was made in Feb 2018 and it was mid-June when I booked. The vehicle has been in the dealer's yard for 2-3 months. It was quite strange for a fast moving car like the Grand i10. I spoke with a few friends associated with car sales and was convinced that it is normal and it wouldn't have any adverse effect on the car. Moreover, the car is a facelift of an old model and I don't expect any discrete upgrades (like in the Kwid and Tiago) in the past two months.
(EDIT: I think Hyundai has failed my expectations here as I later came to know about the possible sneaky addition of EBD since April 2018! I am trying to verify if my car is equipped with EBD as of now and will update)

The handing ceremony was smooth and the SA even picked us up from our home which is 30 km away from the showroom on the delivery day. I saw our car kept ready in the delivery bay and I quickly inspected along with the SA for minor details and accessories. After finalising the papers, I was explained about the working procedure of various features. After a puja and photo session, it was time to bring "GRU" home.

The registration was done by the dealer and I received an SMS from "VM VAAHAN" about the application submission. The registration number came after a week. Very organised system! The RC card will be sent to us through Post directly within 45 days.

Initial observations and feedback
Since delivery, I have driven 800 km so far including a long highway trip and back. My feedback is based on the short ownership stint which contains both issues and surprises so far,

Exterior
I will begin with the pictures, the best angle in my opinion

The wheelbase is 2425 mm which is not the highest in the segment. However, the track length is different in the front and the rear. The rear track is 14mm longer than the front which apart from improving the dynamics also gives more boot space!


The DRL looks good and has a bluish glow in the dark. It is neatly integrated into the fog lamp housing and is quite powerful for a DRL. It is only activated when the engine is ON and the parking brake is released. The facelift has a new "cascade effect" grille design, which looks good but is hard to clean and maintain. The chrome strip below the bonnet has a slight upward curl in the facelift unlike the straight ones of the previous version.



The headlamps are big and the indicators are positioned at the inside corner giving it a feel of an actual eye. The illumination of the main beam is just adequate. At night, I usually drive with the front fog lamps turned OFF but the roads are famous for surprising the motorists with a random 1 feet deep pothole out of nowhere! If I can't catch them quick enough, I will have to get better illuminating lights to prevent the suspension from bottoming out!


An interesting feature in the bumpers is the airstream channel. The two horizontal slats above the fog lamp channelise the air near the fog lamp housing into a vent leading to the inside edge of the wheel arches. I guess it is an effort to improve the aerodynamics of the original design which wasn't up to the mark.

Image for reference from BMW Website showing the air stream through the bumper,

Source: BMW Website


The dual tone alloys and the plastic cladding look good and break the monotony in the side view along with the chrome door handles. The chrome effect isn't just a cover but a proper coating from the factory itself. In spite of this, the design looks very bulky in the side view. The roof rails are neatly integrated and are functional as well (It is not mentioned in the user manual but there are mounting slots). The rear bumper looks very meaty form the sides and doesn't protrude much beyond the boot lip which means that the tailgate will take a hit in minor rear collisions!



At the rear, the facelift gets round reflectors at either side of a black plastic insert running across the width of the car. The black plastic cladding will need special polish to keep the shine. The spoiler adds some character to the looks. The integration of wiper sprayer inside the spoiler and the rear view camera beneath the Hyundai logo is very neat. The reverse parking sensor has four nodes at the back, two on the plastic cladding and another two facing the sides on the bumper.

Overall fit and finish are good. Panel gaps are consistent and narrow. However, the paint quality is average as it lacks the shine in my opinion (maybe its the intended effort!). But they do charge a premium for Metallic colours, unlike other OEMs. A stone chip has already created a tiny speck in the driver's door!

Underbody
The dealership gave me enough time to explore the car before registration to check the underbody as the car was in the yard for a couple of months. Some observations,

The underbody has anti-rust coating from the factory but only in certain sections. The brake lines get a protective cover and the fuel lines are taken inside the floor panel.



The exhaust support and the surface rust. I did a separate treatment at 3M later but not convinced about the quality of it. (More on that later)


I found rust on both the steering knuckles. I guess there is nothing much one can do about it. I will again take a look during the first service and think of any actions.


Deflectors only before the wheel wells and not running along the width of the car (Figo has it that way).


Notice the exposed engine sump that might take a hit. Also, most of the underbody parts have both Hyundai and Kia logos.


Interiors
The overall build quality of the interiors is flawless. It makes the entire assembly process look easy with so many different components and parts. The dashboard plastics are of the harder type but have an interesting surface finish that makes it feel premium. Except for the horn pad , headlight levelling switch and the reading lamp switch, all other buttons/controls feel durable and well built.

The dual tone adds a premium touch, however the beige will need some careful maintenance over time. The seat covers from Mobis (official accessories for Hyundai) have the same theme carried over. The front door also gets the same theme. All the parts above the shoulder line get a lighter shade while the ones below get dark shade. It creates a very spacious feel.

There are a lot of usable spaces inside the cabin, especially at the centre near the handbrakes and directly below the infotainment unit. Things like keys, mobile phones and loose change can be easily accommodated. All the doors get bottle holders that can happily fit a 1L bottle which is very handy. However, it could prove dangerous with the Driver's door since a loose fitting bottle may fall down and get trapped in the footwell. This is very critical since the bottle might get locked between the pedal and floor. So, it is best to avoid keeping any bottle in the driver's door. I tried a small experiment to verify this, the details are discussed in the Safety section.

There is no soft padding for elbow rests in the door trims and are beige in colour! The region near speakers in the doors bulge out which often interferes with the foot movement during egress. I regularly see a streak of footwear trace on both the front doors. It is also visible in the picture below


The front seats have a fixed headrest. I have no complaints about it since I don't remember adjusting the headrests of any car I have driven so far. Most of the times they are in a comfortable and safe position that doesn't strain my neck. The seats are narrower than usual and don't cuddle the user. The thigh support and lumbar support seem fine to me so far( I am 180cm tall). I did have issues initially in finding a comfortable sitting position in the driver's seat but now have hit the sweet spot.

The rear seat with adjustable headrests is a good place to be in the Grand i10. The rear legroom is good enough for tall passengers and headroom is never a problem. The backrest inclination is steep with decent under-thigh support. The third person sitting in the middle will feel squeezed but will not complain as the central hump is small and there is ample space on both sides to rest the foot. And there is also a blower and a 12v socket for the rear seat passengers. The doors open wide but there is a big step near the door.

The rear seat can be folded down to increase boot space. However, there is no 60\40 split rear seat folding and it doesn't fold flat.

The middle seatbelt is untethered and will be an eyesore if not properly folded. There are slots on the plastic part near the rear doors to safely hold the seatbelts of the other two passengers.


Exposed bolts of the seatbelts that show the frugal engineering in the design. It is not an eyesore like in the Etios because of the darker interior trims and a black head.



There is no height adjustable seat belt for the driver even in the top trim. Th crescent-shaped opening for all the seat belts looks good and functional.



The A-pillar is thick has an odd angle that creates a blind spot that one needs to watch out for. The mirrors are large in size and have a wide coverage. The electrically folding rear view mirrors are biker-friendly as they flip back. I learnt this the hard way once as I let it hit a gate as I was reversing out in an incline. I was too occupied with the central display looking for pedestrians! Luckily the mirror housing just flipped back.


The leather-wrapped steering wheel feels good to hold but doesn't feel sporty like that of the Figo. I guess the thickness of the outer rims play a role in how it is perceived. It is tilt adjustable with good range. The adjustment lock lever is the easiest I have used and is ergonomically designed.



The leather was very slippery initially but now seem to stay in my grip. The steering wheel buttons are well integrated and neatly laid out. The presence of buttons spread across the steering wheel reminds me of my internship days at DAF Trucks.


It's a silly comparison but the buttons feel very familiar to me. That says a lot because of the exceptional quality of the materials and build in those vehicles.

The music control buttons on the right are large and sometimes interfere with the turning action. The horn pad is a let down as it feels flimsy to use and the underlying spring mechanism feels very weak.

Notice how the Volume increase button has a positive indent and the other a negative indent. I like this detail as it feels good when using. This theme is applied to scroll buttons and door lock/unlock buttons as well.

The Climate control system is an addition to the facelift version. The cooling effect is satisfactory for the current rainy season but the real test is the next summer. Where better can it be tested than Chandrapur?? The hottest region in India this year. I usually keep the cabin temperature at 24deg and there is not much blower noise given the ambient temperature of 30 degrees outside. But I do sometimes hear the A/C unit running intermittently along with the usual engine noise.



The window switches and the door lock/unlock switches on the driver's door are not back-lit. The front window gets a 'One touch down' but not 'One touch up' feature. I guess this is because the 'One touch Up' will need an auto-pinch feature for safety which might altogether need a different and expensive hardware.

The lack of duration adjustment in the intermittent mode of the wiper is inconvenient especially when there is a slight drizzle. The wiper assembly itself is old school. The wiping action is not efficient since the passenger side wiper leaves off a trail on the driver's line of sight before the main wiper swipes it down.

The rear wiper only has ON/OFF and water jet function. I realised it becomes quite a distraction since I was often attracted to its constant movement in the Internal rear view mirror. It is quite fragile as I accidentally dismounted it when I was cleaning the car for the first time!

The control stalks for wipers and lamps are pretty sturdy and feel premium. The right side one for the lamps has one-touch lane change feature that is quite handy.

An eyesore and a grouse that I have with the dealership is the bad fitting of the seat covers, Hyundai is also to blame for providing mediocre seat covers. There aren't any other options with them. This is a let down in the otherwise good feeling cabin.

Poorly fitted OEM seat cover,

There is no opening for the rear seat fold knob on the seat cover, I guess I have to tear it myself.

The pedals are well spaced and there is enough space next to the clutch pedal to rest one's foot during long highway drives. The brake bite issue that I experienced with the Test Drive car couldn't be felt in mine. So, far it is comfortable for me to operate and I have no complaints.

The clutch is smooth, it is very predictable and linear. I find it easy to use especially in the lower gears. Quick clutch releases are tolerated without much jerk. If one is precise with the clutch release in the first gear then the car can be moved without any vibration in the cabin giving a feeling of an electric car. It is easy also for beginners to get a feel for the slip. My wife who is a learner seems to handle it quite well without any stalling. (Of course, her skills have improved lately )

There is no dedicated button to open the tailgate from inside the cabin. The tailgate has its own request switch integrated under the Hyundai logo at the rear. And there is also a dedicated button in the remote key. Even when pressing the key in the remote, the tailgate doesn't open but only the lock gets de-activated. Only by pressing the button in the tailgate itself, it opens. The boot has a lamp and a hook for bags. The rear parcel tray is well made with sturdy dedicated plastic fittings.

The image shows the lamp, hook and the plastic guide for the parcel tray pivot points.


Tools and hazard triangle are neatly packed in a pouch with velcro at the bottom to hold them in place on the boot mat. The spare is not an alloy and has the inlet nozzle facing upwards to check pressure.

The fuel tank lid gets a conventional lever beneath the driver's seat. I have been facing some issues with it as it sometimes doesn't release properly. It is a simple pin based mechanism that provides the required force to pop out. I adjusted the position of the pin and it seems to be working. I will get it checked during the first service.

The loose clip that I suspect doesn't release the lid properly.


Two mistakes that I often see people do is having the ignition ON when fuelling and filling full to the brim. It is not only waste but also dangerous to do so. The user manual also confirms this.

Infotainment
The big change in the interiors of the facelifted version is the addition of the 7" touchscreen and new buttons for infotainment. The other subtle one being the addition of the voice command button in the steering wheel.

The system is responsive and the display clarity is quite good. It is visible even in bright light conditions and can be turned off by a dedicated button. The inbuilt 1 GB memory is a neat feature to save some music for the days when one forgets the USB or the cable. The sound quality is impressive for my likes. It is better than the stock speaker system of the Figo. But, the best touchscreen I have experienced is Ford's unit in the Ecosport/Freestyle. That one feels very light and super crisp to use.

The buttons are ergonomically arranged and are frugally designed. They are designed like a see-saw, thus Hyundai has managed to use a single button for two purposes. The buttons look durable but are on the harder side to press. The steering mounted buttons are also of the same type but feel more premium.


The mode and scroll buttons on the right side only control the audio source and song selection respectively. They cannot be used to select options in the touchscreen menu. The steering wheel integration is limited only to the music system unlike in premium cars where one can access all the menu from the steering controls. Of course, this is no COMAND or MMI!!

But there is a convenience, Voice assistant. I am an Android user and it feels good to give commands to the familiar Google lady with a press of a button in the steering wheel.

The voice-activated Google function is very handy. It has so far got all the names correctly and made the call successfully. The text of our speech doesn't appear on the screen, in order to not bother the driver with checking them and instead keep the eyes on the road. Good consideration of driver-centric design from Google and keen attention to detail. The Android Auto system is sometimes slow and hangs up.

The fact that they changed the steering wheel in the facelift just for the addition of the voice command button shows the gaining importance for new modes of driver-machine interaction. So, now the facelift has not just touch interface but also voice.

When the reverse gear is selected, there is a beep and the music volume automatically goes down. And so does the brightness of the screen and other back-lit buttons when headlamps are turned ON. These little features impress me and I appreciate the attention to detail.

Note the lip of the bumper in the reverse camera view, it provides orientation to the whole view. The blind spot for this camera is really minimal (few centimetres) right behind the bumpers.


The reverse parking sensors are oriented to the side of the bumper as well, providing a wide coverage in the sides too. The guide-lines in the display are static as they don't adapt to the steering input. There is no option to turn off the reverse parking aid like in the Ignis.

The instrument panel is old school and legible. It lights up on cranking the car and the blue ring in the centre looks good with detailed texture. It has a big engine rpm meter and gauges for engine temperature and fuel level.



The trip computer is simple and uncluttered. I say so because there isn't much info in there to be cluttered with! It has a gear shift indicator and so far I have seen only gear up recommendations and not gear down. I have to check if it was intentionally removed or if it is my driving style. Apart from that it can only display 2 trip readings, elapsed time with ignition ON and average speed. The presence of a well-integrated dedicated button on the steering wheel for this trip computer is unjustifiable. But, considering parts sharing with the global model, we at least ended up with a better steering wheel.

There is no Average FE, Instant FE or Distance to empty. The fact that Hyundai's doesn't list any info to do with FE anywhere on the website, brochure and even in the MID itself is very strange. Maybe they are trying to change the Indian mindset of focussing on the mileage by consciously blocking that information!!

Ride and Handling
I haven't tested the car in triple-digit speeds since it is in the break-in phase. So, I reserve my judgement on that for later. However, having driven the test drive car I don't expect any surprises there.

The suspension setup is very supple, it has McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam axle at the back. It provides a feeling of gliding over minor cracks and ruts and on bigger disturbances, the landing feels very muted. Ride quality is the best in the cars I have driven in this segment (better than Figo, i20, Tiago, Liva, Pulse and Swift). But the same cannot be said about the handling, there is a pronounced roll in the car, that gives the feeling that the car is tall and narrow (reaffirming my initial test drive!). I say this because I see the head of my passenger sway more in the Grand i10 than in the Figo!

So, for city driving and sedate highway speeds, it is quite comfortable even on average roads. The stock tyres are Good Years 165/55 R14 that gel in well with the package. There is considerable tire noise above 60 kmph. I have not tested the grip levels in corners but seems to hold well on wet surfaces. The alloy wheel design is expressive and very sporty. It has a dual tone finish and is easy to clean with large open planes.



The steering feel is good with decent feedback. I feel the new Figo has a lighter steering in slow speeds than the Grand i10. However, it is still easy to manoeuvre and makes no grinding noise at the "endpoints" like the Figo. The steering weighs up as the speed increases but I cannot comment for speeds above 80kmph. The steering wheel has a dead zone of around +/- 10 degrees from the centre at speeds of 40 kmph and that is annoying at times.

The gear shifts are well defined but the throw is long. It does take some effort in moving the hand all the way but doesn't need a lot of force. Reverse gear is sometimes hard, even when the clutch is fully depressed. I hope it will ease up with usage. The position of the gear lever is convenient to access as long as one doesn't have the habit of placing a hand over it all the time. The design is attractive and feels good to hold.

The Nagpur-Chandrapur highway has some very dangerous unmarked speed breakers. Drove with caution and yet was too late to brake for a series of small speed breakers. The car seemed to hold well as not even the touchscreen flickered.

[vivee90]

Powertrain
One peculiar thing about the new car is the beep sound I heareverytime I crank or activate the battery of the car. On pressing the Start/Stop button, I hear warning chimes(beeps) for about 7s irrespective of the seat belt or the door positions. The sound seems to stop exactly at the moment the seat belt and Airbag warning indicators go OFF in the instrument cluster.

https://youtu.be/kNasfIK-y80

There is no other specific error message in the dashboard. I checked with the service personnel and they say that it is usual. Such a warning or caution chime was not present in older Grand i10 and seem something of the facelift. I don't remember this sound in the test drive car. Even an Xcent in the service station had this chimes after cranking via a normal key. I am still figuring out if it is an intended feature.

Curious to know what technology powers my ride, I downloaded the Kappa engine related technical journal from the SAE website and read about the innovations. Some counter-intuitive ideas that have gone into this engine are,
1. Offset crankshaft design
2. Bee-hive shaped valve springs
3. 30% smaller oil pump
4. Cast iron cylinder liner (Aluminum engine block)
I am sure it would arouse the curiosity of tech lovers. A lot of work had been done to keep the engine compact while improving performance and reducing NVH. The journal concludes with the note that in the future, Gasoline direct injection and turbocharging will be added to this engine to make it "more excellent".

The engine performance is linear with the engine coming to life after 2000 rpm. There is a slight dip in power as the engine passes 2000 rpm momentarily. The engine noise in idle is completely not felt in the cabin and higher rpm has a refined sound that is comfortable.

The underhood parts are neatly integrated. Thanks to the smaller engine, the rest of the packaging becomes easier. The engine cover and the air filter are integrated. The positive terminal gets a proper plastic cover. The petrol version doesn't come with the padding on the bonnet although there is a provision. It is not missed in this case. However, there is no underhood cover giving easy access to not only dirt but also rodents! The ground is quite visible in this picture.



Spare fuses and the extraction tool neatly integrated into the Fuse cover


The fuse box inside the cabin (bottom right of the steering wheel in the dashboard) has been changed in the facelift. The master OFF switch of the old version seems to be removed with a conventional fuse! I am not happy about it. The User manual still has the old design with the provision to prevent any current leak in the battery when the car is not used for a long time.
The comparison between the old and the new layout of the Fusebox,

Pic on the left courtesy: tbhp official review.

The user manual suggests following a sedate driving style during the "Break-in" period of 1000 km. Some of the suggestions are
1. Keep engine rpm between 2000 - 4000 and vehicle speed below 80 kmph.
2. Don't idle the engine for more than 3 minutes.
3. Don't maintain the same engine speed for a long time. Varying engine speed is required to "break-in" the engine properly.

Safety
The car is equipped with dual airbags, ABS and Impact sensing door unlock feature. It is not a trendsetter when it comes to safety and offers only the industry standard. Presence of EBD is still a mystery as I write the post. I have asked my service advisor for clarification and awaiting the answer.

Bottle and Pedal Experiment
I wanted to test this safety feature, which is often not looked upon. It would be great if the Team-bhp official reviews would also have this test on all the new cars. I used a 500 ml bottle and tried to get it stuck between the pedals and floor to simulate a fallen object while driving.

In the Grand i10, the place beneath the pedals is very slanting which makes it difficult for the bottle to get trapped between the pedal and floor. In normal conditions, the bottle tends to roll down. However, when the bottle is held there (might happen during sudden deacceleration or coming down slopes), it is difficult to press the brake pedal. So, I would definitely avoid keeping any bottle or large items in the driver side door pocket.

Pictures of the footwell and the video,

https://youtu.be/HQOZhiG6Gr8

It did get stuck this way!


Keyless entry/start system
I like the keyless entry system so far. It is a convenience when I am the only one using the car. But becomes a bother when there are passengers. The passengers have to wait until the driver reaches the door while entering and while exiting, the driver has to wait till everyone closes the door to lock it via the request switch. The car doesn't take the lock command from the request switch before all the doors get locked and it issues a beeping noise when one tries. However, the command is accepted when sent via the remote. So, one can press the lock button in the remote even when a door is open and it will be locked when it closed.

The facelift version of the Asta doesn't have the request switch on the passenger side. Cost cutting in the top variant!

After a drive, I once tried to lock the car through the request switch on the door handle but heard a continuous beep sound on the outside. I opened the door to peep in and check if I had not turned OFF the lights or if it is in Accessories mode, but to my horror, the ignition was actually still ON!! Loud noise in the road had masked the external engine noise and the refined NVH in the cabin had tricked me. Thankfully, the high pitch warning noise caught my attention. Otherwise, the engine would have been running till it auto shuts. Hope there is an auto-shutdown feature when the engine is idling for a long duration (no mention in the user manual) since the beep noise stops after 3 seconds.

Also, the central locking system is activated when either of the front doors is locked from the inside. But that has to become a habit now since there is no auto lock! The headlamps are automatically turned off when the car is turned off and locked to prevent battery drain.

The remote key looks very classy. Both the keys are remote type as the car has a keyless start system. The remote key has a physical key neatly integrated. Even the Start/Stop button system can be activated by using the head of this physical key in case there is a battery drain in the remote.

There is also a red light that blinks when any key is pressed in the remote. I think it is redundant since the user already gets a tactile feedback from the button press and the car reacts by blinking the indicators. I wonder what purpose it has.

The car doesn't issue any audible feedback on locking and unlocking through the remote. There is only a visual feedback with the indicators and the folding ORVM (Asta variant specific). There are no verification sounds or error sounds in the case of the car not locking. There is no feedback if it is not able to lock. One needs to get used to this as most other cars give audible feedback (like two horn beeps) when not locked.

Once on a highway journey, I heard the driver door unlock as I was driving at 50 kmph. The lock mechanism had released itself but the door didn't open even as I slowly tried to budge the door out with my elbow. So, the door was still physically closed but the cabin light started glowing whenever I pushed on the door. However, the instrument cluster didn't display any warning. I slowed down to open and close the door properly. This time I ensured that I manually locked all the doors! I have to add that all the doors require some effort to close properly.

I hope to get this incident checked in the first service and see if there are any data logs of this event that can be retrieved. I am sure there is an ECU for managing the doors (associated with the remote entry and crash safety system). But am not sure if there is a dedicated Vehicle CAN bus since the speed based door lock feature is not available.

Other Supplements

1. Number Plates
   I got the number plates done in the BMW font. It is basically a sticker on a transparent acrylic sheet and costs about 850 Rupees. I am very happy with the way it turned out.
   
2. 3M car care
   I took the car to the 3M car care centre in Nagpur to get the Rodent treatment and paint protection. Ended up also having the exhaust anti-corrosion treatment for a thousand bucks. Overall, I am NOT happy with the work since the spraying doesn't look convincing to me and was done in haste. The paint protection stickers beneath the door handles were too small and don't cover the entire recess well. I was charged INR 1090 + GST for rodent treatment and INR 500+ GST for paint protection film for door handles. The spray can for the rodent repellent costs INR 1500 but I suppose will be used for 2-4 vehicles. And the only liability is a refund for the spray cost and not for the damages from the rodents.
   
   The fine print on the can clearly mention that there is no warranty for damages whatsoever after the treatment.
   
   
3. Sunfilm
   This one is in the pipeline and I have so far got quotations from 3M and a local dealer of Garware sunfilm for the sides and the windshield. The 3M option seems almost 6 times the cost of Garware. So, I am still pondering on which option to choose.
   
4. DIY Paint protection of Door sills
   I will cover up the door sill area prone to scratches from footwear using a carbon fibre textured sticker. I did this in the Figo and like the effect. This is in the pipeline and I will update as I do it.
   

Hyundai Care App
I installed the app and found it to be very useful. Some information like the labour cost and service cost estimation are handy. It lists the costs for various regular and repair activities along with the cost for the same. Most of the costs seem reasonable to me. One can also book appointments, see service history and locate service points via the App.
Snapshots from the app,


Some sample costs from the app,
Labour cost (at Chandrapur, Maharastra)

Fuel Injector Cleaning - Rs.365
Throttle body Cleaning - Rs.145
AC Belt Replacement - Rs.145
Engine tuning - Rs.550
Clutch Overhaul - Rs.1395
Brake pad replacement - Rs.205
Brake Shoes Replace/Celan - Rs.180
Front Strut/Shock absorber Replace - Rs.280

Overall Cost (Service costs in the App.)

Clutch Overhauling - Rs.5433
Brake pads replace - Rs.1796
Periodic Maintenance 1st year - Rs.1097
Periodic Maintenance 5th year - Rs.2452
Periodic Maintenance 8th year - Rs.2547

I take these numbers with a pinch of salt since I have seen higher numbers in other posts of owners and is based on the location. But it gives a fair indication of the expected costs and makes it transparent.

Fuel Efficiency
The first full tank returned 15.8 kmpl. The tank has a capacity of 43 litres. I use the FuelIO application to track the FE. I will keep updating the Fuel log as I cover some more mileage. I guess the FE to be in the 15kmpl zone.

Summary
The car is designed frugally and has gone through cost-cutting but in a less evident manner. Industry standard safety(Only on Sportz and Asta!) is nothing to comment more about. The facelift version has gone through not only new feature additions but also lost some existing features. Overal the car offers a premium feel over the competition, especially with the exceptional ride quality and the refinement. But there is no hiding the fact that this is an old car originally launched in 2013. The package will surely win the hearts of customers who prefer conservative styling with proven mechanicals.

Summarising the likes,
+ Standard safety of dual Airbags and ABS
+ Supple ride that absorbs small bumps easily and damps bigger ones
+ Refined engine and gearbox that is well sorted
+ Matured package - facelift version of a tested product
+ Convenient features

Rear AC blower
Infotainment with Android Auto, 1GB internal memory and Digital radio
Cooled Glovebox

the dislikes,
- No EBD and ISO-fix child seat restraint system even in top variant.
- Cost cutting in the facelift model

No request switch in Passenger side
No Master OFF switch in Fuse
No back-lit driver window button

- Perception of being a fragile car
- Average handling due to a plusher ride
- Low ground clearance
- Rodent friendly engine compartment without any underhood cover
- Missing some basic features

No mention of FE, anywhere!
No speed sensing door locks
Fixed front seat head rests

Some questions that I have,
1. Is there something I should do about the steering knuckle rust?
2. Does any other car have the warning chimes when cranking/activating the battery by default?
3. The User Manual says that one should wait for 3s in neutral before shifting to Reverse gear. Is it to make sure that the vehicle is completely stopped or any other reason? I also read the same in the Figo's manual.
4. Is it possible to activate or install a speed based auto door lock mechanism in the Grand i10? Its no VW, but am sure someone would have tried.
5. Will I be able to see door opening/closing events in the CAN log? I would like to see how door unlocking was triggered in motion.

As I have experienced only the tip of the iceberg, I will keep the post updated on my experiences with the car.
Looking forward to your comments and suggestions.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[naveen.raju]

That's one detailed ownership report and thanks for pointing out all the small details as well. Do keep the thread updated.

Originally Posted by vivee90

The fuel tank lid gets a conventional lever beneath the driver's seat. I have been facing some issues with it as it sometimes doesn't release properly. It is a simple pin based mechanism that provides the required force to pop out. I adjusted the position of the pin and it seems to be working. I will get it checked during the first service.

Powertrain
One peculiar thing about the new car is the beep sound I heareverytime I crank or activate the battery of the car. On pressing the Start/Stop button, I hear warning chimes(beeps) for about 7s irrespective of the seat belt or the door positions. The sound seems to stop exactly at the moment the seat belt and Airbag warning indicators go OFF in the instrument cluster.

1) I have the same problem on the Creta. It doesn't open most of the times. I had the feeling that the string connected to the fuel cap was interfering with the fuel lip. Since you have the same problem, it could be the small plastic pin (as there's no string connected to the fuel cap in the grand i10). I checked the pin in the morning and it's a bit tight. Just applied WD-40 and think it should be fine.

2) Yes, that's the seat belt warning which is present in most Hyundai cars. Try with the seat belts on and you won't hear the chimes.

[francis_vaz]

Congratulations on the car!!
Regarding the sunflim I have Garware's installed on my car, the one that my accessories dealer said is approved by the RTO.
(Although I am not quite sure about it).
The sunflim does make a difference in the cooling of the cabin during hot weather. I have not used 3M ones but I am quite sure they are more than twice expensive than Garware's.

[vivee90]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

2) Yes, that's the seat belt warning which is present in most Hyundai cars. Try with the seat belts on and you won't hear the chimes.

Thank you! I will surely keep it updated.

I do hear the chimes irrespective of the seat belt. As a practice, I always wear the seatbelt before turning ON the car. That is what confuses me!

[neofromcapone]

I had a similar 8 chimes on my diesel Ford Figo, was told to fire up the car after the chimes were done - it was some mechanism to allow all components of the engine to come in sync before ignition.
I am trying to find the reason for these chimes on my petrol i10, till then I fire up the ignition only after all chimes are done.

[LipDog43]

Congrats on the new car! Really like the grand i10, was looking to buy it but instead picked up a used i10.



Interesting but perhaps an unrelated question - your internship with DAF, was it in the Netherlands?

[turbowhistle]

Congratulations on the new car! This is a no-nonsense car and will serve you well.

While reading the review I realised you were searching for used Duster. I am so glad you did not go that way and got a new car instead. I happen to own a petrol i20 as well as Duster and trust me, you are better off without Duster.
Although the driving dynamics and ride quality is unmatched but the upkeep and maintenance is somewhat unbearable. Whereas the i20 has seen garage only for periodic service( currently at 70k).

[Anirudh_sai]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

2) Yes, that's the seat belt warning which is present in most Hyundai cars. Try with the seat belts on and you won't hear the chimes.

It is the system check sound it chimes 7-8 times. Seatbelt chime only comes on once you start moving

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by Anirudh_sai

It is the system check sound it chimes 7-8 times. Seatbelt chime only comes on once you start moving

Guess it's different in both the cars. In the Creta, once you turn on the ignition with the seat belts, there's no chime/beep.

[N4Nikunj]

Dear vivee90,

Congratulations on your latest acquisition. The stardust color looks great and gels well with the new alloy wheel design.

I own the same car but the pre-facelift version. With the facelift, The addition of touchscreen with reverse parking camera and Auto Climate control the car is complete in terms of features.

Congratulations once again and a nice set of Pics and write up.

[vivee90]

Originally Posted by neofromcapone

I am trying to find the reason for these chimes on my petrol i10, till then I fire up the ignition only after all chimes are done.

Yes. Do you have a facelifted model or the old one? Do keep us posted if you happen to find out the reason.

Originally Posted by LipDog43

Interesting but perhaps an unrelated question - your internship with DAF, was it in the Netherlands?

Thank you. Yes, I did my Masters in the Technical University of Eindhoven between 2013-2015 and my Master thesis at DAF Trucks.

Some exterior shots of the Grand i10 in other colours. During the buying process, we often lack the pictures of the lower variants and the less-popular colours. I will post the pictures I got from my SA to help me decide.

Marina Blue Magna with Foglamps and chrome cover for the door handle. This one is an oddball. It doesn't have roof rails, waistline black cladding and integrated ORVMs but only the fog lamp. So, I assumed it is a Magna with fog lamp fitted.




Star Dust Sportz variant. Note the DRL's replaced with a neat chrome stip.




Fiery Red Magna in stock overalls. Foglamp housing is black plastic. This colour is the launch colour for the facelift. In my opinion, it doesn't look as good as it does in the manipulated images in press materials.



Pictures Courtesy: Mr.Yayati Patil, Ketan Hyundai.

I don't have the pictures of the popular White and Silver colours. The Orange colour pictures of a real car are available in the facelift thread. Link below,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ge-8-a-10.html

[ChiragM]

Excellent well-written and detailed review!

I am really surprised that Toyota got a customer's car for a test drive with the customer around. Very few people agree to give their cars for test drives. Wonder what he/she got in return from the dealership.

An Excel worksheet and lots of brochures is a must when deciding a new car. You have put in a lot of effort before making a decision.

You have mentioned EBD as a missing feature in the dislikes. Were you able to confirm the same from the dealership? If it is indeed missing, it is rather unfortunate that you were not aware of this before delivery.

[vivee90]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Were you able to confirm the same from the dealership? If it is indeed missing, it is rather unfortunate that you were not aware of this before delivery.

Thank you. I tired. But I couldn't get a conclusive one yet. The dealership contact is just being defensive to convince me. He told me that Asta versions have it but other variants got added post-May.