Hyundai has showcased a facelifted version of its i10 hatchback at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. It has confirmed that it will launch the car in the ‘Grand’ avatar in India, in 2017, and ahead of its official debut here is a little preview of the hatchback. The car is in its second generation and as a part of a mid-life product, the facelift has been introduced. The refreshed car gets cosmetic updates while the mechanicals remains unchanged.
The first and most noticeable change is the revised design of the grille. It now houses a pair of round LED daytime running lights. The front bumper has got a redesign and now houses black vertical inserts around the fog lamps. The rear bumper gets a fresh treatment like the front and comprises circular lights at the end of the black bumper inserts. Completing the design update are the newly designed 14-inch alloy wheels.
On the inside, there are changes which have made the car look more upmarket and the most major one is the option of new two-tone combinations. The shades include red and blue over black.
The higher-spec variants of the car get the Android and Apple Carplay features with a bigger infotainment screen. The European-spec car has been equipped with Front Collision Warning System (FCWS) and an optional Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) along with regular safety features like airbags and ABS. Of these, we believe that they will make dual front airbags and ABS as standard across the range once the car is launched.
Continuing to power the new Hyundai Grand i10 will be the same powerplant that does duties in the previous Grand i10. This includes the 1.1-litre diesel producing 70bhp and the 1.2-litre petrol engine making 81bhp. The diesel can only be had with a five-speed manual while the petrol also gets the option of a four-speed automatic transmission.
When launched here in India next year, the pricing is expected to remain the same, which is between Rs 4.9 to 7 lakh. With that price bracket and the amount of features it provides, the Grand i10 will be facing stiff competition from the likes of Chevrolet Beat, Ford Figo, Maruti Suzuki Swift, and the new Tata Tiago.
