The Hyundai Aura has been unveiled in India. The compact sedan will officially be launched on Jan 21, 2020. This marks the replacement of the Xcent from Hyundai’s India portfolio. Do note that the Xcent will continue to be on sale in the country, though only for commercial fleet customers.
The Aura is essentially a compact sedan iteration of the Grand i10 Nios that was launched a few months back. However, Hyundai designers have tried hard to make sure that the two are easily differentiated, even from the front.
As a result, the Aura uses similar headlamps and hood. However, the compact sedan gets dual boomerang shaped LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), while its hatchback sibling gets single units on either side. The Aura also gets a larger grille and a more pronounced air dam. The top spec variant will come with 15-inch diamond cut alloy wheels.
It is the side profile and the rear end that separates the Aura from the Grand i10 Nios. The boot gets a sculpted profile, with the number plate housing located on the rear bumper. The taillights get LED inserts and feature a boomerang-like design. The lower tail of both taillights are connected by a blacked insert that gets a subtle chrome lining. There is a significantly sized ‘AURA’ badge on the boot lid, just below the Hyundai logo. From the side, the Aura does look proportional. However, the blacked out B and C pillars will surely polarise opinions.
In terms of size, the Aura is quite similar to its predecessor, the Hyundai Xcent. The new model has the exact same length (3,995 mm) and height (1,520 mm) as the Xcent. However, the width and wheelbase has increased by 20 mm and 25 mm, respectively. This increase is expected to help in liberating more space on the inside.
Hyundai hasn’t yet revealed the interiors of the Aura compact sedan. However, there is no doubt about the fact that it will share its dashboard layout with the Grand i10 Nios. Like all Hyundai cars in India, the Aura too will come with many advanced features. These include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. The speedometer will get a 5.3-inch digital display. Other features on offer include an Arkamys sound system, wireless charging, a driver rest view monitor, and rear centre armrest. However, Hyundai has decided not to equip the Aura sedan with its BlueLink connectivity suite; something that is available on the Hyundai Venue.
Under the hood, the new Hyundai Aura can be opted in three BS6 compliant engine options. This includes a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol rated at 83 PS and 114 Nm, a 1.2-litre diesel delivering 75 PS and 190 Nm, and the range-topping 1.0-litre turbo petrol pumping out 100 PS and 170 Nm of peak torque. The turbo petrol will only be offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Meanwhile, the other two 1.2-litre blocks will come with 5-speed manual and AMT automatic gearbox options.
Once launched, the Hyundai Aura will compete against the likes of the Maruti Dzire, Ford Aspire, Honda Amaze, and Tata Tigor.