[ad_1]
The Hyundai Aura gets a facelift for 2023. We spent a day behind the wheel of this car to keep you up to date on all the important updates.
Story: Azaman Chothia
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
The Hyundai Aura is the car that replaces the Xcent in the compact sedan space in 2020. The Aura is basically a Grand i10 Nios with a large trunk and, for 2023, the car gets a facelift along with a few extra features.
Starting from the exterior, the front of the car now gets a new bumper with a mesh grille. Now the inverted L-shaped LED daytime running lights (DRL) have replaced the fog lamps on the previous model. At the rear, the Aura now gets blacked-out C-pillars, chrome door handles and a really nice touch in the form of a spoiler which makes it look sportier. The middle trim gets steel wheels, while the top trim is offered with diamond-cut wheels. There are six monotone color schemes to choose from: Polar White, Titan Grey, Typhoon Silver, Starry Night (new), Teal Blue, and Fiery Red.
Once I got in the car, the seats felt comfortable and had a premium touch. For my 5.7-foot stature, this compact sedan is quite roomy and you get plenty of features too. The list includes an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, electrically adjustable outside mirrors (ORVM), automatic headlamps, voice recognition, wireless phone charging, Bluetooth connectivity, and cruise control, to name a few. In this updated model, you also get a USB Type-C charger, foot lighting, and an updated dashboard with an analogue tachometer and speedometer along with a small display in the middle. At the rear, the seats are comfortable for two passengers and have decent legroom.
In terms of electronics for safety, Aura is equipped with ESC (electronic stability control), VSM (vehicle stability management), and hill assist control. The facelift also comes with four airbags (double front and side), six airbag options, TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system, in Highline trim), and curtain airbags.
Hyundai has discontinued the 1.0-liter turbo petrol engine, so the Aura is now offered with the option of a 1.2-liter Kappa petrol with manual/automatic transmission or a 1.2-liter two-fuel petrol with a CNG engine, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The 1.2 liter Kappa petrol engine produces 83 hp of power and 113.8 Nm of torque. This motor also complies with the E20 flex fuel standard. On the other hand, the CNG powertrain with a five-speed automatic transmission produces 69 hp and 95.2 Nm of torque.
For this review, we have the Kappa 1.2 liter petrol with manual transmission. It’s perfect for city use; the clutch action is light and easy to shift through the gearbox. The distribution of power is linear and a slight spike in power is felt past 4,500 rpm. It’s also quite docile. During our tests, the car was able to go in third gear while surrounded by light traffic.
We spent most of our time driving around in the city and this car delivers a fuel efficiency of 9.0 km/liter. The steering is light and, combined with the compact nature of the car, makes it easy to navigate city traffic and narrow streets. This bike makes the riding experience very interesting due to its smooth and relaxed nature.
The suspension setup is on the slightly softer side, which is another factor that makes it a great car for tackling unpredictable roads and, with good ground clearance, also being able to get past high speed breakers. The braking settings are snappy and you get very good feedback from the brake pedal. This makes it easy to control the car at all times and even apply the brakes suddenly to stop in an emergency.
The price of the updated Aura ranges between Rs 6.29 lakh and Rs 8.72 lakh for the petrol option, while the CNG variant ranges between Rs 8.10 lakh and Rs 8.87 lakh (all ex-showroom prices, Pune). With a slightly sportier appearance, a refined 1.2-liter petrol engine, a fairly roomy interior, ample luggage space, and a load of features, the facelifted Hyundai Aura is an excellent compact sedan for the city. Like all Hyundai cars, the overall look and finish is premium, so the Aura should appeal to those interested in owning a sedan on a budget.
[ad_2]
Source link
