Third generation i10 and successor to Grand i10, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is scheduled to be launched on August 20. However, Grand i10 will continue to be available for sale in the Indian market, but only with a petrol engine. So if you want to buy a diesel engine Grand i10, it is the NIOS for you. Nios will also be on offer with petrol motor.
‘Nios’ means ‘more’, which essentially signifies the hatchback’s updated exteriors, spacious interiors and new features. Nios will also be offering BS-VI compliant petrol and diesel engines, both of which will have manual and automatic transmission option (current Grand i10 does not offer AMT).
Grand i10 is already one of the bestselling cars in India and next-gen Nios can help boost sales even further. To understand its market potential, here’s a quick comparison between Nios and rivals. Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS vs Maruti Swift vs Ford Figo.
Dimensions: Nios is larger, wider, and has a longer wheelbase, as compared to its predecessor Grand i10. Nios measures 3805 mm in length, 1680 mm in width and has a wheelbase of 2450 mm. In comparison, Grand i10 measures 3765 mm (length), 1660 mm (width) and 2425 mm (wheelbase). Nios also gets larger 15-inch wheels, as compared to 14-inch wheels of Grand i10. However, both cars have the same height of 1520 mm.
The longest car in this group is Ford Figo (3941 mm), followed by Maruti Suzuki Swift at 3840 mm. In terms of width, Swift comes first (1735 mm), followed by Figo (1704 mm). Longest wheelbase is that of Figo (2490 mm) while Swift and Nios share the same wheelbase of 2450 mm. These figures reveal that Nios is larger than its predecessor, but falls short when compared to its rivals. However, with its intelligently designed interiors, Nios is expected to offer adequate cabin space for passengers.
Engine and transmission: One of the key advantages of Nios is that it will have BS-VI compliant engines from day one. Nios will be using Grand i10’s 1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines that have been upgraded to meet new emission norms. Maruti Swift also has BS-VI compliant petrol engine while Ford Figo is yet to comply with new emission norms.
Figo is expected to get BS-VI compliant petrol engine in the coming months. Power output of Nios petrol is 83 hp and 114 Nm, which is the same as that of Grand i10. Swift’s 1.2-litre petrol engine makes 83 hp / 113 Nm, which is almost the same as Nios. Most powerful is Figo’s 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 96 hp / 120 Nm. Figo also comes with a 1.5-litre petrol unit that makes 123 hp / 150 Nm. Nios and Swift are offering 5-speed AMT option whereas Figo comes with 6-speed torque converter unit. All cars have 5-speed manual as standard.
Talking about diesel options, Nios has a head start in this space, as it is the first car in this segment to offer BS-VI compliant diesel engine. In comparison, both Swift and Figo diesel variants have BS-IV engines. Swift is unlikely to get BS-VI compliant diesel engine, as Maruti Suzuki has planned to discontinue diesel options for several of its cars. Ford Figo is expected to get BS-VI compliant diesel engine in the coming months.
In terms of power output, Nios and Swift match each other with both delivering 75 hp and 190 Nm. Swift has a larger 1.3-litre diesel engine, but power and torque output is the same as that of Nios. Ford Figo’s 1.5-litre diesel engine is the most powerful in this group, generating 100 hp / 215 Nm. Transmission options for Nios and Swift include 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT whereas Figo diesel comes with only 5-speed manual transmission.
Pricing: Hyundai recently achieved a major milestone when its Venue SUV became the bestselling compact SUV in the market, ahead of Maruti Suzuki Brezza. With Nios, Hyundai will be aiming to achieve something similar. So, Nios could be priced competitively, even though it comes with new features, spacious interiors and BS-VI compliant engines.
As compared to Grand i10, Nios could be priced around Rs 50k more. Nios petrol is expected to be offered in the range of Rs 5.30 – 7.70 lakh whereas Nios diesel could have a price tag of Rs 6.45 – 8.20 lakh. In this price range, Nios will be able to match the pricing of Maruti Swift and Ford Figo. Actual prices will be revealed on the day of launch, August 20.
