HYUNDAI AURA

Do the subtle, yet important updates improve the Aura's standing as a compact sedan?

- GAURAV DAVARE

HYUNDAI AURA SX (O)

Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol Power: 83PS @ 6,000rpm Torque: 113.8Nm @ 4,000 rpm Weight: NA Gearbox: Five-speed manual Price: ₹8.58 lakh ex-showroom

It isn't uncommon for hatchbacks to get a sedan counterpart, especially in India. Prime examples are the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the similar Dzire, as well as the Tata Tiago and the Tigor. The Hyundai Aura is another such example, taking after the Grand i10 Nios and chugging along nicely since January 2020 as an appealing compact sedan. Recently, the Grand i10 Nios got a midlife refresh so it was only a matter of time before the Aura received it too. On paper, the updates may seem subtle, but they're important. Let's take a deeper dive into what's new and find out if the updates are enough to keep its strong standing in the compact sedan segment.

Many would suggest the Aura is a Grand i10 Nios with a boot, and previous iterations even looked virtually identical too. Fortunately, with the facelift, Hyundai has given the Aura a distinct identity over the Grand i10 Nios. For starters, the face now comprises a two-part grille setup, with the lower half aggressively styled and taking up a lot of frontal real estate. Flanking it are LED DRLs that now sport a new inverted L-shaped design that looks like fangs. Add on the vertical air vents alongside the DRLs and you've got a sportier face.