Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Review: Design, Features, Specifications, Mileage & Price

1. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Overview: Introduction

Hyundai has been doing well with the strategy of adding a “NIOS” suffix to its ultra-popular Grand i10 name. With the meaning of “More” in Latin, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios has pretty much validated its name, be it the comfort, space, features or a plush cabin. In the past, however, “sporty” or “exciting” has never been a word to describe the Grand i10 Nios so Hyundai has worked to change this pre-conceived perception with the hot new Grand i10 Nios Turbo petrol variant

Is it a smart move? Considering the fact that the segment of turbo hatchbacks isn’t getting much interest any more. Models like the Maruti Baleno RS and Tata Tiago JTP have been taken off its shelves for a time now due to poor demand. Can the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo get off the ground and make real progress? Let’s find out in our Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Review.

2. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo 360 View: Exterior Review

Based on the Sportz trim of the Grand i10 Nios, the Grand i10 Nios Turbo looks sportier compared to the regular car thanks to a couple of visual tweaks.

Front View

The front facade of the new Grand i10 Nios Turbo remains almost the same, save for the piano black treatment for the trapezoidal front grille that now features a “Turbo” badge. It carries forward the same character lines and creases for the bonnet and front bumper along with the same boomerang-shaped daytime running lamps.

Side View

The silhouette remains unchanged on the sides of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo. There are some slight cosmetic changes including a dual-tone paint job with the roof and pillars being blackened out. The roof rails have been painted in black as well that makes it almost “invisible” in the blacked-out roof. Unlike the top-spec Asta trim, the door handles of the Nios Turbo are body-coloured instead of chromed unit. However, the Nios turbo gets from the Asta variant the dual-tone 15-inch machined-cut alloy wheels that are not offered on the regular Sportz model.

Rear View

Similar to the front, the only noticeable change to the rear of the Grand i10 Nios Turbo is the “Turbo” badge placed on the boot lid. Also, we think the rear bumper has received a little change as the case of the Hyundai Verna Turbo sibling.

Overall, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo sports very marginal changes when talking about the design. The dual-tone exterior colour scheme, some Turbo badges as well as the removal of chrome accents are the only giveaways that the sportier turbo variant of the Grand i10 Nios offers.

3. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Dimensions: Length, Width, Height & More

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo stays in the same size compared with the other regular Nios variants. It continues to measure 3,805 mm in length, 1,680 mm in width, 1,520 mm in height along with the wheelbase of 2,450 mm. To recap, the Nios is larger than the Grand i10 by quite a margin. However, in comparison with its rivals like Maruti Swift, Ignis, Ford Figo, etc., the Grand i10 Nios is eclipsed by a margin.

4. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Interior: What Does It Offer?

Again, everything remains the same on the inside of the Grand i10 Nios Turbo, barring the interior theme. The sportier variant of the Grand i10 Nios receives an all-black cabin sporting the red stitching highlights at some places, thereby enhancing the upmarket feel on the inside. The seats on the Grand i10 Nios Turbo are in black and get some red inserts as well. The leather-wrapped steering wheel also follows a similar fashion with the stitching is done with red thread.

Comfort Features

Since the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is based on the Sportz trim of the range, the car is quite brimmed with a slew of creature-comforts. Nevertheless, it still misses out on several goodies when compared with the top-spec Asta models. Some major feature highlights on the inside of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay supports, wireless charging pad, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, tilt and adjustable steering among others. Sadly, the Grand i10 Nios misses out on the engine start-stop push-button, cooled glovebox, rear washer and wiper, adjustable rear headrests, luggage lamp, etc.

Seating Capacity

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is a 5-seater compact hatchback car so it has a capacity to seat 5 on boards. The Grand i10 Nios Turbo offers adequate room in both front and rear. It also scores well in terms of ergonomics and you can find your perfect driving position with ease. The under-thigh support is just decent as the seat base is set in a good way.

Safety Features

In terms of safety, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo comes with a long list of safety kits including airbags for driver and passenger, seatbelt reminder, seatbelt pre-tensioner with load limiters, speed alert, ABS with EBD, speed sensing auto door lock, engine immobilizer, emergency stop signal, rear parking sensors with camera and more.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Performance: Engine Review

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine sourced from the Aura. Do note that this mill also powers the Verna and Venue but in a higher state of tune. In the Grand i10 Nios Turbo, the engine belts out a peak power of 100 PS and 172 Nm of peak torque. However, transmission duty is handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox only and this time around there’s no 7-speed DCT or the new 6-speed iMT on tap sadly.

This engine option is certainly punchier than the other engines of the Grand i10 Nios. Our first-drive impression on the Grand i10 Nios Turbo is very the same as that of the Venue Turbo or Aura Turbo variant. However, one would clearly notice the turbo lag that leads to the feel of out of power in the low-end range.

The 5-speed manual transmission gets long gear ratios along with well-defined gates thereby delivering a smooth performance. The clutch is quite light to operate. However, the engine-gearbox option doesn’t require you to change the gear too regularly.

The only disadvantage of this engine-transmission affair is the NVH levels that are a typical characteristic of a 3-pot engine. The vibrations can be evidently noticed at the steering wheel, pedals or the opening doors.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Mileage: Is It Fuel Efficient?

A good thing about the 3-cylinder engine option is that it’s torquey and frugal to be with. The Grand i10 Nios Sportz turbo is quite fuel-efficient as its ARAI-rated fuel mileage figure rated at 20.3 kmpl.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Price: Is It Affordable?

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is priced at Rs 7.70 lakh for the mono-tone version and Rs 7.75 lakh for the dual-tone avatar (all prices, ex-showroom). From this, the Grand i10 Nios Turbo commands almost one lakh over the comparable 1.2-litre petrol variant.

Verdict: Is Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo Worth Buying?

For ones who are seeking high and low for a hot hatch that’s packed with a higher amount of punch on the go, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is a great choice. Well, yes, Hyundai has managed to make this performance-oriented turbocharged version of the Grand i10 Nios car a lot more capable and effortless to go, especially on the open stretch of road. It is the quickest hatchback car on sale in India to date that’s quite a feat. However, one should note that despite being a spruced-up version, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo retains almost all traits of the standard version while being a lakh more expensive. So the question is “Is it worth your buy?”.

The answer is based on our own purpose. If you are finding a driver’s car, we suggest you look somewhere else. Still, for those who are in love with fun-filled driving experience in a compact hatch, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo is totally worth a buy. It’s good-looking, it’s punchy and is blended with a compact footprint and good drivability on tap. Take these into your consideration and make your final decision.