Hyundai Aura: The Hyundai Aura is the Korean carmaker’s slick take on the slightly weird segment of cosmopolitan sub-four-metre sedans that has been uniquely shaped by India’s taxation system.
The car was launched in 2020 as a spiritual successor to the Xcent with Hyundai’s international design language to suit Indian tastes and regulations.
Although launched in a category under siege from compact crossover SUVs, the Aura has managed to carve its own space through smart engineering, upscale content, and a wide range of available powerplants.
Hyundai Aura: Design Inspiration: Or Bal Equilibrated Proportions in Restricted Dimensions
Sleek and desgining-fakar sedans are difficult to design withing the 4 meter tax-advantage limit in India. Many competitors seemed visually compromised—barely more than hastily tacked-on trunks on hatchbacks, in essence.
The Aura, however, is the mark of Hyundai having grown up from these limitations with proportions that mask said constraints well.
The front gets Hyundai’s parametric grille design with projector headlamp and boomerang-shaped LED daylight running lamps.
There’s a sculpted character line that gives the hood some visual hardening without feeling too busy. / Profile The Aura takes on a coupe-like profile with a roof line that tapers down from the A-pillar and flows into the trunk, preventing the “chopped-off” look typical of the segment.
In the rear, wraparound taillamps are joined by a black horizontal band that visually widens the small car. All of this proportion, detail, and this lovely material make the aura feel less like a to-this-length car usually does.
Powertrain Variety: Something for Everyone
Aura’s claim to fame is that it provides one of the most varied powertrain selections in its class, too:
The 1.2-liter Kappa petrol engine with 83 PS and 114 Nm torque is the volume seller’s sweet spot, which offers adequate performance with great efficiency (20.5 km/l with manual gearbox).
An enthusiast-pleasing option that is rare for the segment is the 1.0-liter turbocharged GDI petrol engine with 100 PS and 172 Nm. This powertrain provides peppy performance (0-100km/h in around 10 seconds) but is still reasonably frugal.
With the 1.2L U2 CRDi diesel engine can deliver up to 75 PS power and 190 Nm torque for high-mileage users who prefer fuel economy, and comes with best-in-segment fuel efficiency of 25.4 km/litre and best-in-segment low-end torque.
The transmission options on the Hyundai Santro include both Manual and Automatic gearbox. One thing that further drives Aura’s strong numbers momentum is the factory-fitted CNG option with the 1.2-liter petrol engine which makes the Aura an even more practical car with running costs on-par with a diesel and with fuel that’s cheaper and are filled faster than diesel.
The range of powertrain options across the new i30 family will enable Hyundai to tailor the best package to meet the broad array of lifestyle needs of the C-segment customers –
from the young family looking for car with compact but robust dimensions and an efficient yet powerful diesel engine, to the performance enthusiasts looking for steering that follows their every cutting-edge instinct.
interior: premium in a small package
Inside, the Aura showcases Hyundai’s continued effort to have premium features in affordable categories. The dual-tone dashboard has a clean and horizontal design, with brushed aluminium finish and gloss black panels around the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
This display features wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay — a convenience usually reserved for higher trims.
Its instrument cluster features a mix of analog and digital instruments, house in a multi-information display that tells the driver about current efficiency levels, recommended maintenance and driving range.
The climate controls are operated by conventional dials, yet include digital readouts, a nice hybrid between traditional designs and modern utilitarianism.
The storage solutions seem to be designed keeping in mind real-world usage patterns with special provision for phones (including wireless charging on top variants), beverage holders and door pockets that can hold 1 liter bottles.
The cooled glovebox — again a rare sight in this segment — keeps drinks and such (well, those that don’t fit in the doors, anyway) cool in the terrible summer heat the subcontinent faces.
The rear seat in compact sedans has long been a potential weak point, but in the Aura it is a bit of a priority. Optimized cushioning, a center armrest with cup holders, and adjustable headrests add up to the convenient features.
Rear AC vent also helps keep the cabin perfectly comfortable across the length of the cabin with sculpted front seatbacks enabling you to stretch your legs to the fullest.
Tech Integration: Linked and Loaded
The Aura is a full-blown connected car with Hyundai’s BlueLink technology, and the car has certain functionalities which are not offered before in this segment:
Engine remote start/stop (for automatic versions only)
Pre-cooling of the car before you get in
Track vehicle locations and receive geofencing notifications
Instant access to vehicle diagnostics and preventive maintenance alerts
SOS emergency assistance
Voice commands can be used in India across multiple languages, showing that Hyundai has not just adapted the system physically for the Indian market, but also made it linguistically local. The optional Arkamys sound system provides sound quality not based on price.
On the safety front, the Triber gets dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors with camera and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard across the range.
These are typically active safety features that you won’t often find on affordable small cars, but on higher trims you can add side and curtain airbags and electronic and vehicle stability control.
Positioning and Targets in the Market
The Aura fits in the company’s line-up between the Grand i10 NIOS hatchback and the Venue compact SUV. Priced between around ₹6 lakh and ₹9.5 lakh (ex-showroom), the vehicle locks its horn with the likes of Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze, and Tata Tigor.
Hyundai’s strategy is to deliver value, not simply compete on the basis of pricing. The car’s large warranty package (3 years/100,000 km, upgradeable to 5 years/50,000 km) also enhances the whole value proposition, making it especially attractive to people who are buying their first car and want to be covered.
Hyundai Aura:
The Aura is a niche product and is a great example of the type of product development that all other carmakers need to aspire to do for their very niche market segments.
Hyundai has embraced the federal Tesla tax-credit phase-out, which has been in full effect for General Motors and by far mostly, but they provide us with a compelling option in a class that’s facing heavy headwinds due to the market’s move toward SUVs – one with worldwide design input, plus a slew of localization, not to mention a variety of powertrain options.
With India’s automotive landscape evolving briskly, the arrival of the Aura marks the moment when the compact sedan segment comes of age – moving away from being just a ‘slot-in’ of value-based transportation options to instead headlining a new generation of cars that deliver real premium experiences in spite of the size and price point they bring with them.
For urban families looking at their first sedan, or an upgrade over entry-level hatchbacks, the Aura provides ownership experience that mixes practicality with the emotional gratification of design and features.
