Hyundai Motor India has begun production of its third all-new model in 2019 – the Grand i10 Nios. The model has begun rolling out of the Korean brand’s facility in Chennai. Scheduled to launch on August 20, 2019, the next-gen hatchback follows the launch of the Venue compact SUV and the Kona Electric.

Confirmed to be on sale in 10 variants – including four engine-gearbox combinations – the new hatchback will be positioned between the Grand i10 (which will continue to be on sale) and the larger i20. Bookings for the Grand i10 Nios had begun on August 7, for an amount of Rs 11,000.

What is technically the third-generation of the i10 will be available with BS6-compliant versions of the current Grand i10’s engines – namely the 83hp, 1.2-litre petrol and the 75hp, 1.2-litre diesel. Interestingly, both the motors will come with a 5-speed manual and automated manual transmission (AMT) options, giving the Nios a significant advantage against rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Ford Figo (the former’s 1.3-litre diesel will be discontinued soon, while the latter does not get a diesel-automatic option).

The petrol line-up consists of Era, Magna, Sportz and Asta (the two mid-spec variants get the AMT option), while the diesel range of the Grand i10 Nios will begin with the Magna trim instead – the diesel-AMT combo will only be available with the Sportz variant.

When pre-bookings had commenced, Hyundai also revealed interior and feature details about the Grand i10 Nios, including an all-new dashboard and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. In fact, a number of cabin bits seem to be shared with the Venue compact SUV, like the steering wheel (which comes with controls for the audio system), AC vents and even the infotainment system that’s likely to get Hyundai’s Blue Link connectivity suite.

Expect the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios to carry a decent premium over the Grand i10, which should place it in the Rs 5.5-8 lakh price bracket.

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