Spied: 2019 Hyundai Grand i10

We all know that Hyundai India is preparing to launch the 2018 Santro/AH2 hatchback in the Indian market during the festive season this year. Apart from the Santro/AH2 hatchback, Hyundai is also said to be working on the next-gen Grand i10. The production-spec of the 2019 Grand i10 has been spied testing on the Indian roads recently.

According to the spied images, the 2019 Hyundai i10 will come sporting Hyundai's latest iteration of the cascading grille along with conventional headlamps with halogen bulbs. The spotted test mule also reveals a rising beltline towards the rear and enlarged tail-lamps and was seen riding on steel wheels. However, we expect the top-end variant to get dual-tone diamond-cut alloy rims. Also, the current-gen Grand i10 for India is 40 mm longer than the model sold internationally and the spied vehicle looks almost same in length as the India-spec car. This means Hyundai might be focusing on creating just one model for the global market with additional focus on rear legroom and backseat comfort.

The spied vehicle didn’t reveal anything about the interior of the 2019 Grand i10, but looking at the competitors in the segment as well as other modern Hyundai cars, we can definitely expect the premium hatchback to offer a number of advanced comforting features. The expected list of features include a floating type touchscreen infotainment unit, rear AC vent, multifunction steering wheel, automatic climate control and cooled glove compartment. Also, the new model will be complying with the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) safety regulations. Hence, apart from offering higher crash protection, all variants will feature dual front airbags, ABS, reverse parking sensors, speed alert system and seatbelt warning for front passengers as the standard safety features, in order not to repeat the Zero-star NCAP result.

Similar to the features, the powertrain specifications of the 2019 hatchback has not been revealed yet. However, according to the reports, the third- generation Hyundai Grand i10 will offer an optional automated manual transmission. The AMT technology dubbed as 'Smart Auto' by Hyundai will make its debut with the 2018 Santro/ AH2 hatchback. The outgoing Hyundai i10 features the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine producing 83 bhp and comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox for transmission. Other than this, a three-cylinder turbo-diesel motor with 71 bhp is also available with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Hyundai had launched the second generation i10 in August 2013, and its mid-cycle facelift was introduced in February last year. After following a six-year lifecycle, the next-gen Hyundai i10 is now going to make its way to the Indian market. While the next-gen Hyundai Grand i10 is likely to make a global debut sometime next year, when launched the hatchback will take against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift primarily in the segment. The 2018 Maruti Swift has been the best-seller in the segment in the Indian market and the vehicle has sold more than on lakh units within four months of its launch at the 2018 Auto Expo. Though, it will be too early to talk about the launch, but we can expect the 2019 Hyundai Grand i10 to be launched in the Indian market sometime in late 2019. Stay tuned to V3cars.com for further updates on the upcoming Hyundai i10.