Hyundai reveals first look of Aura - here's what we expect

Hyundai is set to reveal the replacement to its Xcent compact sedan, the Aura. Ahead of its reveal on December 19, the Korean automobile manufacturer has teased the car via sketches posted on its official website.

The design sketches confirm that the car will be aesthetically based on the Grand i10 Nios, as it gets a cascading grille, projector headlamps and angular DRLs. It also gets wraparound tail lamps, as well as a chrome bar at the boot lid. The car will also feature a licence plate housing on the rear bumper.

The company is yet to reveal the car’s interiors, though it could get a similar cabin as the Grand i10 Nios. This means it could get circular air vents and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, among other amenities.

The Aura is expected to be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine which makes 83PS of maximum power and 113Nm of peak torque. It could also be offered with a 1.2-litre diesel unit making 75PS and 190 Nm or a 1-litre turbocharged petrol engine, albeit in a lower state of tune. All these engines should be mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, with a 5-speed AMT unit offered as an option.

Hyundai is expected to give the car a higher price range than the current range of the Xcent. It will be pitted against the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, the Honda Amaze and the Volkswagen Ameo post launch.a