Hyundai Motor India, the country's second largest carmaker on December 19 unveiled its compact sedan Aura, tipped as a successor to Xcent besides being a challenger to segment leader Maruti Suzuki Dzire.
Commercial launch and price details of the Aura will be shared in the coming weeks when the sedan hits showrooms. Aura will be competing against Honda Amaze, Tata Tigor and Tata Zest besides the Dzire.
The Aura will be equipped with three engine options - two petrol and one diesel and they conform to Bharat Stage-VI emission norms. There is a 1.0 litre turbo petrol engine on offer that develops peak power of 100ps. This is the flagship variant of the sedan.
To go with it, Hyundai has provided a 1.2 litre petrol engine that makes peak power of 83ps and a 1.2 litre diesel engine that makes 75ps. Both these engines are also available with an option of automatic manual transmission (AMT). Both these engines are also seen on the Xcent.
The Aura is nearly identical to the Xcent in dimensions but has a slightly longer wheelbase. The Xcent became hugely popular in the commercial space with owners using it under Ola and Uber.
For comfort and convenience Hyundai has added a number of features. Touch screen infotainment system, Arkamys sound system, wireless mobile charging, rear view monitor, audio remote start phone app, air curtain are some of the creature comforts.
The launch comes at a time when demand for compact sedans has softened due to consumers preferring small and mid-sized sports utility vehicles. Volumes of compact sedans have dipped to less than 25,000 a month from around 40,000 a month.
For the first time ever compact SUVs like the Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon and Hyundai Venue beat volumes of compact sedans on an average monthly basis this year. This is despite the fact that an average price of a compact SUV is higher than the compact sedan by Rs 80,000-1.2 lakh.
Volkswagen will pull out the Ameo, the only car it developed for the Indian market, due to poor response. The Ameo also competes against the Dzire.
The Aura has been tested for 7750km in temperatures ranging from -6 to 40 degrees, according to details shared by Hyundai.
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