[S2!!!]

There are decisions we make in life with our hearts, which may require that bit EXTRA but at the end of the day it brings a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. And then, there are those we take using our head, which may seem the most logical but deep within we may never end up connecting/ associating ourselves to that decision. My purchase of the Grand i10 is a decision made using the head and till date there is not a single day which has gone by where I have been emotionally connected to the car. Here is my story...

Prelude:

My Ritz gave up on us, when one fine morning my dad called and said that there was a faint explosion sound followed by a lot of smoke which erupted from under the bonnet. The car was immediately towed to MASS where it was detected that a part of the engine block had broken off due to overheat leaving us with a repair estimate of Rs.1 Lakh++. This seemed quite shocking as there was ample oil as well as coolant left even after some of it had spilled out during the smoke period. So few calls made and decision done. The Ritz was immediately sold, in as is condition to Vitesse itself for an amount almost equal to that of the repair bill.

The Ritz being the primary car in the family, its departure left us carless and although it wasn’t something I was excited about due to the very wrong exit timing, it was time for a new car. So with a slew of exciting launches like the Fiat Punto refresh, Tata Bolt, Honda Jazz, Suzuki S-Cross, etc coming in 2014, the timing is definitely not right as the launch dates of all of the above are either not disclosed or are quite some time away. Hence, the only option was to choose a car from the existing range of hatchbacks. Hatchbacks because of their compactness and the excellent practicality they offer especially for an urban jungle like Bombay..

Fast forward to the contenders:

Hyundai Grand i10 – the newest car among the others, heavily loaded with features and lacked soul whatsoever. I just could not connect to this car for some reason. However, parents fell in love with the value for money proposition that this car offered.

Honda Brio – Reminded me so much of my Zen - so chuck-able and soooo basic. However, the price wasn’t all that modest commanding 5.60L for the S spec model, on road.

Fiat Linea Tjet – Breaking my own rules, I don’t even know why I drove this car but I was absolutely bowled over. There was no reason to not buy it except its length which the sales guy kept boasting about, well he actually convinced me to get back to my senses. There was a 1.20L discount on the pre-FL version and for a moment was just too tempted but then sense prevailed.

Tata Vista doesn’t come with a petrol heart else, that would have been a serious contender. The Ritz, Swift, Polo, Liva, Figo, i20 are all good but there is no novelty in them as all are around since forever now. The Ecosport commanded a long waiting period and was ruled out; however, I was never a fan of this pseudo SUV to begin with.

So then it was decided to wait for the Tata Bolt 1.2L Revotron. I enquired whether they were pre-booking the car in April but it hadn’t still begun and the sales person suggested that the expected deliveries will be closer to July!!

I am left with mundane options, none of which really appeal to me but had to make a decision quick. Called a few friends who already owned the Grand i10 and they had only praises for the car. So finally it was decided. The Grand it is. The sales rep whom we approached to TD the car was least interested in talking to us and hence I called Modi Hyundai, Santacruz. Luckily they had a car in stock, the sales person was courteous and he immediately came down to collect the payment and documents required for the car. So finally we bought a silver Grand i10 Sportz 1.2L.




The entire transaction, paperwork, etc all were done from home and even the colour was chosen since it was the only one in stock for immediate delivery which wasn’t immediate after all, since the RTO was closed due to election duty and the delivery got delayed by over a week..

The car costed me Rs. 5.80L on road individual Mumbai. It includes Zero Depreciation insurance as well as 3rd year extended warranty.

The Shocker:

I reached the showroom to pick up the new car and spotted this silver Grand i10 parked right outside. Although I wasn’t expecting anything, this car looked absolutely boring. So much so that my first reaction was a yawn!!! My heart was sobbing deep down in the memory of my muscular looking Ritz which had several personal touches of mine such as smoked headlights, cubic printing on grills, mirrors and door handles, etc all to make it look one of a kind. And there I am here to pick up this just another hatchback.

Formalities done and I finally drive off. OMG!!! The steering is absolutely rubbish. It isn’t as light as the i10/i20 but it has some artificial weight and a very vague nature when turning. Got the air pressure checked and it did not help. Remember, I had barely driven the car some 10 minutes during the TD and hadn’t connected then.

My drive back home was filled with mixed emotions. The car has excellent ergonomics, superior build and fit and finish. The equipment list just makes other manufacturers feel like they are fleecing the customers and the blue back light at night is extremely cool and soothing to the eyes. The audio system is not as bad as I had expected but the real concern was the way it drove. While it had decent poke in the lower rev range and seemed quite sprightly, the steering feel was something that totally let it down.

The Solution:

Drove straight to Crown Tyres, Lamington road where I had earlier enquired about tyres and rims. Swapped the stock Apollo tyres for 185/60 R14 Yokohama Earth1s and added Onyx wheels to enhance the otherwise boring exterior. The good thing is that I got a buyback price of Rs.3k per tyre since they had been used for approx 60kms. The wheels are 14 inchers from ONYX costing approx 18.5k.



Attachment 1240304
The steering has gained some weight to it and although at dead centre position it is light, with speed/ turn angles it weighs up exceptionally well and the grip at corners feels quite confidence inspiring. A highly recommended upgrade!

[microaubin]

Congratulations on your new drive. Those alloys look nice and really gel with the black beading!! How much did those alloys cost? And perhaps a few interior pics?

[S2!!!]

Ever since its launch in September 2013, the Grand i10 has made a grand impact on Hyundai’s sales figures, making it the 4th largest selling car in India and after this review you shall get to why. Here is my review of my new Grand i10 1.2L Sportz.

The Exterior:



The Grand i10 looks unmistakably like a Hyundai, carrying forward the company’s fluidic design language. The design on the Grand i10 pleases all irrespective of the demographics of the buyers. Generous use of chrome on the front grill, around the fog lamps as well as the door handles adds a touch of elegance to the otherwise bland exterior. Still if beauty is your top priority, the Fiat Punto with its decade old design still remains the best looking hatchback.




The Interior:

The car has keyless entry but what is cooler is that every time you lock/ unlock the car, the wing mirrors also fold/ unfold in sync. All this drama attracts a lot of attention from bystanders.



Step inside the cabin and the first thing you would notice is that the quality of plastics and fit and finish which is absolutely top notch and easily comes close to the VW Polo levels of quality which is a serious compliment for a Korean car.



The steering has a tilt function and the front seats are slim but offer decent support and has plenty of travel to get you to a comfortable driving position quickly. The rear visibility is fair and Hyundai have given audible parking sensors for better convenience. The A-pillars are slim and don’t create much of a blind spot like the Ritz.

The instrument cluster is nice and bright. The indicator and wiper stalks feel solid to use and the blue backlight on the dashboard looks very cool at night.




Equipment levels are generous - You have a large cooled glove box, a bottle holder in each door, 2 cup holders, 12v slot to charge your phone, aux & USB in the integrated music system with 4 speakers and a large boot -much larger than the Swift/ Ritz. And it is illuminated as well. 60:40 rear seats would have been nice to have.



At the back fitting 3 adults might be a bit of a squeeze but while at it atleast there are ac vents to keep them cool behind. However, knee room and headroom is excellent at the back. If backseat is a priority, Tata Vista/ Toyota Liva have the most accommodating back seat for 3 adults.

Performance:



Press the clutch and click the glowing start stop button to fire up the 83 horses. Sound insulation is excellent hence; the car is very silent be it at idle or even city speeds and unless you really rev it hard, no engine noise filters into the cabin. The torque is adequate and that coupled with the car’s light weight makes this a zippy little car for the city runabouts. In the city the car feels peppier than the K-series Ritz but performance is at par with the K-series if not better on the highways . The 5 speed gearbox is super smooth and makes changing gears rather enjoyable.

As far as the fuel efficiency is concerned the car returns about 11.5 kmpl in the city which seems pretty fair. It is 1kmpl more than what the Ritz returned.

Ride & Handling:

Unlike the i10 and i20, undulations of the road do not unsettle the Grand i10 which absorbs the bumps quite well and maintains composure. Straight line stability is excellent and the Grand i10 feels like a car from a segment above due to its well tuned suspension. The car handles the curves the city throws at it rather well with limited body roll. The car feels at ease while cruising at speeds up to 120 kmph. The ride quality is much better than the i20 and the Suzuki’s; however the Fiat Punto and VW Polo still remain the segment benchmarks.

The Verdict:

At the end of the day, no car is perfect and the Grand i10 too has a few downsides. The steering is vague at the centre position at city speeds and feels disconnected; however it weighs up eventually at highway speeds to provide decent feedback from the tyres. Also while the brakes are sharp and almost over-sensitive at lower speeds but braking at higher speeds does not inspire confidence at all and the car gets very nervous. Also the Grand i10 looks uninspiring on the outside due to its vanilla design.

Having said all that, if there is a single car that is capable of satisfying maximum aspects of a car buyer’s needs like practicality, reliability, performance, there is no looking beyond this little hatchback. It offers maximum value for money and goes the distance to offer a sense of grandness due to the premium quality plastics in the cabin and a plethora of gizmos to play around with. So ladies and gentlemen here is the Grand i10 - Hyundai’s best hatchback till date.





P.S: In order to keep it concise and understandable I have touched on the key points of the Grand i10 in this review and also avoided the use of jargons for the benefit of newer members. I would be glad to help if anyone has any specific queries.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[motomaverick]

Your review sounded like an arranged marriage which you did not want. No hard feelings to anyone married in this manner.

Thanks for the ownership, we have also booked a Grand Sportz but an AT version in orange. So the only upgrade you do recommend is the tires to a 185 section. Also, what's the size of the default speakers in case we want to upgrade, in the TD the music sounded pretty dull.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by microaubin

Congratulations on your new drive. Those alloys look nice and really gel with the black beading!! How much did those alloys cost? And perhaps a few interior pics?

Thanks. The alloys costed approximately 18.5k. Glad you liked them. I was looking for gloss black wheels with a chrome lip but when I spotted these in a corner, I just had to have 'em.

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Your review sounded like an arranged marriage which you did not want.

Thanks for the ownership, we have also booked a Grand Sportz but an AT version in orange. So the only upgrade you do recommend is the tires to a 185 section. Also, what's the size of the default speakers in case we want to upgrade, in the TD the music sounded pretty dull.

at your comment and congratulations for booking the car.

Yes, an upgrade is recommended especially if you plan on driving the car on highways more often. 185/60 R14 is the correct up-size which will give you a speedo error of 1.9% which is well within the safe zone.

About the speaker query I am not sure about their size but yes they are pretty basic and lack the SQ of the ones available in the aftermarket.

Apart from all of the above I have fitted an arm rest which I carried forward from my Ritz. It has just made driving a more relaxing affair. You may want to consider getting one especially since yours is an automatic.

[S2!!!]

I was browsing through the service manual when I read that the first service for the Grand is after 1500kms or 2 months. Being a Maruti owner all my life I was under the impression that the 1st service must be after a month/ 1000kms whichever is earlier.

Adding a few photoshopped images of my car.

[DCEite]

Congrats on the Grand i10.

Even i was taken aback when i read the manual of my Xcent (it too is white by the way )mentioning first service at 2 months/1500 kms, being from a Maruti background myself.

Did you notice the suggestion about the run-in period in the manual? It says to keep the rpm between 2000-4000 rpm for the first 1000 kms.

Isn't it a bit odd? The Gear shift indicator seem to suggest otherwise, asking to upshift at 2000 rpm. Also, the Team-BHP run-in process guide recommends keeping rpms below 2500 rpm for the first 2500 kms or so.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Congrats on the Grand i10.

Even i was taken aback when i read the manual of my Xcent (it too is white by the way )mentioning first service at 2 months/1500 kms, being from a Maruti background myself.

Did you notice the suggestion about the run-in period in the manual? It says to keep the rpm between 2000-4000 rpm for the first 1000 kms.

Isn't it a bit odd? The Gear shift indicator seem to suggest otherwise, asking to upshift at 2000 rpm. Also, the Team-BHP run-in process guide recommends keeping rpms below 2500 rpm for the first 2500 kms or so.

Thanks. My car is silver BTW. I know the night shots don't give a clear idea of the paint.

Yes I did notice the run in period but only after my car had completed 700kms. Blame it on the dealer for providing me the manual after 25 days of delivery that too after I was pestering them under the impression that my service was due soon. I had made a conscious effort to keep the revs below 3000 RPM as that is the ideal RPM which Maruti suggest for the first 1000kms.

Also did you notice that the first service is just a check up and the oil doesn't need to be replaced? On the other hand, the Maruti's require an oil change in the first service.

[DCEite]

Yes the oil change is not required as per the manual. However if i remember it right T-BHP does recommend to change oil at first checkup. Will check with the service adviser when my car goes for service.

Originally Posted by motomaverick

Also, what's the size of the default speakers in case we want to upgrade, in the TD the music sounded pretty dull.

The default speakers are quite good actually. The problem is that if you listen to bluetooth streamed audio from your phone OR FM, the quality takes a huge dip. Its a common issue across any Music system.

There is a setting for "Surround sound" or "Power bass" (I don't remember correctly) and individual control for Bass, Mid and Treble in the sound setup. In addition, putting the fader towards front (+1 or +2) - both these settings help improve the sound quality tremendously and at par with the OEM system of Swift and certainly better than that of Amaze. I personally did not find any reason to upgrade the system after tinkering with the settings. The bass specially from the front speakers is decent and not like the OEM system of cheaper Maruti's/Hyundai's.

P.S. I am talking from Xcent's point of view but i guess the sound setup should be exactly same for Grand too.

[icyspikey]

I'm still curious on how exactly the Ritz failed. Can you throw some light into it? How Old was it? What was the ODO reading?

And congrats on your new acquisition. The Onyx Alloys look smashing !

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by icyspikey

I'm still curious on how exactly the Ritz failed. Can you throw some light into it? How Old was it? What was the ODO reading?

And congrats on your new acquisition. The Onyx Alloys look smashing !

The Ritz had clocked 33000kms in the 4 years of its life and was serviced every 6 months. The exact cause for the engine to overheat was still uncertain, and when the car was inspected at the service centre, they found that all the fluids were at acceptable levels and even though some of the oil had spilt out during the mild explosion, there was adequate oil left too. Shockingly, a piece from the engine block had literally broken off and was shown to me by the technician while he was inspecting the car.

The SA indicated that they would charge me Rs.25k to merely open the engine to detect the problem, after which the repair estimate would be anywhere between Rs.1-1.20 lakhs. To spend that kind of money for repairs didn't seem to be a viable option, hence, the car was sold off the very next day.

[icyspikey]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

The Ritz had clocked 33000kms in the 4 years of its life and was serviced every 6 months. The exact cause for the engine to overheat was still uncertain, and when the car was inspected at the service centre, they found that all the fluids were at acceptable levels and even though some of the oil had spilt out during the mild explosion, there was adequate oil left too. Shockingly, a piece from the engine block had literally broken off and was shown to me by the technician while he was inspecting the car.

The SA indicated that they would charge me Rs.25k to merely open the engine to detect the problem, after which the repair estimate would be anywhere between Rs.1-1.20 lakhs. To spend that kind of money for repairs didn't seem to be a viable option, hence, the car was sold off the very next day.

Shocking for such a low run car ! I'm thinking it's a manufacturing defect then ? I'm still curious on the cause.
Ofcourse selling the car was wise.

[skyrocket003]

Congratulations on the new ride. The Alloys look super cool indeed.

[Siddy]

Congrats S2! the alloys look stunning.
Shocked to hear the fate of your Ritz. I own a Ritz myself and can vouch for its reliability. Its been 50,000 kms/4 years and not a single glitch. Only periodic maintenance. You made the right move by selling it.