When Hyundai having teamed up with Dewan first stepped into our market back in the late 90s they were known as a rookie automaker from South Korea intending to take on the big names in the budget segment of the market. The Santro quickly became a household name and dominated the 100cc hatchback segment till 2006 after which Dewan faded off the scene due to its blunders in non-automotive related businesses.
A decade later, Hyundai reappeared but this time under the umbrella of the much larger and financially stronger Nishat Group. By this time Hyundai as an automaker has evolved into a much more mature contender in the global automotive scene, so they decided to position themselves as a premium brand and launched pricier vehicles targeted at those with strong purchase power.
Related: Hyundai i10- Small Wonder That’s Yet to Arrive in Pakistan
But that’s not the case with Hyundai in other markets as it continues to offer quality hatchbacks, A-segment and B-segment sedans, something the company is shy to introduce here in our market. For example in South Africa, one of the few key right-hand drive markets, Hyundai has just introduced the new Grand i10 sedan which is the same sold as Hyundai Aura in India. The updated sedan goes on sale along with the facelifted i10 hatchback.
In terms of powertrain options, the i10 range is available with 1.0L and 1.2L petrol engines. However, the sedan variant is exclusively available with the 1.2L engine generating 82 hp of power and 114 Nm of torque. Both engines are paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox.
On the outside, the new Hyundai Grand i10 features projector headlamps with LED DRLs and LED rear combination lamps, side mirrors with integrated turn signals, a shark fin antenna, dual-tone alloy wheels, and 6 exterior colors to choose from. Inside, there is an 8.0-inch infotainment system compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a 3.5-inch TFT LCD Cluster, automatic climate control, a rear parking assist, ABS with EBD, and two airbags among other features.
All new Hyundai Grand i10 models in South Africa are sold standard with a 5-year/150,000 km drivetrain warranty, 7-year/200,000 km drivetrain warranty, and a 1-year/15000 km service plan. The hatchback is priced between ZAR 229,900 (PKR 35.10 lac) and ZAR 309,900 (PKR 47.31 lac) whereas the sedan version is available for ZAR 279,900 (PKR 42.73 lac) for the manual and ZAR 309,900 (PKR 47.31 lac) for the automatic variant.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
