Grand Crusader

Our car had the five-speed manual transmission, but for the buyers looking for hassle-free driving in the city, the Grand is also available with a four-speed automatic gearbox for an extra 43.

The Grand has a strong top end and turned out to be one of the best performers among the mid-size hatchbacks. It accelerates to km/h from standstill in 5.84 seconds, and crosses the ton mark in just 13.51 seconds. Although the engine's power band lies on the higher side of the rev-range, it is responsive at all engine speeds and provides that necessary surge of acceleration during overtaking.

Being a small car, fuel efficiency is an important parameter of the Grand i10’s performance. In city conditions, the car could manage 13 kilometers in one litre of petrol while an uninterrupted run on the highway yielded 18 km to a litre. This brings the real world average to 14.25A. Thus the 43-litre tank gives it a range of almost 613 kilometers. The fuel efficiency turned out to be lesser than expected from a 1.2-litre petrol car, which is the only shortcoming of this otherwise fantastic engine, Let's get down to the driving experience. The Grand's compact proportions and precise steering make it easy to slip through the gaps when maneuvering in traffic and it also handles well in turns. The car feels surprisingly steady and planted at high speed. Suspension is well-sorted for Indian conditions as it keeps the occupants disconnected from the harshness of the road, but a slightly stiffer set-up would have been even better. The Grand is equipped with a pair of disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear and they provide a strong braking force, which is another improvement from Hyundai.

The Grand i10 is our Car of the Year 2014 and the petrol variant has impressed us as much as did the diesel. And it's not just us. The entire industry has echoed our judgment since the car has also won the ICOTY (Indian Car of the Year) Award for the year. It is one of the best small cars available in the country and Hyundai have priced it wisely. Moreover, the reduction in the excise duty announced in the Interim Budget has resulted in a further decrease in the price of the car, which stands at Rs 6.32 lakhs (OTL Pune).