The Difference Between Grand i10 and Grand i10 Nios: Everything You Should Know

The i10 nameplate has been a mainstay in Hyundai's India lineup since the launch of the original back in 2007. The second-generation of this highly popular hatchback, called the Grand i10, saw the light of day in 2013 and grew larger in size, brought new engine options, more interior space, and a host of class-leading creature comforts. 

Fast-forward to 2019, and Hyundai introduced the third-generation i10, badged as the Grand i10 Nios. This guide will help you differentiate between the last two iterations of Hyundai's compact hatchback, the Grand i10 and the Grand i10 Nios, to provide some clarity about which is right for you. 

Evolution of the Grand i10 to the Grand i10 Nios

The Hyundai Grand i10 is an extremely popular hatchback and was one of the best selling used cars in India in 2024. The Grand i10 was on sale between 2013-2019, and was replaced by the third-gen Grand i10 Nios. Lets take a closer look at the key differences between the second and third-generation of Hyundai’s highly popular hatchback.

Hyundai Grand i10 - 2013-2019

The Hyundai Grand i10 is built on the Korean car maker's BA platform that it shared with the Xcent compact sedan. It brought Hyundai’s curvy ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design philosophy into the compact hatchback space, which immediately attracted prospective buyers. 

Beyond its good looks, the Grand i10 offered an excellent balance of performance, efficiency, comfort, and equipment levels while maintaining a compact footprint. This made it an extremely capable urban runabout, earning a spot among the best compact cars in the country. 

The Grand i10 received a facelift in 2017, featuring minor styling changes, LED daytime running lights, and a larger infotainment display on the top variants. 

Interested buyers could choose between four variants offered. These included the base Era trim for the cost-conscious, Magna, which added features like fog lamps, steering mounted controls, and rear AC vents, Sportz, offering rear parking sensors, alloy wheels, cooled glovebox, and touchscreen infotainment system, while the top-of-the-line Asta included automatic climate control, rear spoiler, push button start, and more. Buyers also had the option to spec stylish dual-tone colorways on the top two variants. 

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios - 2019-Present

2019 saw the introduction of the next iteration of the i10 in the form of the Grand i10 Nios. Built on an updated version of Hyundai’s BA platform, the Grand i10 Nios featured a sharper, more angular design in an effort to keep up with the demands of a rapidly evolving market. 

This new model was marginally longer and wider than its predecessor and is easily identifiable with its angular projector headlights and large cascading grille flanked by boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights.

The Grand i10 Nios received a facelift in 2023, which included a redesigned front fascia, LED tail lamps, and fresh alloy wheels. Other minor updates included cruise control and a Type-C USB charging port. Hyundai also introduced front and side airbags as standard equipment across the range, while the top-spec Asta variant received curtain airbags as well. 

Grand i10 vs Grand i10 Nios: Technical Specs Compared

A number of engine and transmission options have done duty in the Hyundai Grand i10 and Grand i10 Nios over the years. 

Grand i10 Engine Options:

Back in 2013, Petrolheads got the brand's existing 1.2-litre Kappa motor with the newly-launched Grand i10. This is a naturally-aspirated, four-cylinder powerplant that puts out 83 bhp and 114 Nm of torque while returning an ARAI-certified 18.9 km/l. The petrol-powered Grand i10 came with the option of a CNG kit exclusive to the top-end Asta variant. 

In response to the growing interest in diesel-powered cars, Hyundai also revealed the all-new 1.1-litre, three-cylinder U2 engine at the launch of the first-generation Grand i10. This CRDi unit was good for 70 bhp and 160 Nm of torque while returning a fuel efficiency figure of 24 km/l. 

While frugal, the performance of this diesel engine failed to impress. The punchier 1.2-litre unit that took its place in 2017 now made 74 bhp and 190 Nm of torque, greatly improving the driving experience without negatively affecting efficiency.

Customers who didn’t want to bother with a clutch or the hassle of shifting gears on their new Grand i10 could opt for a four-speed automatic transmission over the standard five-speed manual. However, the automatic was only available with the petrol engine and in the Sportz and Asta trim levels. 

Grand i10 Nios Engine Options:

The above-mentioned 1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines made their way unchanged into the new Grand i10 Nios in 2019, although the petrol motor was now upgraded to meet BS6 emission norms. 

2019 was also the first year that Hyundai offered an automatic transmission on the petrol and diesel variants, introducing a new automated manual transmission (AMT) that replaced the torque converter.

While the existing 1.2-litre engines handled the urban sprawl extremely well, they occasionally faced criticism for running out of breath while out on the open road. 

Hyundai responded in 2020 by endowing the Grand i10 Nios Turbo with the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine.This turbocharged engine pumped out a healthy 99 bhp and 172 Nm of torque while returning 20 km/l in fuel economy. 

In 2022 Hyundai axed both the diesel and the turbo-petrol engines from the Grand i10 Nios lineup. Consequently, the 1.2-litre Kappa motor is the only powerplant available with the Grand i10 Nios. The Grand i10 Nios is offered as a petrol-only model, with the option of a petrol-CNG. While the manual transmission is standard on both, the AMT is exclusive to the petrol-only variants.  

Grand i10 vs Grand i10 Nios Technical Specs

Grand i10 vs Grand i10 Nios Pricing Compared

As demonstrated in the table below, the price for a used Hyundai Grand i10 ranges between ₹2 lakh to well over ₹5 lakh. This wide range in pricing is due to the seven-year long production run for the model. Factors affecting the price of pre-owned cars include their age, kilometres run, overall condition, number of past owners, and more. 

A closer look at the hatchbacks currently on sale shows us that the Grand i10 and the Grand i10 Nios retain their resale value quite well, with even 10-year-old examples selling for ₹3 lakh to well over ₹4 lakh, depending on trim and equipment levels. If your sights are set higher, a four- to six-year-old Grand i10 Nios could be yours for between ₹4 lakh to over ₹6 lakh. 

Conclusion

The original Hyundai i10 gained immense popularity right from its launch. Its successors, the Grand i10 and the Grand i10 Nios cemented Hyundai's position as a strong contender in the compact hatchback space. 

This i10 family of hatchbacks strikes a fine balance between price, performance, comfort, affordability, and features, while its low service and maintenance costs keep owners happy in the long run. 

As they have grown with each successive iteration, the latest-gen Grand i10 Nios still retains relatively compact overall dimensions, perfectly fitting the mould of a versatile urban runabout.