We Finally Have A Date For The Hyundai Aura Reveal

• The Aura will replace the Xcent compact sedan in Hyundai’s India lineup.
• It will come with three BS6 engine options including a diesel and turbo petrol.
• Prices are expected to be higher than the Xcent’s Rs 5.81 to 8.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Hyundai Motor India has kept its word about the December reveal of the Aura compact sedan. We will get to see it on December 19, 2019, and we couldn’t be more excited. The Hyundai Xcent replacement will not only get the BS6 petrol engine from the Nios but also a BS6 avatar of the 1.2-litre diesel mill. But that’s not why our pulse is racing -- the Aura will also come with a BS6 compliant engine from the Hyundai Venue compact SUV. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire, the bestselling car in India, is tough competition for the Xcent, but we have reason to think things could change, even though the Aura is bound to be pricier than the Rs 5.81-8.70 lakh Xcent. 

The Aura’s engine options were disclosed by the carmaker just two days ago. The 1.2-litre powerplant from the Grand i10 Nios will propel the base Aura as well. It is likely to retain the Nios’ 83PS and 113Nm power and torque figures. The diesel engine, Hyundai’s 1.2 U2 CRDi has also been updated to be compliant with BS6 emission norms. Higher trim levels will get the 1.0-litre Turbo GDi petrol motor, though it is likely to be detuned since it will be offered with Hyundai’s 5-speed transmission instead of the Venue’s 6-speed. 

Maruti Suzuki plans to discontinue the Dzire’s diesel variant come April 2020. If that happens, the Aura is likely to gain the audience of high-mileage owners who prefer diesels for their economy. The diesel update for the Aura indicates the possibility that other diesel Hyundais will also survive the change to BS6. 

The Hyundai Aura 1.0-litre turbo faces little competition in the Indian car market. The only sub-4-metre sedan which offers a turbo petrol is the Tata Tigor JTP. It remains to be seen whether Hyundai pitches the turbocharged petrol Aura as a sportier option or a more premium variant.

We expect Hyundai’s new compact sedan to be priced higher than the Xcent. It is built on an all-new platform than its predecessor and comes with engines updated to comply with BS6 norms. These significant improvements make it likely that the top-spec diesel and turbo petrol variants will cost significantly more than the Xcent’s Rs 8.70 lakh. When launched, the Aura will compete with other rivals like Honda Amaze and Volkswagen Ameo.