Safety features in vehicles have been a major issue in India for quite some time now. Recently, the government has made the rule of at least 6 airbags mandatory for all cars. Due to this, low-cost small cars have been affected more. The option of 6 airbags has been given in the new Grand i10 Nios. However, 4 airbags have been given as standard. This car is the company’s entry-level car, and after the safety feature update, its sales are expected to increase further.
The updated version changes the front styling of the i10 Nios with a larger lower part of the grille and a new design for the DRLs on the sides. Its LED projector headlamps have also been introduced with a new look. Along with this, 15-inch alloy wheels have also been given in it. The rear styling includes new LED tail lamps and a light bar. It also has 6 colour options with two dual-tone colours.
The interior of this car remains the same as before. A tire pressure monitoring system with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, wireless charging, rear AC vents and auto climate control, new footwell lighting, new grey upholstery and a multi-information display has also been added. It offers a decent amount of space with good headroom.
The new Grand i10 Nios has now dropped the turbo petrol engine. It now gets a 1.2L petrol engine, which can also run on e20 fuel. A CNG variant is also available in it. The Nios is offered with an AMT and a manual gearbox option. It has also been tuned with ample low-end torque for smooth and city driving.
Regarding mileage, around 20 km is claimed for both the AMT and the manual. We drove the manual variant, which is quite easy to drive with a very light clutch and steering. Its performance is quite good, even at high speed. This car is very silent, and its driving is very smooth.
The price of the new Nios starts from Rs.5.68 lakhs, while the top-end variant costs Rs.8.4 lakhs for, the AMT version. The list of updated features justifies its price tag. New styling, a future-proof engine and high-quality interiors make it luxurious. With this update, the new Nios will give tough competition to its rivals in the market.