Review: 2023 Hyundai Aura Facelift

Exactly 3 years after first launching the Aura Subcompact sedan in the market, Hyundai has launched a 2023 facelift of the car that comes with its fair share of changes. Some features are missing from the car while there are some new additions too. The car follows the launch of the updated Grand i10 Nios which was launched with similar features earlier this year.

The Aura now gets a more contemporary look with the redesigned grille, new LED DRLs and bumper.

Design

The face of the updated Hyundai Aura has gone in for a massive makeover. The painted black grille, bumpers as well as the DRLs, all have changed to give the car a more contemporary look. The 15-inch diamond cut alloys are available on the top 2 trims while the blacked-out B-pillar adds to the sporty appeal. On the rear, there’s generous use of chrome but what stands out is the spoiler that is given on all the trims but the base E. The Z-shaped LED tail lamps continue to be the same as earlier. The car gets 6 monotone colour options, and ‘Starry Night’ is the only new colour to be introduced.

Generous use of the chrome at the rear; tail-lamps are unchanged on the facelift.

Tech & Interior

The cabin of the Hyundai Aura continues to be feature-rich and tech-laden. The 8-inch touchscreen system is the same as earlier and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. What’s new is the seat fabric design which looks nice, a slightly changed part-digital instrument cluster with a multi-information display, a C-type charging port and automatic headlamps. Apart from this, the car continues to get a wireless charger and leather-wrapped steering wheel. 

Cabin continues to be feature-rich and tech-laden; seat fabrics and analogue instrument cluster are new.

Ergonomically, the cabin scores well. Although the presence of a centre armrest and adjustable headrests on the front row would’ve made things even more practical. On the second row you do get adjustable headrests, AC vents as well as an armrest. There’s ample space here looking at the segment the car comes in. 

Cabin scores well for ergonomics though adjustable headrests would have made things more practical.

Dynamics

When the Aura was first launched in the market, it came with both Petrol and Diesel engines along with more powerful Turbo petrol motor. But this time around you only get the 1.2 litre naturally aspirated Petrol engine with 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT options. While the manual is available in all 4 trims, the latter is limited to just a single trim which the buyer may not like. The engine makes 82 bhp @ 6,000 rpm along with 113 Nm @ 4,000 rpm and these figures feel adequate while driving the car in urban environment.

The CNG or bi-fuel model on the Aura has been a very popular option and contributes significantly to the sales of the car. On this one though the power drops to 68 bhp and peak torque comes to 95 Nm. So, in terms of drivability, you may not enjoy the ‘greener’ car as much as the pure-petrol version. The CNG model is available in 2 trims, both with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The gearshift on the Aura is smooth and the engine is refined, both typical traits of all cars from the brand. The engine is also E20 fuel ready which means the car can run on much cleaner fuel than earlier. 

Aura petrol offers adequate power for city driving; CNG may not be as enjoyable as the pure petrol.

Just like its predecessor, the Aura continues to offer a good mix of ride & handling. The suspension is able to take on the broken patches of the road with ease, which means you can go on for long hours in the car without getting too tired. It maintains its composure even while taking corners at good speeds, so as a driver there’s little to complain about. Though one could argue that there’s still some room for improvement when it comes to NVH levels and the road noise coming into the cabin can still go down.

The Aura continues to offer good ride and handling mix

Safety

The new Aura gets many safety features not seen before on the car. Four airbags are now standard while you also have the option of choosing 6 airbags. However, the ISOFIX child seat mounts are only provided in the top trim of the sedan. The there are features like a tyre pressure monitoring system (segment first), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)  and Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) all of which make their debut in the car. In all there are as many as 30 safety features, which is a good number looking at the segment. 

The Aura now gets four airbags as standard with the top variant getting six. ESC and tyre pressure monitoring also offered.

Prices & Verdict

The 2023 facelift of the Hyundai Aura starts at Rs. 6.29 lakh and goes up to Rs. Rs. 8.57 lakh for the 4 manual trims. The only AMT trim is priced at Rs. 8.72 lakh while the 2 CNG options are priced at Rs. 8.10 lakh and Rs. 8.87 lakh. Its main rival, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire starts at Rs. 6.44 lakh and goes up to 9.31 lakh.  The Honda amaze on the other hand is priced between Rs. 6.89 lakh and Rs. 9.48 lakh, but it comes with a CVT option. All prices, ex-showroom, Delhi.

The Aura is priced from Rs 6.29 lakh up to Rs 8.87 lakh (ex-showroom).

With the facelift, the Aura looks more modern and feature-rich and comes across as worthy city car. In a competitive segment the attractive prices surely work for the subcompact sedan and make it much better prepared to take on its rivals.