Hyundai Aura Variants Explained: Which One To Buy?

Let’s figure out which of these five Aura variants make the most sense for your needs, shall we?

Hyundai has launched the Aura sub-4 metre sedan at prices ranging between Rs 5.80 lakh and Rs 9.23 lakh (ex-showroom India). You can have it in five variants (E, S, SX, SX(+) and SX(O)) and three engine options- a 1.2-litre petrol (CNG fuel choice as well), a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.2-litre diesel. Transmission options comprise of a 5-speed manual as standard whereas an AMT option can be had in the 1.2-litre units. So let’s find out which of these variant-engine combos works best for you.

Now, let’s move on to the colours on offer.

• Vintage Brown

• Alpha Blue

• Fiery Red (Available with 1.0-litre turbo as well)

• Titan Grey

• Typhoon Silver (Available with 1.0-litre turbo as well)

• Polar White (Available with 1.0-litre turbo as well)

Here’s a look at which variant gets what engine and transmission combination.

Hyundai Aura E: Budget variant for those hopping from smaller hatchbacks

Safety: Engine immobilizer, emergency stop signal, rear parking sensors, front dual airbags, ABS with EBD, driver and passenger seatbelts with pretensioners, load limiter and reminder, ISOFIX, speed alert system. 

Exterior: Satin front grille, halogen headlamps and LED tail lamps, body-coloured bumpers, 14-inch steel wheels, rear chrome garnish.

Interior: Dual-tone interior, front and rear door map pocket, front and rear room lamps, adjustable rear headrests, tachometer, gearshift, door and tailgate ajar, low fuel lamp, dot matrix MID,  

Comfort and Convenience: Manual AC with heater, front power windows, power outlet, cooled glovebox, power steering, and internally adjustable rearview mirror. 

Verdict

The Aura has a competitive price tag but it has certainly come at a cost. It might be equipped with the basic safety features as per the norm these days but it screams budget from the outside and you’ll feel the same on the inside. If you buy this variant, then you’ll want to spend around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 more on basics such as an audio system, rear power windows and alloy wheels (if you like). However, it will still bear telltale signs of cost-cutting like black ORVMs and door handles. 

The audience for this variant is limited since it is only available with a petrol manual variant. It makes sense only for those stretching their budget from a compact hatchback like the Maruti WagonR and Tata Tiago for a sedan. For a more rounded package that delivers on more counts, read on.  

Hyundai Aura S: Enough for your needs but not for your greed; entry point for the automatic option and Diesel engine.

Safety: Central locking, front projector fog lamps, rear defogger, day/night IRVM, speed-sensing door locks, impact sensing auto unlock

Exterior: LED DRLs, 15-inch steel wheels (wheel cap for AMT), body-coloured outside door mirrors and handles, turn indicators on ORVMs,  blacked-out B-pillar, electrically adjustable ORVMs with power folding function (AMT).

Interior: Satin bronze honeycomb finish, chrome gear knob (AMT), rear center armrest with cupholder.

Audio: 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, steering integrated controls, iblue remote, front and rear door speakers.

Comfort and Convenience: Rear AC vents, front USB charger, no front power outlet but gets a rear power outlet, rear power windows and auto-down function for driver power window, driver seat height adjust, tilt steering and keyless entry. 

Verdict

This is one variant that offers you all the fuel choices except the 1.0-litre turbo petrol. It commands a healthy premium of Rs 76,000 over the previous variant but offers a bunch of essential features. It offers a good mix of need-based features and would have become an even more lucrative package if it had the touchscreen system on offer as well.   

This is our one-size-fits-all variant because of the sheer value it offers and due to the fact that the jump in prices for the next variant is around Rs 1.50 lakh for AMT buyers. The next petrol manual variant is around Rs 74,000 more while the diesel costs almost Rs 1.28 lakh (because it's only available in SX(O). If you are looking for a CNG variant, then this is the only option you have. 

Hyundai Aura SX: Premium experience on a budget for petrol buyers

Safety: Rear camera with display

Exterior: 15-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles and electric folding ORVMs.

Interior: Front passenger seatback pocket, silver finish inside door handles, chrome parking lever tip and gear knob. 

Infotainment: 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition, Arkamys-tuned audio system and a 5.3-inch MID screen.

Comfort and Convenience: Push-button start/stop, passenger vanity mirror with luggage lamp. 

Verdict

This is a petrol-only variant and offers a healthy list of equipment over the previous variant. Those who want to lay their hands on a more feature-loaded Aura petrol can definitely consider this variant as it offers a nice blend of premiumness with practicality. However, if you’re on the lookout for a diesel, then it is only the top variant that can fulfill your needs. 

Hyundai Aura SX (O): Not worth the premium it commands 

Exterior: Premium satin grille and projector headlamps.  

Interior: Satin bronze honeycomb finish on dashboard, silver door handles, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, cruise control and wireless phone charger.  

Comfort and Convenience: Automatic climate control with eco-coating technology.

Verdict

Most of the additional features you get in this variant are vanity-based. We’d recommend both petrol as well as diesel buyers to refrain from buying this variant. We could have suggested this if Hyundai had offered six airbags or other safety features.

Hyundai Aura SX+: Will make your long-term ownership experience more satisfactory

Verdict

Both petrol and diesel buyers should consider stretching their budget above the SX variant only if they want all those premium features but with the convenience of an automatic, which comes at an additional cost of Rs 75,000. As for diesel buyers, get the next SX+ variant. Even though you might miss out on a couple of features, there’s an automatic to be had, which will make your ownership experience a breeze in the long run. 

The SX+ variant is the second highest in the Aura lineup. So naturally, it doesn’t get any new features over the SX(O) but is still priced the highest. Why? Because both the engines here come with an AMT and this is the only variant to get the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. 

Hyundai’s habit of not offering the top-spec variant with an automatic hurts this variant’s feature count as well. When compared to the SX(O), it misses out on leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, cruise control, wireless phone charger, and automatic climate control. It gets slight cosmetic upgrades such as a glossy black front grille (Turbo petrol only) and dark grey finish for the dashboard and door pads.

These features will make your ownership a slightly more premium experience but their absence is not a deal-breaker. For a premium of Rs 19,000 over SX(O) you get the convenience of an automatic, which is a more useful feature than cruise control and wireless charging, if you ask us. However, Hyundai should have offered auto climate control at this price point.

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