The Aura is Hyundai’s contender in the compact sedan segment, rivalling the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze, and Tata Tigor. If you are planning to bring home a Hyundai Aura, we’ve listed its most prominent strengths and weaknesses below.
Pros
Well-built interior
Step inside the Aura, and you’ll be impressed with its bright colour scheme and excellent fit and finish. The central dashboard trim and centre console surround are decked out in a copper colour, which lends the front end of the cabin a unique look, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob in higher trims do well to add a premium touch.
Smooth and refined engine
Under the bonnet, the Aura packs a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine that can be had in an 83hp petrol or a 69hp CNG guise. Gearbox options comprise a 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT for the petrol, while the CNG is available with only the former.
As mentioned in our review of the Aura, the petrol-MT powertrain feels quite smooth and refined. It responds well to part-throttle inputs and effortlessly keeps up with traffic. That said, the Aura is best-suited to easygoing urban commuting, as performance is neither brisk nor exciting.
Easy to drive
In addition to its refined engine, the Aura has a very smooth and light steering feel, an absorbent ride and a slick-shifting manual gearbox with a light clutch. Not to mention, the Aura’s relatively compact footprint makes it easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and on tight roads.
Cons
Falls short on cabin space
Though the Aura’s rear seat offers ample legroom, the narrow width of the car makes the bench best suited for only two adults. The front seats aren’t the most comfortable either, as the cushioning is a tad too firm, the head restraints are not adjustable, and taller occupants with broader frames may find them too narrow.
Lacks some creature comforts
The Aura comes packed with much of the safety and convenience kit you need but misses out on a lot of the nice-to-haves offered by rivals like the Dzire and Amaze. Specifically, the Aura doesn’t get a sunroof, a 360-degree camera setup, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), built-in wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, paddleshifters (for AMT) and connected car tech.