Contrasting the relatively flashy exterior is a cabin that’s sophisticated and like the Grand i10, offers segment-leading quality. Once in, you’re welcomed by ergonomic perfection. All the controls fall to hand easily and things will feel familiar quickly even if you’ve never owned a Hyundai before.
The instrument cluster does look dated now, but it’s easy on the eyes. However, Hyundai could have at least added a distance-to-empty and average fuel efficiency display to the MID with the facelift. An opportunity missed! Existing owners will immediately notice that the car gets new pure beige upholstery, which does make the cabin feel classier. What should have been added is adjustable headrests up front and height-adjustable seatbelts – things which wouldn’t add much to the cost, but would add a lot of convenience. Apart from that, though, the seats are quite comfortable for city driving and can support large frames well, albeit snugly.
Right from the Getz, we’ve seen Hyundai’s small cars make the best use of the cabin space available. Two six footers can sit one behind the other and the rear seat uses the car’s width well enough to free up just about enough shoulder room for three abreast. A middle occupant can be seated fairly comfortably, but only over short journeys. The fixed central head restraint is too small for adults and the rear AC console does intrude into the leg space. All four doors get adequate space for 1-litre bottles, with more room for knick-knacks too. Boot space remains the same at 407-litres and three medium sized bags can fit in with ease. However, larger suitcases can be a bit tricky, because the wheel arches do eat into the trunk space.
Technology
Features like automatic climate control and rear AC vents are carried on like before and as you’d expect, the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system offered with the updated Grand i10 finds a place here too. The display is very easy to use and gets the added benefit of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even the touch response is good and we found no issues with lag, while the addition of voice commands adds some more convenience. The automatic variant, which isn’t available with this screen gets a mobile phone dock atop the dashboard, which is a thoughtful touch.
You do have to take your eyes off the road to use the touchscreen, but it’s been well-integrated and doesn’t look like an aftermarket add-on. The Xcent is still expectedly feature loaded, but Hyundai has sliced off goodies like the auto-dimming interior rearview mirror and the cluster ionizer (keeps the air inside the car clean and odour free). These features certainly added to the Xcent’s value proposition, but their absence won’t be a deal breaker for most.