A Close Look: All the Car Facelifts launched in 2023

While the Hyundais gave incremental updates/upgrades for their 2023 models, the Tatas seem to have hit it out of the park with fantastic facelifts for the trio – Nexon, Harrier & Safari.

BHPian MotorDev recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Facelift

What you’ll like:

• A well-rounded, fun-to-drive hatchback. This Hyundai will leave you grinning.
• Precise build & quality (including interiors) are among the segment best.
• Balanced road manners & easy-to-drive nature.
• Features such as all-black interiors, projector headlamps, wireless phone charging etc.
• Hyundai’s competent after-sales, fuss-free ownership experiences & (upto) 5-year standard warranty.

What you won’t:

• Merely 2-stars in the GNCAP crash tests.
• 175 mm economy-oriented MRF tyres give up easily. An upgrade to 185 / 195 rubber is mandatory.
• Narrow width makes it a 4-seater. Some competitors offer more spacious cabins.
• Low-speed ride quality is firmer than what one expects in a Hyundai. Bad roads are felt.
• Ordinary stereo. Hyundai’s ICE hasn’t kept up with the times (sound quality = 6/10).

Market Response: The Grand i10 Nios’s sales are quite average and fall behind the Wagon R, Altroz, Tiago, etc.

Hyundai Aura Facelift

What you’ll like:

• An all-rounder of a compact sedan. Very well-priced for what it offers.
• Precise build & quality (interiors) are easily the segment best.
• Balanced road manners & easy-to-drive nature.
• Features such as cruise control, wireless phone charging, rear view monitor & more.
• Safety kit inckudes 6 airbags, ABS & ISOFIX child seat mounts among others.
• Hyundai’s competent after-sales, fuss-free ownership experiences & customisable warranty.

What you won’t:

• Its hatchback sibling – the Grand i10 Nios – got just 2 stars in the GNCAP crash test.
• Narrow width makes it a 4-seater. Some competitors offer more spacious cabins.
• Low-speed ride quality is firmer than what one expects in a Hyundai. Bad roads are felt.
• Ordinary stereo. Hyundai’s ICE hasn’t kept up with the times (sound quality = 6/10).

Market Response: The Aura’s sales are quite average and fall behind the Dzire

Hyundai i20 Facelift

What you’ll like:

• The design, both inside and outside, especially the stunning black front grill and skid plates.
• Rear aesthetics with admirable tail-lights, a trademark for hatchbacks.
• Good interiors with a premium feel.
• A powerful turbo petrol engine option, adding a performance boost.
• Great music system.
• Ergonomics are well-sorted, and touchpoints are within easy reach.
• Spacious rear legroom, surpassing some sedans in the market.
• Convenient features like auto-folding ORVMs, eliminate the need to fold them when parking.

What you won’t:

• Poor GNCAP safety rating with only 3 stars.
• Unfavourable width-to-length ratio, making the car look either too short or too wide for its size.
• Outdated 1.2L petrol engine; Hyundai could have offered a better or upgraded option.
• Hyundai CVT behaves more like an AMT, unlike the expected behaviour of a traditional CVT.
• Mediocre horn quality, contemplating an upgrade in the future.
• Non-illuminated power window switches in all trims (except the driver’s switch) with poor switch quality.

Market Response: It’s reasonably successful with an average of 5,000 units sold

Tata Nexon / Tata Nexon.ev Facelift

What you’ll like:

• Funky styling ensures that the Nexon stands out from the crowd.
• 5-star NCAP safety rating & a solid build, unlike many of its flimsy competitors.
• Nice, spacious cabin with comfortable seats. You get a practical 382-litre boot too.
• 1.5L diesel & 1.2L petrol offer good performance. Diesel is especially impressive.
• Balanced road manners for such a tall car. Fine EPS & 208 mm of ground clearance!
• Loaded with features: 6 airbags, LED DRLs with welcome function, reversing camera, ventilated seats etc.
• Available with a variety of gearbox options including AMT and DCT.
• Features an impressive electric (EV) option with two distinct battery packs.

What you won’t:

• 3-cylinder petrol can’t match 4-cylinder competition in NVH. Has lag too.
• The observant eye will notice some rough edges in fit, finish & quality.
• Early batches may experience a few minor issues.
• Concerns over long-term reliability.
• Tata’s inconsistent after-sales experience is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai.
• Shorter service/checkup interval of 6 months & 7,500 km (rivals have 12-month gaps).

Market Response: The biggest hit of the year is the Nexon, averaging sales between 14,000 to 15,000 units per month

Kia Seltos Facelift

What you’ll like:

• Handsome, contemporary styling. Looks very sharp.
• We find the Seltos to be well-priced for what it offers.
• Nice, user-friendly interiors with sufficient space & good quality.
• Loved the 1.5L turbo-petrol & 1.5L diesel.
• Mature on-road behaviour, including at highway speeds. A+ brakes as well.
• Unusually wide variant offering. Seems there is something for everyone.
• Standard safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, hill start assist, TPMS, rear parking sensors, 3-point seatbelts for all, etc.
• Impressive kit (ADAS Level-2, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, 360-degree camera, HUD, front parking sensors, Bose sound system, wireless charger with cooling function, cooled seats, UV cut glass, & loads more).

What you won’t:

• Scored just 3-stars in the GNCAP crash tests.
• Turbo-petrols are very sensitive to driving style. FE will drop drastically when you drive hard.
• Back seat’s width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid, rather than 3 adults.
• Firm suspension. Liveable, but bad roads will bother you.
• Dual-clutch ATs (like the Petrol DCT) have a history of poor reliability in India.
• Extremely confusing & complicated variant spread!
• You get bigger SUVs & Crossovers for the same money (e.g. Hector, Harrier, XUV700).

Market Response: The Seltos has been successful, and off to a strong start, outperforming its competitors with 7,000-11,000 units per month.

Honda City / Honda City Hybrid Facelift

What’s you’ll like:

• Benchmark C2-segment sedan with a lively 1.5L petrol engine.
• Smooth gearbox & responsive steering, enjoyable up to 120 km/h.
• Comfortable ride quality with improved part quality.
• Spacious cabin, practical boot, and impressive safety features: 6 airbags, ESP, Hill Start Assist.
• Noteworthy extras: sunroof, Honda connect with Alexa, cruise control.
• Impressive fuel efficiency of 27 km/l for the hybrid version.

What you won’t:

• Rear can get bouncy at high speeds on uneven roads.
• Chassis & suspension don’t match the potent engine beyond 120 km/h.
• Jerky rev-limiter in the petrol variant.
• Outdated audio head-unit interface with average sound quality.
• Low seating is not senior citizen-friendly; poor sound insulation at high speeds.

Market Response: It’s quite ordinary, and sales have dropped since the launch of the Verna, Slavia, and Virtus.

MG Hector / Hector Plus Facelift

What you’ll like:

• Big size & lots of bling for the money! The Hector is well-priced.
• A spacious cabin that can easily seat 5 adults. Massive 587-litre boot too.
• Fiat-sourced 2.0L diesel is simply fantastic.
• Compliant ride quality. The suspension is tuned for comfort.
• Lots of kit (panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric seats & tailgate etc.).
• ‘Connected’ Tablet ICE with an embedded SIM & lovely sound quality.
• 5-year / unlimited km warranty with roadside assistance.
• Top safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ESP, HSA, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS & more.

What you won’t:

• Awkward styling on the side & rear profiles. Looks weird from some angles.
• Sloppy high-speed handling, noticeable body roll & easy understeer.
• The petrol engine is “adequate” at best. Its guzzling Automatic variant is unimpressive.
• No Diesel AT (Creta, Seltos, XUV700, Safari offer this combination, which we love).
• Some annoyances like the ~6-meter turning radius, strange rpm meter, etc.
• Small after-sales network. Service quality & long-term reliability are big unknowns.
• The waiting period runs into a couple of months.
• Don’t get blinded by the British branding. This is a Chinese car.

Market Response: It’s pretty ordinary, but it sells quite well for a Chinese brand.

Continue reading BHPian MotorDev’s compilation for more insights and information.

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