Hyundai Motor India, it seems, wants to shake things up a bit in the subcompact sedan space. Although it already has the Xcent catering to that segment, the carmaker is prepping to launch another similarly-proportioned product called the Aura. The company has now officially commenced trial runs for it. Or, in Hyundai’s words, “endurance testing”. The model will cover different climatic conditions and altitudes by covering the Indian Peninsular Region, the deserts, Himalayas and eastern coastlines.

As revealed earlier this week, the new model will essentially be a sedan version of the Grand i10 Nios. That gives us a fair idea of what it will look like from the outside, at least up to the B-pillar. Frankly, we can safely guess what the interiors will look like as well. Yes, it will share everything from features to the layout with the Nios. The behind-the-scenes stuff, including the platform and the powertrain options, will also be shared.

Although covered, the pictured test mule does give away a couple of design cues. The dual-tone alloys, for instance, are the same as the one on the Grand i10 Nios. And, because of the sloping shoulder line, it will be interesting to see how the rear end delivers the final finish. It might not look as conservative as the Xcent’s ass.

Expect Hyundai to unveil more about the Aura in the weeks building up to the D-Day. In its hierarchy, the South Korean carmaker will place the Aura above the Xcent. In other words, a situation similar to that between the Grand i10 and the Nios will occur in the sub-4 metre sedan segment. In the powertrain department, Aura’s 1.2-litre petrol engine will comply with BS6 emission norms, whereas the 1.2-litre diesel is likely to remain BSIV-ready.

Apart from taking a dig at its sibling, the Hyundai Aura will lock horns with the Ford Aspire, Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Tata Tigor and the Volkswagen Ameo. Out of the lot, only the petrol-powered Dzire is BS6-compliant.