Valuations
Low running costs and general popularity mean that the i10 has held up really well in the residual value stakes, with even the earliest examples still selling for more than £1200 if in reasonably tidy condition. You can get one for as little as £1000, but expect it to suffer from one or more of the issues we’ve already mentioned. When you consider that – scrappage allowance notwithstanding – these were
£6000 cars when new, you’re looking at a 20% retained value after 10 years. That’s a very slow depreciation curve.
It’ll only slow down further, too, so if you buy a good one and keep on top of the maintenance, a couple of years from now it should still be worth a good chunk of what you
Bodywork
There seems to be an element of hit and miss with i10 bodywork, with some cars appearing faultless and others suffering from rust problems, despite a 10-year anti-perforation warranty. It’s worth noting that this isn’t an anticorrosion warranty per se, merely an assertion that rust won’t break through the surface of the paint until that time. Given the condition of many Hyundais older than this that are still on the road, we wouldn’t be surprised if scabby i10s become an increasingly common sight. There are already a few of them around.
The most common areas for corrosion are around the boot hinges, the bottom of the rear doors and the window frames, while rust bubbles are also common on the bonnet and the leading edge of the roof, just where it meets the windscreen. These areas are void from warranty as the rust is due to stonechip damage rather than internal corrosion.
We’re also aware of some i10s with fairly significant amounts of surface rust on their underbodies. Check any potential purchase carefully, and apply underseal as a first measure. Other cosmetic glitches include alloy wheels that are prone to delacquering (more than likely from a
cheap supplier, as many were dealer-fit or attached at the port) and external door handles that are prone to breaking off.
It pays to remember that i10s were cheap cars. If Hyundai could import them from India, pay for them in Korean Won, knock off £1000 and still make a profit, it’s obvious they originated from a ‘stack ’em high and sell ’em cheap’ environment in the first place. You can’t expect Rolls-royce quality, but they’re tough little cars that are designed to survive in harsh environments.
Interior
The most serious fault to look for inside is a flickering LCD dashboard. If it goes completely blank, you could be looking at a new circuit board and that’s not going to be a cheap fix.
Also check the remote release for the fuel filler flap. Over-zealous tugging can stretch the cable and render the filler flap inoperable.
Cars with electric windows tend to be affected by regular fuse failures, possibly as a result of damp penetrating the fusebox. There have been no reports of anything sinister, though, so don’t panic too much and just keep a couple of spares in your glovebox.
Radios are prone to failure, too, with some owners reporting having gone through three or four manufacturer head units, though the factory-fit radios aren’t brilliant to start with and you can buy adaptors to fit single-din units.
Finally, one design fault is that if you open the tailgate all the way, the parcel shelf stands perpendicular. Close the boot and it stays up, obscuring your rear vision. Some owners even keep sticks in their cars, to lean over and poke the parcel shelf back down again.