THE CAR IN FACTS
Theyaregenerallythecheapest model in a brand’s line up – but some of the equipment on offer would have put a car two classes above to shame only a few years ago.
Take the Hyundai i10. We recently tested the Premium SE model which came with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment and nav system, parking sensors, heated steering wheel, ABS and brake assist, keyless entry and 15-inch alloy wheels.
And Hyundai haven’t just thrown a bunch of gadgets at it – it’s a solid-feeling, fivedoor Tardis that is a pleasure to drive around the city.
The i10 was launched in 2014 and given a facelift in 2016. Last year’s refresh has kept the exterior styling fresh and it’s as attractive as any of the competition barring perhaps its recently-relaunched Korean cousin the Kia Picanto.
The interior lags behind slightly in the style stakes however, despite solidfeeling build and a good standard of materials. It’s a subjective judgement, but the curved, swooping styling lacks the clean unfussy lines of larger cars in the Hyundai line-up like the new i30 and – to my eye – looks a little dated and closer to the last generation of Korean vehicles than the new one.
It’s still a pleasant environment though. Cabin noise at speed is kept to a minimum, even at the limit, and it does a good impression of a much larger car on the motorway.
The 86bhp 1.2-litre engine is ample for the car’s sub-1,000 kilo weight and, while it’s no race car (Nought to 60 comes in 12.1 seconds and it tops out at 109mph), it has plenty of midrange pull allowing the i10 to make the jump from the city to the bypass or motorway without making too much of a fuss.
C02 emissions of 114g/km mean a VED band C and – somewhat surprisingly – our test car lacked start/stop idling which I would have expected to see in a car designed for predominantly town use. Combined mpg is listed as 57.6 and through the course of our test the i10 was consistently in the mid-to-high 40s.
The suspension soaks up most of the bumps and potholes the city centre can throw at it and the i10 is a comfortable and surprisingly refined ride. As with many city cars, however, the light steering doesn’t feel optimised for meandering country B-roads.
But if you live in the country you generally don’t buy a city car – the clue is in the name. You buy them if you mostly do short journeys in built-up areas and the i10 is perfect for that.
Short journeys generally mean low mileage and the low starting price of £8,995 combined with the five-year Hyundai warranty means that the i10 could be a seriously attractive option for anybody with a limited budget.
You might be able to get something larger second hand – but would you get the same equipmentandpeaceofmind? ● Price: £13,350 (as tested) ● Engine: 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, petrol ● Power: 87bhp ● Torque: 89lb/ft ● Transmission: Five-speed manual ● Top speed: 109mph ● 0-62mph: 12.1 seconds ● Economy: 57.6mpg ● CO2 emissions: 114 g/km