Hyundai’s small car has plenty of room for tall drivers

ASK anyone who knows me and they will tell you I’ve never been hugely keen on small cars.

It’s not that I don’t think they’re not very good, it’s just that, as a bigger-boned chap, I preferred something easier to get in and out of.

But, over recent years, so-called city cars have become much more Tardis-like. It’s remarkable how spacious they seem.

One of the roomiest is the Hyundai i10. At 1,500mm tall, it’s almost as high as it is wide, and that space means there’s plenty of room for five adults – there’s even three seatbelts in the back. At 1,008mm, headroom is class-leading.

Wide-opening doors means the i10 is a small car in which tall drivers can comfortably fit in and also easily get in and out of. The driver’s seat doesn’t adjust for reach, but it does come with a rake movement, which when combined with adjustable seat height, means finding a comfortable driving position is also a cinch, even for drivers like me.

Because of its practicality and value for money, the i10 has been a major success story for Hyundai in the UK since its introduction back in 2008. More than 216,000 were sold up until November 2017, making it one of the best-selling cars in its segment in recent years.

Hyundai sharpened the looks of its latest incarnation with new LED running lights, revised bumpers, redesigned rear lights and the brand’s new trademark “Cascading” grille. It’s a good-looking car.

The top-of-the-range Premium SE model comes loaded with kit such as heated seats, heated steering wheel, an electric sunroof, climate control, rear parking sensors, DAB radio, CD player and 15-inch alloy wheels.

The dash of the SE Premium also gets a new, high resolution seveninch touchscreen that includes satnav, Apple CarPlay and Android Audio – the only car in its class to do so. Most of its features can be controlled from the multifunction steering wheel including dealing with phone calls.

You can also brighten up the high quality interior – which really can sit five, though if you’re on a long journey, four would be comfortable – with blue or red interior trim at no extra cost.

In lower spec models, the boot is a class-leading 252 litres but from SE trim upwards come with a proper spare tyre which shrinks the space down to 218 litres. The rear seats fold 60:40 opening up a useful 1,012 litres.

The i10 comes with the choice of two proven petrol engines, 1.0 litre and 1.2 litre, driving the front wheels through a surprisingly slick fivespeed manual as standard or an optional four-speed automatic gearbox on 1.2 litre SE, Premium and Premium SE models. The four-cylinder 1.2-litre engine offers 86bhp and maximum torque of 121Nm, which is more than enough for this city car.

Because of its size, 933kg kerb weight and light responsive steering, the Hyundai is a nippy delight on the city streets but it’s also surprisingly assured and comfortable on the A-roads. It’s also incredibly quiet and refined for such a small car on the open road.

ABS, electronic stability control (ESC) and vehicle stability management are also standard so there’s plenty of grip too. A tyre pressure monitoring system and six airbags also come as standard.

The competition in the city car class is huge but there’s little doubt Hyundai has come up with a real winner here. It’s genuinely enjoyable to drive, solidly built, and impressively refined with oodles of kit. And, if that’s not enough, Hyundai’s five-year warranty may just be the clincher.