Hyundai i10 - small car, big value

The whole makeover has given the i10 a fresh new good, clean and fresh look.

In the three-and-a-half years it has been on the market in South Africa about 6500 of these Hyundai babies have been sold but the marketing suits have so much confidence in the new i10 that they have set a sales target of 60 000 of them in the next twelve months.

Five hundred cars a month is a tall order in a highly competitive market but not impossible because the revamped i10 has changed its rather Plain Jane appearance for a new cuter, cooler image and comes with some impressive standard features.

Fancier face

Fancier face make-up includes new headlights, a shapelier grille and a colour-coded bumper.

Snazzy side mirrors now brag with embedded indicators and the derriere is prettily rounded off with redesigned lights clusters.

New colours for a new look.

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The whole makeover has given the i10 a fresh new good, clean and fresh tra-la-la look.... In addition, the mood continues in the living quarters with new colours for the instrument panel and a slinky new audio system which is MP3 compatible and can also accommodate iPod and USB.

However, where the jazzed-up i10 scores big time is when you start ticking off its features on a list of specifications long enough to make the opposition weep. Standard kit include air conditioning, electric windows front and back, driver and passenger airbag (on the upper model), central locking, a height adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat, audio controls on the steering wheel, full-size spare wheel and more.

Safety first - and space as well

The 1.2 GLS also gets a passenger airbag plus ABS and EBD brakes - all of which add up to an impressive package on any car, let alone a small, inexpensive entry level model.

Luggage and leg space is always fairly tight in pikkie cars such as this but the i10 has no reason to blush because with the back seats folded down you can stretch luggage space from 225 litres to a very usable 910 litres.

There's a lot of space for a small car - especially when the seats are folded down.

Although the i10 is aimed mainly at urban commuters it is perky and practical enough to use for weekend trips into the country.

Sales figures illustrate quite clearly that the small Hyundai boxes way above its weight. To add to its status it also came out tops in the lower compact car segment of the 2010 JD Power Initial Quality Survey in South Africa.

A bit of a fuel-price beater

The entry-level model is powered by a single overhead cam 1,1 litre engine that spins out 50kW and 99Nm at 4500r/min. It is only available with a five-speed manual gearbox.
Fuel consumption is a measly 4,8 litres/100km.

The improved 1248cc four cylinder engine of 1.2 GLS delivers 64kW and 119Nm through a choice between a five-speed manual and a five-speed automatic gearbox.

The new model is well equipped. There's even a slinky new audio system which is MP3 compatible and can also accommodate iPod and USB.

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Hyundai's engineers have done a good job at improving the previous 1,25 litre Kappa engine by remapping the engine management control unit to boost power from 55kW to 64kW and torque from 116Nm to 119Nm.

Fuel consumption of the 1.2 GLS (manual) is claimed to be 4,7 litres/100km in the combined cycle. Official figure for the automatic version goes up to 5,5 litres/100km.

Nippy, speedy - and green

Although the i10 is just a bambino it certainly won't hold up the traffic with the 1.2 GLS with the manual gearbox clocked at 169km/h and the automatic model topping out at 160km/h.

Even the smallest 1.1 GLS can reach a top speed of 153km/h.

Don't worry, you won't hold up any traffic.

However, more important than top speed is the car's green qualities.

Emissions for the two 1.25 models are 113g/km and 132g/km respectively, with the i10 1.2 GLS manual beating the CO2 tax margin of 120g/km.

The i10 1.1 GLS also beats the CO2 tax margin with a score of just 114g/km.

Take five

On a launch trip around the outskirts of Jozi and the Cradle of mankind area we were pleasantly surprised by the small car's ride and handling.

In spite of fairly firm suspension the i10 displays very little lean or hip-hop tendencies around the corners the steering is nicely weighted.

The i10 is well insulated against wind, engine and road noises and can happily accommodate five people plus a few weekend bags.

Handling came as a pleasant surprise.

The automatic gearbox is smooth but the manual felt slightly sticky, perhaps because the car we drove was fresh out of the box.

Its ride and build quality, confident roadholding, comfort, practicality plus its attractive price and low running costs will no doubt make the new i10 appealing to old and young alike.

Another strong buyer's magnet is the fact that the i10 range, like all Hyundai passenger vehicles, comes with an industry leading five-year/150 000km warranty and roadside assistance.

The models and prices are:

i10 1.1 GLS (manual) R99 900
i10 1.2 GLS (manual) R109 900
i10 1.2 GLS (auto) R119 900

(Download the complete price list)

Specifications

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