Hyundai i10 – A Quality Car From The Koreans (Part 2)

Interestingly enough, neither engine comes as standard with stop/start. Again, Hyundai has been ruthless with costs. Stop/start requires more engineering bits, and so costs more, and most customers are happy with the CO₂ emissions as they are. Net result is that Hyundai offers a stop/start i10 called the Blue Drive, but not only is it $480 extra, you only get four seatbelts, as opposed to the normal i10’s five. Which seems like an odd thing to remove, but is all to do with maximum load ratings on the tires.

The most impressive aspect of the i10 is the refinement. Hyundai bangs on about it bringing Ford Fiesta-class qualities to the city-car sector, and it’s easy to dismiss this as an ad strapline, but it is true. This is not a tinny car; if you slam the door, it’s got a VW-esque thunk. Wind and road noise are both well suppressed. In fact, Hyundai and the PQT have gone to some impressive lengths in order to make the i10 as quiet as possible. They’ve even moved the radio aerial towards the back of the roof.

This is not a tinny car; if you slam the door, it’s got a VW-esque thunk

This is as refined as any city runaround.

The big-car sensation extends to the chassis as well, because it feels very grown-up. For which you can thank the i10’s all-new platform. This is Hyundai’s VW moment, the start of a platform-sharing process that will see the next-gen Kia Picanto getting the same underpinnings. The good news is that the future is looking rosy – the i10 is mostly comfortable (only the odd really harsh bump can upset it), and it’s capable of cornering at surprisingly high speeds. Chuck it in, watch it stick – there’s never any fear of it falling over. B-road, motorway, town – the i10 will manage it all. It makes it much more than just a city car.

The big-car sensation extends to the chassis as well, because it feels very grown-up

But maybe it’s a bit too mature. It’s missing a little bit of character – something rivals like the Fiat Panda have got in spades. The PQT might have got the European finger size worked out, but it hasn’t quite got the European sense of fun sorted yet. This is our only major criticism of the i10 – that lack of a slight quirk means it’s not as vibrant and fun as we’d like. The cabin is brilliantly clear and well-made, but it’s lacking a little design touch to lift it. The exterior looks great, yet the same effort doesn’t seem to have been applied to the dash.

But none of this matters in the real world. Hyundai has absolutely nailed the brief of making the i10 a more comfortable, multitalented B-segment car. It looks much better than the old one, it’s more refined, it’s just as cheap ($13,352–$15,743) and it’s got a five-year warranty. Plus, it works with European fingers.

Hyundai has absolutely nailed the brief of making the i10 a more comfortable, multitalented B-segment car.

Verdict

·         Yet another quality car from the Koreans

·         Cheap price, good design and with minimal compromise