HYUNDAI HAS ITS ‘I’ ON THE PRIZE

Hyundai i10

The second generation version of Hyundai's strong-selling i10 citycar has been updated with a smarter look, smarter infotainment and cleverer safety features. Will that be enough to keep it as one of the class leaders? Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

Hyundai is looking for its i10 city car to step up from being merely branded good value for money to being considered best in class - or thereabouts. With smarter styling, plenty of space inside and segment-leading standards of infotainment and safety, this much improved version is in with a genuine shot.

Background

Sometimes, the stars just align perfectly for a car manufacturer. Such was the case back in 2009 when two largely unrelated circumstances coincided. The introduction of the government's Scrappage Scheme saw a number of tired old cars being taken off our roads and resulted in a commensurate quantity of buyers with a modest sum of cash in their hands looking for something to buy. Fairly new onto the market and having just replaced the underwhelming Amica was the rather appealing Hyundai i10. Sales skyrocketed and for a while, the i10 was the country's best selling car. It didn't last. While i10 sales continued quite strongly, the end of the Scrappage Scheme saw buyers return to their usual buying habits.

Since then, Hyundai has tried hard to keep citycar buyers interested. It introduced a second generation i10 in 2014, a car designed to take account of the fact that competition in the citycar sector has become much stronger in recent years, with this model now having to contend with rivals of the quality of the Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii triplets. Since 2014, these contenders have been further upgraded and Hyundai has responded with a package of i10 range changes that include a smarter look and the addition of fresh segment-leading infotainment and safety technology.

Driving Experience

Nothing's changed beneath the bonnet of this facelifted car, so buyers still choose between two petrol engines, 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre in size, driving the front wheels through five-speed manual as standard or four-speed automatic gearboxes. The BlueDrive model, based on the 1.0-litre petrol variant, includes a number of features to reduce fuel consumption. The 1.25-litre variant offers 87PS and is good for 62mph in 12.3s on the way to 106mph. The base 1.0-litre derivative offers 66PS and makes 62mph in 14.9s on the way to 96mph. There's still no diesel engine offered and it's probably a sound decision. Buyers of this type of car rarely rack up enough miles to make the incremental cost of buying a diesel work out versus the savings they'd see in fuel bills.

Design and Build

If you happen to own the original version of this MK2 i10 model, then you'll notice the major change made to this facelifted version immediately, the so-called 'Cascading' front grille, apparently set to become a signature feature on future larger Hyundai models. Around this, there's a revised bumper design and smarter round LED daytime running lights. At the rear, this improved design is also characterised by an evolved bumper design, plus re-styled rear lights. Redesigned side mouldings round off the exterior aesthetic changes.

Inside, it's as you were, apart from some minor material changes. Still, not much needed altering; after all, the i10 offers best-in-class legroom and cargo capacity. There's certainly more room in the back than you might expect.

Market and Model

Prices are much as before, so you're looking at figures that start at around £9,000, rising up to around £13,000 for the single five-door bodystyle on offer. Those are competitive figures, even though the i10 is no longer a model judged on the amount of metal you get for your money.

Base trim levels give you, well, the basics, but if you can stretch to the plushest variants, then you'll benefits from the upgrades made to infotainment and safety technology with this facelifted design. Buyers at this end of the range now get a 7-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, plus a Navigation system incorporating Hyundai's LIVE services. These give you real time traffic information, plus local weather reports, speed camera placement locations and points of interest searches. Safety-wise, upper-spec models can now be ordered with a Front Collison Warning System that automatically brakes to avoid accidents. With most variants, there's also the option of a Lane Departure Warning System.

Cost of Ownership

If you want the sub-100g/km of emissions that will bring you a free annual road tax disc, you'll have to buy your i10 in 'Blue Drive' 1.0-litre manual form with mid-range SE trim (and, for some reason, only four seat belts). That variant delivers 98g/km of CO2 and 65.7mpg on the combined cycle. Otherwise, the 66PS 1.0-litre petrol engine in standard guise puts out 108g/km of CO2 and manages 60.1mpg. Go for the petrol 1.25-litre variant and you're looking at 57.6mpg and 114g/km of CO2 - unless you opt for the automatic version in which case the figures rise substantially to 45.6mpg and 142g/km.

Insurance groupings stand at 1A for the 1.0-litre model and 4A for the 1.25-litre car. Residual values are very class-competitive too and servicing costs are down thanks to features like a maintenance-free long-life timing chain. In other words, the best citycars can also be the cheapest to run. A five-year unlimited mileage warranty is another big draw.

Summary

And in summary? Well, factor in a 5 year/unlimited mileage warranty arrangement and the i10 looks able to compete with the class best, even when it's pitched at much the same price as them. That's a clear statement of intent from Hyundai. It's evidence of real confidence in their product and the Koreans are bullish about its prospects. After a first look, it appears their optimism may be well-founded.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Hyundai i10

PRICES: £9,000-£13,000 [est]

INSURANCE GROUPS: 1A-4A

CO2 EMISSIONS: 93-140g/km [est]

PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 105mph / 0-60mph 12.2s [est]

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 61.4mpg [est]

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, stability control

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height mm 3665/1660/1500

WHO TO SEE: