Hyundai has launched an all-new version of its i10 city car for 2014.
It’s bigger than its successful, first-generation predecessor: 80mm longer and 65mm wider, and the boot is 10% larger than before at 252 litres, which is good going for this size of car.
Hyundai also claims to have upped refinement over the old model. Those claims are valid, too, as BusinessCar tested it on motorway and A-roads, as well as around town, and, while it’s no BMW or Audi, it was as quiet as you can expect a city car to be – certainly up there with the VW Up, Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo family of city cars.
The i10 is also good to drive. It doesn’t do anything particularly special, nor is it fast due to its tiny 66hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, but it’s again similar to the Up family in that there’s an element of old-fashioned small car about it. The steering is very responsive, and a small car with a titchy engine that’s up for being revved is always a fun combination.
It’s basic inside but feels well built. Don’t think you’re getting a big-spec car, at least in basic S or even mid-spec SE guise, but our test car was fitted with the Connectivity Pack, which includes Bluetooth with voice recognition, a multi-function steering wheel and rear speakers, and costs an agreeable £175.
CO2 for this model is 108g/km – not the lowest around but hardly high – and there is the option of a £300 more expensive 98g/km Blue Drive model.
A car like the i10 will never break the bank. This model, at 27.5ppm, is a penny or so higher than similarly specced rivals (25.0ppm for a Skoda Citigo 1.0 60 SE and 26.1ppm for a VW Move Up 1.0 60) but that’s splitting hairs, especially when you factor in the firm’s five-year unlimited mileage warranty.
It may not be cut out for big mileage, nor is does it have a history or expectation of big fleet sales, but the minimal cost and overall package of the i10 are commendable. The fact that a Hyundai is up there with the VW crowd in this class speaks volumes, too.
