… Hyundai i10 …
The Hyundai i10 is a great wee thing. If your motoring needs are modest, cross continental expeditions limited and your appetite for visceral automotive excitement has been tempered by advancing years then this could be the ideal runabout.
Even if you’re still young at heart and want a bit of zip in your everyday life, but without the cardiovascular threatening 300 bhp of a hot hatch threatening to red-line the heart rate, then the Hyundai i10 can do that too.
If that sounds a bit rich look at it this way. If cars had to have a chilli symbol stuck on them like spicy foods do in grocery stores to denote degrees of spiciness, then the Hyundai for all its modest 86 bhp would still merit half a chilli. That’s down to the skinny 175/65 wheels bolted to the outer extremities of each corner.
That makes it chuckable and surprisingly stable. Admittedly you’ll run out of revs long before you run out of grip on dry roundabouts, but on wet ones, the temptation to go just as quickly has to be fiercely resisted. On the limits of adhesion this wee thing is as much fun as a jar of itching powder in the opposing team’s changing room.
The car is a decent size for two fully grown adults although it’s a bit more of a squeeze with four up, but then again, no-on is making any claims about this being a wedding limo, this is a generous two seater with room for an occasional four, or perhaps two grandweans in the back to give their parents a night off. On that point, it comes as standard with rear ISOfix child seat anchorage capability.
The seats are a bit narrow, but it’s a small car. If you want more elbow room then buy an i20!
But even if you are downsizing there is no need to give up on the little extra comforts of life. The car comes as standard with such essentials as two 12v sockets plus the now mandatory USB and AUX sockets, adjustable steering column, air-con, electric front and rear windows and electrically heated door mirrors.
Perhaps more surprisingly, it has a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard. Ideal for the forgetful types, or for those who never think of checking anyway. It’s also got a wee light in the luggage compartment. That may not sound much of an accessory until you need to get the puncture kit out at night and have to read the instructions for the first time!
As far as safety is concerned it’s got the full kit, including a Brake Assist System complementing the standard ABS, EBD and Electronic Stability Programme. There are front, side and curtain airbags while the remote central locking includes a ‘speed and impact sensing auto door unlocking’ system.
All the controls feel good. The steering is light and accurate, the 5 speed gearbox a delight to use and the brakes coupled with the stability of the car offer all the reassurance a driver needs.
In other words, you get a lot of car for less than ten grand. Admittedly this one had a couple of extras. The metallic paint was an additional £455 and the Connectivity Pack added Bluetooth, Voice recognition, steering wheel audio control and rear speakers for an additional £175.
And the clincher? That has to be the fuel economy. Hyundai claim a Combined fuel consumption figure of 57.6 mpg, but 60 mpg is easily achievable if you have your sensible head on.
For added peace of mind, the Hyundai comes with a 5 year Warranty which includes five years of roadside assistance and five years of annual vehicle health checks.
So if you are looking for a small car or a second car, then the i10 has a lot going for it.