Hyundai i10
Want to save some money? Then buy a small car. Cheaper to purchase, lighter on fuel, easier to park and generally cheerful. The danger of budget micro-cars is that often the cheap and cheerful is more of a cheap and nasty.
i10 is yet another arrow in Hyundai’s swelling quiver. The 1.25l auto I recently tested is yet another surprisingly quality feeling product at a budget price. Launch after launch at Hyundai confirms one thing. They are building competent cars. I take that back, they are building far better than that. The recent Sonata and Accent launches proved that.
So how do they fair at this level? For an auto at the R120 000 mark one doesn’t expect too much. An A to B that hopefully will not fall apart. If it can get to 100km/h by Wednesday, pat yourself on the back. Hyundai have done better than that. Way better. The i10 is another winner. From the heated exterior mirrors to the competent drivetrain and the overall feeling of build quality, it gets things right.
The engine puts out a credible 64Kw and 99Nm, through the 5 speed auto this is good for a top speed of 160 and a “sprint” to 100 of 13,8. It feels nippy doing this and is, for a slush box at this price point, a bit of an achievement. It sips fuel like a little diesel, without the maintenance costs and purchase price of a diesel. A credible 5,5l/100km claimed. This gives the 35l tank a range of just on 600km’s!
The ride quality and NVH are great for this subcompact class. While a 1.25 auto is not for the aspirant sports car driver, you are never going to struggle in the cut and thrust of the morning commute.
The interior doesn’t feel plasticky at all, about the only big separator from its more luxurious stablemates is the absence of leather on much cheaper feeling seats and the climate and AV systems. You do get a comfortable sitplek and manual aircon. ABS, split rear seats, dual airbags, trip meter, central locking and iPod connectivity audio are a win at the price. Sadly Isofix for baby seats is not included.
No included service plan at this price point. What you get is excellent value for money in what seems a durable car from a heart winning manufacturer. Need a good first car or town nip-about? You can’t go wrong.
The queen is dead, this one is for the men.
