Design
The designers at Hyundai have surely blessed the i10 with what you call ‘a classical European design.’ It is only fair to say that it won’t in the least bit seem incongruous in the streets of Milan, Paris or London. The sleek design with its curved roof, futuristic large-eyed headlamps, slender grille with the prominent Hyundai logo and massive air dam is not only a sight to drool over but also makes the i10 hugely aerodynamic. There are some cars that just make you want to hug them and the i10 fits into that category like a glove.
The Hyundai i10’s cockpit resembles that of the refined Honda CRV, complete with dynamic two-tone beige dashboard with the gear lever integrated into the front console. It is actually a bit hard to believe that the car in question is actually a hatchback and not a luxury sedan. There are for sure no hatchbacks plying on Indian roads that can boast of dual tone beige interiors, full-size front and rear door arm rests, tilt steering, sunroof and in-dash music system. The centre console mounted gear lever is the first for a car in its class. Although light to operate, the new cable operated i-shift gear does not give you enough confidence as that of the Santro’s gearbox. If looks could kill then the Hyundai i10 would by now have had the blood of thousands on its hands.
Comfort
There have been numerous cars produced that were actually very good cars but lost out when the time for reckoning approached and the aspect which let most of these cars down was that all very important factor of comfortability. The Hyundai i10 though doesn’t seem to be having any intentions of being inducted into this not so glamorous list, infact the i10 is incredibly comfortable and just being inside the car is an utterly pleasant experience. The one piece front seats of the i10 which have been ergonomically designed is just the kind of thing which makes one smile upon entering the car and is highly soothing to the back especially on long journeys.
The i10 is not a big car by means but it has decent leg space and can hold four adults with relative ease. The car has all the necessary goodies which enhance the comfortability of a car like front and rear power windows, door mounted pockets to hold newspapers and maps and a 12v outlet which allows charging of phones and laptops. The well-behaved Macpherson strut suspension system has negated the irritating aspect of bumps and driving the car over country roads doesn’t at all feel like sitting on a pogo stick. The i10 is a car for people of all shapes and size thanks to the tilt steering which is easy to adjust while the motor driver power steering is very smooth and also reduces emission and leads to fuel economy.
Engine and Transmission
Someone once very rightly said that ‘one can’t judge a book by its cover but by what lies inside’. Inside the i10 lies a 4 cylinder, 1.1 litre, 1086cc petrol engine which produces 65bhp or 66.7ps at 5500rpm and churns out a torque of 99Nm at 2800rpm. The iRDE motor under the hood is nothing new but in reality an updated version of the engine that first powered the Santro. The i10 packs more grunt than the Santro but its lower in terms of performance. Thanks to its bulk, the i10’s power to weight ratio is not as good as the Santro’s. It is relatively good around corners and allows for high speed to be maintained on highways with none of the usual wobbling that is so very common in cars of its size. The 5-speed manual transmission is smooth and maintains a healthy equilibrium between gear change and handling
Safety
For a modern day car to be successful it has to rank high in safety. The Hyundai i10 comes loaded with some of the latest safety features such as dual air bags, anti lock braking system, which prevents wheel lock ups during emergency braking. It comes equipped with multi-reflector clear glass headlamps, which give the driver a clearer view of the road during harsh weather conditions. Besides, it also has a host of warning lamps for seat belts, ABS and air bags. The i10 also features seat belt pre-tensioners, which in the event of collision will tighten the belt thus cocooning the passenger in a protective hug.
Just when it looked like Hyundai Motors was taking a backseat in the tussle for the small car segment supremacy, the i10 might just prove to be the trump card that takes Hyundai to new heights, beyond the reach of its competitors.