Review
Hyundai i10 micro-car
Price: £8,345 - £9,745
/5
- Pros:
- Cheap to buy and run
- Fun to drive
- Spacious cabin
- Cons:
- Dull interior
- Lacks diesel option
- Tiring on motorways
pictured: Hyundai i10 micro car 2011 5 door
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The Hyundai i10 ticks all the boxes, cheap to run, fun to drive and very practical, there aren't many better city cars around."
At a glance
- The greenest
- 1.0 Blue 5dr
£9,345 - The cheapest
- 1.2 Classic 5dr
£8,345 - The fastest
- 1.2 Active 5dr
£8,945 - Top of the range
- 1.2 Active Auto 5dr
£9,745
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First introduced in 2008 - the i10 city car has been a huge hit for Korean firm Hyundai. To build on that success, the new model offers fresh engines, including an ultra-efficient 1.0-litre petrol, as well as a more powerful version of the 1.25-litre engine from the previous model. The looks have been changed too, with the hexagonal grille from the Hyundai ix35 SUV at the front and tweaked lights at the rear. The new i10 remains great value, and the revised model now comes with the company's triple care warranty, which ensures peace of mind by offering unlimited mileage cover, free car health checks and roadside assistance for five years. Named Best City Car in our 2011 Car of the Year awards, there's also a 'BLUE' model - the company's first car to dip below the 99g/km C02 barrier - making it free from road tax and the congestion charge in London.
Drive
Fun and nippy to drive around town
Light, accurate steering, soft suspension and strong engines combine to make the Hyundai i10 an enjoyable car to scoot around town in. At low speeds it's comfortable, and quiet. Neither the new 1.0 or 1.25-litre petrol engines are particularly quick, but in the cut and thrust of city traffic, both are fast enough to keep you at the head of the queue. The i10 isn’t bad on the motorway either, but the engines need to be worked hard to keep pace with other traffic. The five-speed gearbox is easy to use, and despite it's tall shape, and skinny tyres, the i10 handles well.
Comfort
Soft ride and roomy cabin give big car feel
Bumps and potholes pose little threat to the Hyundai i10, as the suspension is tuned for comfort, and deals with rough roads very well at lower speeds. The small engines are quiet around town, but get noisier at motorway speeds. Interior space is surprisingly generous too, partly thanks to clever packaging, so even two adults will be able to sit comfortably in the back, and the i10's tall roofline means that there's plenty of headroom.
Reliability
Rock-solid build quality and generous warranty give total peace of mind
This is a strong point for Hyundai, as the company has an excellent five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. With the new triple car package, customers also get free roadside assistance and annual vehicle health checks included. The quality of the cabin plastics isn’t great, but the i10 is cheaper than better built rivals, so it's acceptable for the price you pay. Mechanical problems are unlikely, as Hyundai has such a good record for durability. Although the i10 is didn't feature in the 2010 Driver Power Survey, Hyundai came sixth out of 35 manufacturers and the i10's bigger i30 relative took overall honours.
Practicality
Above average boot and five door flexibility
For its size, the Hyundai i10 has quite a large boot, at 225 litres - that's bigger than a Nissan Juke. It betters rivals like the Chevrolet Spark with 170 litres and the Nissan Pixo with 129 litres. The i10 is only available as a practical five-door, and the doors open quite wide, so accessing the back is simple. Comfort and Style models get useful under-floor storage in the boot where you can store valuables out of sight.
Value for money
Low prices and lots of kit offer great value
It's difficult to find a cheaper car than the i10 because list prices are so low. There are a few with lower starting prices, like the Kia Picanto, and new Nissan Micra, but none can offer the i10's big-car extras, such as heated seats and an electric sunroof. The Hyundai's low cost means that it can only lose so much of its value second-hand, and small, economical cars are in favour with used buyers, so it's a sound investment too.
Running costs
Latest version is cheaper to run and insure than ever
The new i10 is cheaper than ever to run, The 1.0-litre BLUE model will average an amazing 67.3mpg and emits 99g/km of CO2, which means no annual Road Tax. You'd struggle to notice the difference in running costs between the engines though, as the 1.25 returns 61.4mpg and costs only £20 more to tax than the new engine. The only difference is that the 1.25 can be had with an automatic gearbox, which is significantly thirstier at 51.4mpg, while emissions of 129g/km mean it costs £90 a year in Road Tax. Insurance is very cheap - groups range from nine to 11, depending on the exact model.
