Launched four years ago, the i10 has won a lot of friends but it’s competing in a highly competitive sector, notably against the VW Up. So has the reworking moved the i10 up?
Many of the mechanicals stay the same, and that’s no bad thing. The i10 works well in the city and also in the country, so there was no need to make huge alterations. In this iteration the steering is a touch quicker, and that goes with the light clutch and sensitive throttle to make for a quick-fire response to input. Great when you’re on the ball, a bit jerky if you’re not being smooth enough.
That steering doesn’t do you any great favours when you are going faster out of the city. There’s a real lack of feedback so you end up guessing what’s happening which isn’t terribly reassuring. Otherwise, country roads can be taken in some confidence, the handling and ride remarkably controlled for a car tuned to spend most of its time on city streets.
If you are outside the major conurbations you’ll notice that you have to work the 1.2-litre engine quite hard and use a lot of revs to really keep up. You can do it, but it’s not totally relaxing. Compared to some of the competition with their small turbocharged engine, this one is starting to look a touch dated.
However, the cabin, still not quite on a par with the more premium competition, has been lifted by the addition of a 7in colour touchscreen. It works well, and you can easily connect your phone via Bluetooth and the Tom-Tom based sat nav works efficiently. There is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, and the ability to get real-time updates on the sat nav is a real bonus. However, the colour screen is only available on the Premium SE trim.
The exterior is largely the same, bar a few tweaks to the front bumper and a new grille, but it’s enough to freshen this popular city car. What you have is a practical, well made and well equipped car with lots of room and a popularity underscored by high residual values.
It isn’t quite as much fun to drive as the VW Up, a car which is also a touch cheaper, but which you prefer is really a subjective choice, as Hyundai has successfully raised the i10 up a notch.
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