Steve sets to find out whether the Hyundai i10 makes a good used car purchase.
The I10 is the smallest car on offer from Hyundai and one of the cheapest on the market, but don’t let that dissuade you from considering one. As its staggering how far Hyundai has come in build quality and refinement In the last 20 years.
Exterior
The design of the i10 for me is both smart and cute and thanks to its tall roof allows for plenty of head space for occupants. As well as having day time running lights and nicely designed vents/bumpers helps with the quirky styling ques. Visibility is excellent too thanks to thin pillars and large amount of glass from all angles which certainly helps when manoeuvring. Lower spec’d models such as the entry level S model like we have here has wheel trims and black plastic door handles and wing mirrors, so if you’re wanting some extra style then you’ll have to consider SE or premium trim which come with alloy wheels and more paint. The fit and finish is also excellent along with good quality paint in a variety of colours.
Interior
Moving into the interior it’s obvious that this is a cabin that’s been well put together with hard plastics which are tough yet simple, but slightly bland in just one shade of grey. In the entry level trim the I10 is “just a car” benefiting from manual wing mirrors, non self-cancelling indicators, no air con but does come with electric front windows, central locking and aux input, but let’s face it with less gizmos, there is less to go wrong. But my advice would be to avoid the entry level S trim where possible. Dependent on spec the i10 can be well equipped with climate air conditioning, heated steering wheel, cruise control and sunroofs on higher spec models.
The dials are clear and well laid out and heating/radio controls are nicely positioned. On SE premium trim the i10 comes with a 7” touchscreen display with sat nav, apple carplay/android auto. I found the sound quality poor on this S spec car but it does only come with 2 speakers. I suspect the sound quality on other spec levels would be far better. The cabin is a comfortable place to sit with room for four adults, as well as plenty of leg room for both front and rear passengers as well as having good support in the seats.
The cabin also benefits with plenty of storage bins and pockets as well as an array of cup holders in the doors and centre console. The boot is an excellent size too at 252 litres which makes it one of the largest boots in its class, but this reduces dramatically to 218 litres when a space saver spare wheel is fitted.
On The Road
The car I have on test is the 1.0 litre 65bhp turbo charged 3 cylinder with over 60MPG but there is also a 1.2 86bhp engine too both of which are mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox or an optional 4 speed automatic. These are the only two engines offered for the I10 but that’s more than adequate for a car of this size. For town, motorway or country driving I found the 1.0 litre punchy and had good acceleration, which gave you confidence when building up speed to join motorways and can sit at motorway speeds without fuss. On the whole the gearbox was smooth and easy to engage gears, except reverse where I have found I have had to fight to engage it.
As you’d like to expect from a small city car the steering is very light which is ideal for parking and does affect the feel when on the open road a little, but nothing that would make you lack confidence. The suspension shapes up well too for such a light care, being able to absorb most bumps and allows the i10 to offer a comfortable ride. Brakes are sharp too and can stop the i10 on a dime. Wind noise is low but I did find when having the driver’s window down there was significant wind thumping noise which was irritating after a while. Road noise was also prevalent but this probably could be reduced by a different tyre brand.
Hyundai haven’t skimped on safety either as all I10 models have a 4* Euro Ncap safety rating and did not achieve 5* due to a lack of driver aids but a driver assistance pack is available as an option at £275 and worth seeking out on used models and includes front collision detection and lane keep assist.
Another key plus point for the I10 on the used car market is its 47% residual value after 3 years which is far better than most of its rivals as well as being in insurance band 1 for the 1.0 litres and the 1.2 is in band 4/5 will mean it’ll be cheap to insure making it ideal for young drivers. Also let’s not forget road tax cost is average at £140 a year.
Overview
With smart looks, composed driving characteristics, good build quality, low running costs and long warranty the i10 certainly makes a sensible city car or first car choice.
