Hyundai i10

The overall sense of dated yet practical generated from the exterior of the Hyundai i10 is carried forward in the interior of the car as well. The overall cabin feels spacious and accommodating enough with class leading headroom and knee room. However, the cabin itself feels a bit old with limited features on offer.

The old school three-spoke steering wheel sans buttons for audio and Bluetooth from previous generation Hyundais glorifies the cockpit of the i10. The three-pod instrument console used to look smart and updated a decade ago, but not now, as the fonts and layout look very outdated.

The curvy dashboard feels wide and large and gives it a sense of a large car. The centre console finished in silver color uplifts the ambience of the car. The 2-DIN basic music system on the upper portion of the dashboard and the manual AC controls as well as gear lever get in the lower portion get these silver surrounds for premium look. Compared to its new generation avatar, this pre-facelift i10 lacks in terms of features and is equipped with only the basics such as tilt adjustable steering, adjustable headrests, height adjustable driver’s seat and under-seat tray.

The i10, as we already said, is one of the well-built hatchbacks currently on sale in the world. Even this pre-facelift tall boy version was revered for its good build and safe styling, which was good to look at. However, considering that the world has already witnessed the next-generation i10, that too almost four years ago, this particular i10 feels like too long in the tooth.

At the front, the Hyundai i10 gets a large hexagonal grille with curvy edges. It is separated into two partitions, with the upper one coming with sleek chrome lining and the lower one coming with diamond pattern vents. Both the headlamps as well as fog lamps on the front bumper have got a sweptback layout.

From the sides, the i10 looks very proportionate despite having a tall boy design. The doors are large and the rear view mirrors with sleek turn indicators incorporated on them look premium. The alloy wheels too have a smart design for them. However, the lack of character lines on the side profile makes it somewhat slightly bland.

At the rear, the Hyundai i10 has got a rather simply styled rear hatch with bulging vertical tail lamps on the sides of it. The roof spoiler tries to make the rather simple rear door somewhat look sporty. All in all, while the Hyundai i10 continues to be smart as before, the fact that it has stayed here for almost a decade now badly calls for a refresh.

Based on a previous generation monocoque chassis, the Hyundai i10 comes fitted with Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. In a typical pre-generation Hyundai fashion, the suspension has been tuned on a softer side and the steering is much lighter, thus aimed squarely for convenient driving within city peripherals. Push the car beyond its limits, and the i10 might disappoint you with its lifeless steering at towering speeds. This is surely not a car for the enthusiast, but then, it is every bit a comfortable car if you like driving at confined speed limits.

Hyundai has made sure that it caters to all the varying needs of different customers in the entry-level car segment. This is the reason why it has offered two engine options for the i10.

Let’s start with the smaller mill first. The 1.1 litre 4-cylinder Epsilon MPI petrol engine churns out a maximum power output of 69 PS and a maximum torque output of 99 Nm. On the other hand, the pepper and larger 1.25 litre 4-cylinder Kappa MPI petrol engine belts out 87 PS of maximum power and 119.6 Nm of maximum torque. Both the engines are coupled to a common 4-speed torque converter and return decent fuel economies. The engines are neither too lethargic nor too outright sporty in nature, making them equally adequate for city as well as highway usage.

The Hyundai i10 is not an all-new generation car, which explains the reason why it lacks in the safety equipment list as seen surely the majority of modern cars on sale in the world. Nevertheless, to make it buyable, the i10 comes equipped with safety features like dual front airbags, ABS and reverse parking sensors as standard, which are enough for a car of this size and entry level price.

In terms of novelty and keeping up with times, the Hyundai i10 might make no sense for you, given the fact that it is the same decade old car which has been phased in most of the global markets almost four years ago. However, keeping this fact aside, and you will be amazed by the practicality that this city car offers. The i10 still manages to score brilliantly in terms of space, ride quality and performance – the pepper aspects for any the car. With decent basic features on board and equally decent fuel economy, the Hyundai i10 still manages to be a practical entry level car for small family buyers who are out there to buy their first ever car.