Thread: Hyundai i10

The i10 has been part of Overdrive's long term fleet for a little over sand its going away is a bum¬mer. Honest, I have 'fallen' for the i10, which easily earns my vote for the best city car you can buy in the market; of course the recently launched 'Kappa' variant betters it to another level. The TN-21 AB 348 will always be special being my first long-term car. I can trace my memories of the i10 back to the exact spy rendering we carried on our cover to reveal Hyundai's small car onslaught. I personally didn't like the looks first and found it a bit of an oddball for a small car. Spending a few months with it and I am snowed under at driving a car that breaks convention and is a big hit in Europe too.

Talk about the looks and even pub hopping is not a prestige issue when the valet hands you the keys at the posh porches in the company of other swankies. The feel¬good factor is exemplified in the interiors. The roomy beige insides are well complemented by dark accents for a rich, opulent cabin feel. Barring the dimen¬sions, the environs don't feel like that of a small car. The quality of plastics is good and the options list is long for the segment. The leather wrapped steering wheel feels rich while the dash mounted music system is great to look at. The aux input comes in handy and I've hooked on everything ranging from my iPod to my cellphone to the system for a kicky output from the stock set of speakers.

The rear seats are spacious and can accommodate three average adults. The front row too is roomy. My only grouse is lack of adequate support from the seat, especially for the lower back, acceptable in the city but a definite no-no on extended expressway runs. The tilt adjust on the steering wheel is a boon for lady drivers, as I recall raising it every time after Mansi had been behind it.

The 1.1-litre mill is quite a delight too. No hot hatch this one, the i10 still has enough punch to potter around the city. The engine is torquey enough to pull well in third gear and will be appreciated by those who love to stick to third in the city. Out on the highways, it's another story. Given an open stretch, the i10 starts panting for power but manages respectable speeds of around 140kmph. The gearbox has been another favourite with its slick, positive shifts never letting me down even for once. The reverse gear though needed a bit of an effort to engage. The dash mounted design takes some time getting used to but is rewarding with its short throws and city friendly ratios.



The light steering makes cutting through city traffic a breeze while parking too is not a bother with its super quick responses. The steering could do with a bit more intuitiveness injected for the fun factor. The car handles reasonably well round corners but the soft suspension and scrawny rubber curb the fun. A loss round the corners came as a gain over the broken Pune roads, especially after the monsoons rendered the tarmac almost non-existent. The ride quality is superb and fully loaded, it's supple enough to keep occupants insulated from the jitters and bumps. I had been complaining over the tyres and still regret not being able to upgrade them to see what improvements this could make to the ride, handling as well as braking.

With all the fundamentals in place, the i10 is just about anybody's perfect city car. It's the fusion of all these and other smaller details that make it an endearing everyday car. The roomy feeling from the cabin, the nice touch of the steering, super quick AC and a decent audio system, enough space around to stuff shopping bags and friends while being small enough on the outside to squeeze into the smallest possible gaps in the traffic are its trumps. ABS and front airbags make it one of the safest small cars in the country. Drop down the rear seat and the cargo area turns into an enormous space; the ilO readily served as the photography car during various shoots, an advantage the hatches will always have over bigger sedans.

What bothers me is the thick A-pillar that obstructs vision while on a square and the fuel efficiency. The i10 constantly returned me figures in the region of 11¬12kmpl, which got better to 14kmpl on the highway. Being a small car, I would have expected it to be better by at least a couple of kilometres. That said, the i10 still tops my list for being so lively and user friendly, a great car that keeps a smile pasted to your face no matter.