Hyundai i10 Pre Model 1.2 Classic 5dr Car Review - January 2012

The Hyundai i10 Classic 5dr offers drivers enough comfort so that they can drive without any problems, although the basic model doesn’t have the adjustable seat height that may be useful for drivers who are quite short or tall. The switches and buttons are all well marked, and the intuitive feel means people can quickly get to grips with the car.

The small engine may lack a little grunt when it comes to regular motorway driving, but considering the car is designed for city use the top speed of 105mph is not to be sniffed at. The acceleration from 0-60mph may be a relatively leisurely 12.2 seconds, but people considering the i10 will not be expecting lightning fast performance at the lights. The drive is comfortable, but the steering can be a little slow to respond.

The i10 is never going to be given any awards for great design, but the revamp of the design in 2010 has certainly ironed out a few ugly patches, and the rear end of the car has been significantly improved. Features such as body coloured bumpers and colour matched handles come as standard, and the console at the heart of the i10 has an attractive aluminium fascia.

As well as the customary CD player and electronic front windows, it is good to see that Hyundai are looking after the driver by putting air conditioning in the car as standard. Although there are five seats, five adults may find it a bit of a squeeze to get comfortably in the car, although the i10 will easily handle four average adults.

When it comes to practicality, it is fair to say that the i10 has all the usual cubby holes and solutions that you would expect from a small car from the Far East. The rear seats fold forward in an innovative way so that there is a reasonable amount of space when you need to transport something a little out of the ordinary.

The i10 can also boast an NCAP safety rating of four out of five for both driver and passengers, and also comes with ABS and driver and passenger airbags as standard. One of the great features about the i10 is that if something does go wrong then there is a five year warranty in place that comes with roadside assistance.

The Hyundai is marketed at £8,345 which is slightly more expensive than the Volkswagen Up, but is still very competitive and it will be possible to negotiate with dealers on the price. With an annual road tax fee of £20 and over 60 mpg, the i10 is really very economical, and will also be one of the cheapest cars on the market to insure.

A 2010 i10 of the same model with around 10,000 miles on the clock will not have lost a significant amount from the showroom price, and depreciation on smaller cars is naturally slower than on larger examples.

The i10 is quite competitive in terms of price when compared with competitors being over £600 less expensive than the equivalent models in the Citroen C1 and the Toyota Aygo range. For those who are likely to be driving significant mileage in the city then it may be worth looking at the 1.0l Blue edition, but most people will find that the i10 1.2l Classic really does offer a great balance of value and performance for a city car.