If there is anything worth recognizing in the Korean brand Hyundai is the fact that every generation, of each model, is stupidly better than the previous and highly competitive for its class. Hyundai, after all, in Korean means "modernism". Admittedly, therefore, the i10 Blue Drive of today's test, it's innovative in a... strange way.
The point, then, with the stress that has overwhelmed the whole country today (in recent years), is to own, for your daily commute, a "honest" Car. Well, well, the Hyundai i10, it is cheap and "honest". It does not promise comforts it cannot give, not trying to convince that it is something other than what it is, it doesn't promise you that it is cheap only to turn out to have expensive usage costs with ongoing damage.
Modern
First of all, in terms of appearance, its exterior design, the i10 is, by all accounts, nice. In fact, since taste in design is a subjective matter, it has nothing to envy from its competitors, with many considering it to be the prettiest in its class.
And internal, the picture is the same. The design follows the "rules" of modern checks, with ample and well-designed places for small objects (good idea the "extra" place in the middle of the dashboard, where I left my mobile phone, keys, wallet and cigarettes) and excellent ergonomics. The materials are of very good quality by the standards of the category, the spaces are sufficient for 4 passengers (there is room for 5), while the fact that there are no bare metal panels is a nice touch, as they are covered by hard plastics.
What about the equipment? Here, the Koreans are playing their part. They keep costs down, not giving you touch panel (I admit that I didn't miss it, but I wouldn't mind), but they differentiate themselves from the competition by putting electric windows and rear doors. The air conditioner of the i10 (very important for Greece) deserves a special mention, the temperature of which can be adjusted up to 15.5 degrees Celsius and cools the cabin very quickly.
In general, the cabin is not only well thought out in terms of quality and ergonomics, but also spacious. As is the trunk one of the largest in its class, since it reaches the 252 litres and its door gives a large opening that facilitates the loading and unloading of objects. Thus, its passengers will not be inconvenienced on the journey.
On the road
The logical thing, of course, for a 1.000 city carit would be to... to suffer the same on the journey. And yet: The i10 is a pleasant surprise as it moves down the road. Because, it turns out, the trump is not only the low consumption (you can easily drop it below 6 lt/100km) and the fact that it has CO2 emissions below 98 g/km. Ο three-cylinder, atmospheric petrol engine with the 66 horsepower and 95 Nm of torque is a "diamond". Enough snappy, even at low revs wronged by the numbers. Which give for 0-100 15 seconds and final 155 I lose. And yet, on the road, the i10 looks (and is!) much more spirited than the numbers suggest. It never leaves you without power, and by the time the speedometer reads "160" does not "hang".
The five-pound box of is from the Top of the category, while the steering wheel although it does not provide excellent information, it will not fool you. At low, but even at high - by its standards, or at any rate... out of the law - speeds, the i10 provides soundproofing and comfort that rivals the "performance" in the larger car sector. In general, the rolling quality the limits of the largest category, while the post dampens the irregularities of the road surface not at all dry.
In this way, with the small dimensions (length 3,67 m.) and the large spaces, the ISG (start/stop) system and the low-friction Hankook Kinergy Eco tyres, life with it is a breeze.
But how is it at the limits; Here is the big surprise of the i10. I expected that with the 13" wheels, when pushed, it would be steep, but it proved me wrong. Its reactions are mild and progressive, warning the driver that he is about to "pull out". The i10's grip margins, despite its low-friction tyres, are very high and it probably needs a... Try than the average driver to find them. Even then, the i10 has the tendency to pull out the tail of progressively and without frightening.
In conclusion, the Hyundai i10 is cheap (in the 10,000 euro range), it burns little, has low maintenance costs, is well designed, safe at all levels, comfortable, well equipped. It is not only one of the most complete minis on the market, it is a honest carthat gives you exactly what you want.
One last thing, in closing: I would suggest, for the i10, the colour of our test car, which "writes" nicely on it. And which, unfortunately, some ignorant, rude person who shouldn't be on the streets scratched out of our i10's mirror and walked away. As if insurance wouldn't pay for it.
