CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – Hyundai has updated its Grand i10 range … and we drove the popular city car at launch through the Cape Winelands.
Okay, so what am I looking at here? This looks a lot like the current Hyundai Grand i10…
Well, yes … it does. That’s because 99% of it is exactly that.
So that 1% is…?
On the outside, on this range-topping Glide derivative, it’d be daytime running lights. And on the inside … well, nothing’s new. Other than the fact that some equipment that was optional before is now standard. We’re talking more a model-year change than actual facelift here.
Got it. And this, you say, is the top-spec model. What do I get as standard now?
Yes, the Glide replaces the Fluid at the top of the Grand i10 line-up and for your R202 900 you get such conveniences as height-adjustable seats and seatbelts (though the steering remains rake-adjust only), electric folding and heated side-mirrors, electric windows front and rear, rear parking assistance and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel remote controls.
As standard, the Glide now also offers leather upholstery (although doubts remain as to how many cows were harmed in its making) and light-red inserts on the instrument, centre console and door panels, which I must say, do add a little welcome flair. There’s also an infotainment system with a full-colour touchscreen, the daytime running lights mentioned earlier, and a two-year/30 000 km service plan to go along with Hyundai’s five-year/150 000 km warranty (plus an additional two-year/50 000 km powertrain warranty). And you get all that for exactly the same price as the outgoing Fluid derivative.
And it ticks all the essential safety boxes as well?
Indeed it does. In fact, all derivatives in the range now feature dual front airbags, along with ABS, although it still does not come equipped with Isofix child seat points on the rear bench. In terms of spec versus price, it must be said, this i10 Grand is tough to beat in its segment.
No changes to the drivetrain either, I take it?
Nope. Under that little bonnet is still Hyundai’s familiar 1,25-litre unit from the “Kappa” engine family. Its outputs remain the same, delivering 64 kW at 6 000 r/min, with a maximum torque delivery of 120 Nm at 4 000 r/min.
What’s it like to drive?
It’s reasonably perky. Look, a 12,2-second 0-100 km/h time isn’t exactly quick, but I had a passenger with me on the launch and, with the transmission’s five-speed manual allowing me to hook into the ideal rev range, it never felt sluggish. That said, up at altitude, and with a couple more people in the back, this naturally aspirated four-cylinder unit might struggle a little. Hyundai claims a fuel consumption of 5,9 L/100 km, but around 7,0 L/100 km is a more realistic everyday figure.
The ride is quite soft – as is appropriate for a car in this segment – but not wallowy. The Grand i10’s MacPherson strut front suspension, helped by the electrically assisted steering, provides accurate turn-in, while the rear torsion beam suspension set-up, bolstered by improvements to the trailing arm geometry and coil springs, provides predictable enough handling characteristics. But small, sharp road imperfections – often the nemesis of such a suspension system – are felt through the cabin … but again, at this price-point, that’s par for the course.
Seems like a decent little car then?
It is. And, as ever, South Africa’s highly knowledgeable motorists know it, too. Last year, Hyundai sold a combined total of 8 342 basic i10s (this line-up has now effectively been scrapped) and Grand i10s in our market and, with this updated range and the addition of a well-priced 1,0 version, the local distributor hopes to push that figure close to the 12 000-mark in 2018.
New 1,0 version, you say? Tell me a little more…
The Grand i10 1,0 Motion manual at R149 900 replaces the old 1,1 Motion and it comes with the same naturally aspirated 1,0-litre found in the Kia Picanto. There’s also an auto version for R169 900 (according to Hyundai, around 30% of recent i10/Grand i10 sales have been autos).
The 1,0 is pretty well-specced for the price and, most importantly, comes with ABS and dual airbags. You also score electric front windows and steering wheel controls with Bluetooth and an integrated microphone. Plus, it’s R5 000 cheaper than the 1,1-litre model it replaces, and that had only a driver airbag and no fancy steering wheel. The 1,0 model seems to be flying off dealership floors, too, with around 630 units finding new owners in January alone.
Look out for a full road test of this new derivative in an upcoming issue of the magazine…
