Its name might suggest it is a small city car and while that is partly true, it offers a whole lot more than you might expect. Wilhelm Lutjeharms got behind the wheel of the compact Grand i10 sedan in Fluid sedan manual guise during a recent excursion in Gauteng.
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Hyundai Grand i10 Fluid sedan manual
- Price: R292 500
- Engine: 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol
- Transmission: 5-speed manual
- Power: 61 kW @ 6 000 r/min
- Torque: 114 N.m @ 4 000 r/min
- Driven Wheels: Front
- Fuel Consumption: 5.5 L/100 km
- CO2 emissions: 129 g/km
- Rivals: Suzuki Ciaz, Honda Amaze
What are we driving and why is it significant?
The Hyundai i10 has been a great success for the importer here in South Africa. These solid and affordable cars have sold well, and with the introduction of the Grand i10, buyers were treated to a slightly more luxurious city car offering marginally better performance. Although the range starts with the three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine, the majority of the range and the sedans are fitted with the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder engine developing 61 kW and 114 N.m. 
As is often the case with these smaller cars, a sedan version eventually follows. In some overseas countries, like India and the Far East, sedans are often preferable to hatches. In South Africa that has changed over the last decade or so, where hatches are now often the better seller. However, during 2023 Hyundai decided to import the sedan version of the Grand i10. The bulk of the range is still the hatchback, but the two four-door models that have been added is a manual version in Fluid specification as well as an automatic version in the same specification.
What is new on the Hyundai Grand i10?
On the road, when I head to Gauteng, I prefer to drive a vehicle that is on the larger side and if possible, an SUV. However, the Grand i10 stood up well to its task of taking myself and our photographer criss-crossing over the province, being a photography car and swallowing our luggage. It is the latter that stood out for such a compact sedan. It might be a diminutive offering, but the luggage capacity is capacious and there was always still an abundance of space left even when our two bags, a photography case and tri-pod were put in the boot. That is also the case in the cabin and behind the wheel. At 1.87 metres, I’m not the tallest of people, but above average in height. Even so, behind the wheel I still had some headroom left and other than that, the driving position was standard in terms of everything being within reach and sufficient surrounding space.
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The infotainment system also did a good job, connecting to my phone, whether being for streaming music or mirroring my phone for Google Maps. Needless to say, the air conditioning also did a sterling job during the summer heat. It should also be mentioned that for such an entry-level sedan, a welcoming level of attention has been given to the interior design. There is a variety of colours in the cabin, some minor design details that stand out and the red stitching on the seats tie in with the red elements on the side air vents. It just shows you that cheap doesn’t need to mean boring.
What is the Hyundai Grand i10 like to drive?
There is also a USB and USB-C socket at the front, and space for your phone and a large and smaller cup holder. The car is otherwise well-equipped, offering cruise control and a multi-function steering wheel, from which the cruise control and sound system can be managed. The gearbox slips effortlessly between the five gears, while the 1.2-litre engine sounds small in size, which it is, but offers surprising performance if the rev range is fully utilised. If you want to move along at a quicker pace, you will have to use the top part of the rev range though. It should also be mentioned that the ride quality offers a quiet and pliant experience.
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Fuel economy Over the course of a few days and having covered 740 km, the Grand i10 averaged a respectable 6.2 L/100 km. If you are going to head onto the open road, you should be able to achieve a slightly better figure.
What are the Hyundai Grand i10’s rivals?
The Grand i10 sedan impressed in a number of ways with a charming design, cabin trim level and fuel consumption dominating the positive impressions. Two competitors include Honda’s Amaze (also offering a 1.2-litre engine, but not as well trimmed in the cabin) which is slightly cheaper at R265 900. Another contender is Suzuki’s Ciaz 1.5 GLX manual. Here you will have access to a somewhat larger car with a 1.5-litre engine, although it will also cost you a little more at R313 900.
