“THE spiritual successor to the Getz.” That’s the parallel with which Hyundai SA has drawn the Grand i10. It’s an ambitious comparison, to say the least. The Getz marked a turn in Hyundai’s fortunes and wasn’t a grudge purchase, but rather a genuine choice for those seeking a quality small hatchback.
That in itself represents a huge pair of boots to fill, but it’s not the only challenging proviso this model has to meet. It also has to span the gap between Hyundai’s dinky i10 A-segment offering and the well-established B-segment staple that is the i20. So, can the Grand effectively cover both these bases?
To paint the bigger picture of where the Grand fits into the overall Hyundai landscape: it’s essentially an Indian-built version of what is, in the European market, the second-generation i10, but with a wheelbase stretched over that of the standard car. Its introduction to Hyundai’s local line-up sees the first-generation i10 soldiering on. Its formerly range-topping 1,25 Glide manual model bows out to create a R139 900 entry point for the Motion-spec Grand that culminates in the range-topping R159 900 Fluid-spec automatic. The new car manages to bridge the price gap between our local i10 and i20 offerings.
It’s the first compact model to which Hyundai has properly applied its Fluidic design language, with such signature touches as the hexagonal front air dam, swept-back headlamps with eyebrow apexes that flow towards the A-pillars and prominent swage lines running along the flanks all present and accounted for. Stretched over a body that’s 180 mm longer, 65 mm wider and 20 mm lower than that of its smaller sibling, the Grand’s stance is a touch more purposeful, but some testers felt that the overall styling, while neat enough in its own right, lacks the i10’s dumpy, cheeky charm.
In addition to 14-inch alloy wheels, which are standard across the Grand range, the Fluid specification ushers in front foglamps and colour coding for the door handles and wing mirrors, the latter featuring integrated indicators.
When it arrived on the market, the Getz’s impressive interior quality was something of a surprise in its segment. And, while many have grown accustomed to Hyundai’s ability to bolt together stylish, well-made interiors, the Grand i10’s cabin is still substantial and spacious enough to belie its budget bearing.
Although it’s 45 mm longer in the wheelbase than the i10, the Grand’s overall cabin dimensions, bar a few millimetres of additional shoulder- and legroom, are little changed from those of the smaller car. But the Grand atones for the i10’s main drawback, its 144 dm3 boot, with a luggage compartment measuring 184 dm3. It additionally has 152 dm3 more utility space. Supplementing a reasonably accommodating glovebox is a useful, hidden oddment drawer.
As with the i10, the Grand’s large glasshouse and supportive, high-sited seats afford a good view of your surroundings and lend the cabin an airy feel. As neatly executed as the Grand’s cabin is, the swathes of dark plastic makes the interior feel a bit sombre. Fortunately, there’s a R5 000 colour trim package that offers a choice of orange or red seat and facia-trim panels to lift the ambience.
With outputs of 64 kW and 120 N.m, the Grand’s four-cylinder petrol engine punches above its 1,25-litre displacement. Although it’s a keen-revving unit, it isn’t aurally intrusive thanks in part to improved aerodynamic NVH suppression and tall gearing, the latter which ensures that highway speeds don’t send the rev needle hard right. Those taller ratios do, however, knock some wind out of the engine’s sails when encountering inclines. Our mixed-use fuel route test returned a frugal 6,9 litres/100 km, marginally bettering the CAR fuel index figure and sitting just about on par with its featured rivals and others in its bracket. While the Grand broadly acquits itself well in cut-and-thrust commuting and the gearshift has a snappy, precise action, the clutch is grabby at low speeds and, as such, requires measured pedal modulation to ensure smooth progress.
Members of the test team also found that the electric power steering, although light and fingertip-twirly enough to make town driving a pleasure, possessed a few quirks when pressing on, the most noticeable of which is imprecision as well as a weak self-centring action that requires small but constant correction.
Even so, the Grand imparts an impression of being more planted and substantial than its 963 kg kerb weight would suggest, ensuring that it doesn’t seem out of its depth on the highway. Body control is predictable, if slightly top-heavy and the MacPherson front/torsion-beam rear suspension configuration serves up an assured and supple ride that errs on the choppy side only when encountering larger road scars.
As with most Koreans, the Grand features a standard features list that leaves most of its rivals in the shade. Our test unit’s Fluid specification includes air-conditioning, a CD/MP3/radio-equipped audio system with USB, iPod connectivity and RDS (not always a given on Korean cars), Bluetooth with audio streaming, electric windows all-round, electric mirrors, colour-coded exterior trim and remote central locking.
There are a couple of gaps in the Grand’s safety specification, however. Yes, the all-important dual front airbags and ABS, serving up an average-rated 0-100 km/h braking time of 3,21 seconds, are present. But, given that many of the Grand’s potential customers are likely to have a family in tow, the omission of rear Isofix child-seat anchorage points is something of a concern.
Test Summary
A comparison of the Grand with the venerable Getz should be taken with a pinch of the proverbial condiment because the former doesn’t completely measure up to the latter, a vehicle that’s still sought after on the second-hand market. What’s more, the Getz’s competition wasn’t nearly as accomplished as the Grand’s.
Price-wise, the new car spans the R140-to-R160 000 gap between the i10 and i20, but the small differences in overall specification and packaging between this particular model and the top-spec i10 Fluid see buyers to whom spec trumps space choosing the latter.
That said, the Grand is by no means an inferior choice as a light hatchback. The Indian-built runabout is well equipped, solid and substantial, and spacious enough to cope with most things thrown its way.
