1.2 SE

Love it.

I will not venture to compare this car with its ‘A’ segment rivals because I have only driven one of them which triumphed in a few areas but is not as well rounded. I have studied a lot of reviews, particularly those written by current owners and the Hyundai i10 1.2 SE seemed to fit our requirements perfectly.
I was especially influenced by the lack of serious complaints about reliability and design shortcomings.
During a test drive, I decided to buy one.
The car looks stylish to me. I chose sleek silver paint; a £550 option, which I think really suits the shape.
I was offered a 1.2 Premium for £10700 (Jan 2016) with the paint upgrade and mats, by a franchised dealer through Carwow but I only wanted the leather rimmed steering wheel and LED DRLs and definitely not alloy wheels which from past experience soon corrode after just a few ‘salted road’ British winters. There are also some features that are now found on the SE that were only part of the Premium spec at launch in 2014. So I negotiated with a local dealer to price match my SE for £10,350.
A blue or white 1.2 SE could be bought for under £9800 and a new one litre SE was offered for £8700; cheaper than some dealers are asking for used demonstrators.
The interior is well assembled. There is no soft touch trim inside but the design looks clean and bright with all of the shut lines close-fitting and even.
There is very good storage; a decent sized glove box, several useful cubby holes, bottle and cup holders, USB and 12v connections, steering wheel controls for the entertainment, trip and cruise control functions plus 5 doors with 4 fully opening windows which are standard on all model specifications.
It is, therefore, a very practically equipped vehicle for a cheaper price than obtaining all of these features on many other ‘A’ segment cars.
I especially like the driver information display which has the usual trip computer but includes an outside temperature readout, tyre pressure monitor and an ice warning symbol and alarm which beeps when the outside temp drops to 4C; a shock when it goes off for the first time when cruising at speed.
Michelin Cross Climates have significantly improved the ride and steering, although I never thought they were weaknesses when the car was shod in the original Goodyear Eco-tyres,
My car had not suffered the rear brake corrosion that has affected some low mileage cars. (See 4th year Service and MOT comments below). I think this is because when parking at home we reverse down a sloping drive with the brakes lightly applied and this cleans the rear discs a daily basis.
Some owners have complained about the driver's seat being unsupportive. I found the passenger seat more comfortable. It has no base height adjustment but seemed to be set at the same level as the driver's seat cranked up to the maximum height. So, I raised the driver's seat base to its maximum elevation and then adjusted the backrest to provide my ideal support. As a result, I have been able to drive 650 miles without a twinge.
Now with 20,000 thousand miles covered, the Hyundai i10 is continuing to prove a very likeable little car in its own right but comparing it to the two cars I have recently owned for 11 and 7 years respectively, there are some surprising similarities.
The i10 is exactly the same length and width as our Citroen C2 but can seat 4 average-sized adults comfortably and still has a boot as big as the larger Mazda 2 it replaces. It also has near-identical power and torque as the Mazda 1.3 TS2 but like the Mazda, it produces its maximum torque at quite high revs; 4000rpm in the 1248cc i10 and it does not pull happily up even a gentle gradient at 30mph in 4th so town driving can lead to frequent gear changes; one of the few irritations. (The one litre Hyundai engine produces its maximum torque at lower revs and may prove more flexible in-town driving.)
Above 2000 rpm the 1.2 pulls with increasing flexibility and brisk cruises are quiet, comfortable and economical with power to spare. Out of town is where this engine is at its best.
The car is stable and well planted at speed, visibility is good and all of the controls have a well-judged cohesion that makes this a very pleasant car to drive and a relaxing mode of transport for passengers.
It handles well if cornered smoothly and rides comfortably on its all-weather tyres. However, It still does not steer as accurately as the Mazda if driven enthusiastically but the ride is far more compliant.
The gearbox is light and precise and I can claim from experience, a close match for the fabled Mazda manual boxes.
The overall fuel consumption measured brim to brim is 51 mpg.
This is a pleasing result as many of the journeys have been short.
Longer drives at sustained cruising speeds have had the trip showing 58-66mpg.
A space-saver spare wheel and not a near useless can of foam is now standard on SE models and above but only a £50 option on the S model.
In summary, this i10 is rather like driving a 5 door version of our Citroen C2 (an ultra-reliable, best pal for eleven and a half years) but with the passenger room, boot space and engine of our belated Mazda 2.
Yet, it is much more economical on fuel than either.
The 3 year Service plan I bought was a good investment as it cost less than the first three services bought separately.
The 4th year's service cost over £330 at the main dealer and rear brake-disc corrosion meant the added replacement of rear discs and pads at a cost of £360 and necessary A/C refurbishment at £138. Neither problem is covered under the 5-year warranty ....OUCH!

Oil and filter changes are annually or at 10,000 miles, whichever figure is reached first.
Thankfully, not the ill-advised extended oil changes that have plagued some other Marques of car.
I really like this car and would put it in the top three of the 17 cars my wife and I have owned over the past 46 years.
(No association with Hyundai or Carwow, just a regular visitor to the HJ website!)

Report as offensive