SIZZLING i10 NUMBER

Hyundai flexes its muscles with the i10. From the looks of it, it8217;s a winner

Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Corp8217;s Indian subsidiary has not had a decent run of late, with all its new launches8212;Getz, Verna, Sonata, Elantra, Tucson8212;not quite setting the sales counters ablaze. It was time the company, which wants to establish itself as a premier small car company in the world, reinstated its position in one of the biggest small car markets. It was time for the i10.
Unlike most cars, the i10 is completely new in that it hasn8217;t been produced or marketed anywhere in the world. Apart from the homegrown Tata Motors, no other company has accorded such respect to India before. In most other markets, i10 would be a replacement for Santro Atoz, but in India it will co-exist with the latter. Not having a track record or a legacy may have its disadvantages, but many will fall for the novelty factor alone.

Exterior
After the tepid response to Verna, which lost out to Fiesta largely because of its looks, Hyundai has been cautious with i10. In many ways, it lies somewhere between the Santro and Getz. It is not as revolutionary or offensive as the first Santro, but in a market cluttered with models, it looks new and contemporary.
It8217;s distinctly Hyundai, but has a lot of firsts to its name. It looks strong from the front with the shortness of the hood the only indication that it is a small car. The wraparound head lamps are not exactly new, but along with a wide grille and fog lamps, they make a style statement. From the side, the car looks like a taller version of the Getz. The back door has been stretched far back to the tail lights, which ensures that it has large windows. The rear is more conventional with modified Xing type of tail lamps. Rear overhang is minimal and the hatch handle has the Hyundai logo inspired by the Volkswagen.

Interiors
Even as the exterior is the best in its class, the interiors are disappointing. It has more space than the Santro and Wagon R, but has not been efficiently utilised in the front. Courtesy a smaller engine, the hood has been shortened, making the cabin more spacious. While the leg space, both in the front and back, is good, the cockpit-style gearbox makes the driver feel cramped with no apparent advantage.
The two-tone beige interiors give a luxurious feel and the quality of plastic is good. The instrument panel is uncomplicated with very few buttons and knobs. An admirable feature is the music system, which has been integrated into the dash and cannot be stolen, but the system is available only in the top-end Magna. Another first is the sunroof available in the Magna again.

Engine and Powertrain
The i10 has the same 1.1-litre engine as the Getz Prime, though there have been minor modifications that have increased the torque while making it flatter. On the power front, the engine develops 66.7 bhp, making it the most powerful in its class. On the flip side, this is the noisiest small car engine in the country today. Even at low speeds, there is a perceptible engine noise, which is missing in competitors like Wagon R and Spark.

Ride and Handling
The i10 is one of the most comfortable cars to drive in the city. Due to its flat torque, the vehicle moves at the slightest push of the accelerator. The gear ratios have been re-worked so you don8217;t need to shift gears in city as much as in the Santro. The only dampener is the lack of a dead pedal that has been an admirable feature in Hyundai cars. The position of the clutch is pretty high up, which means you end up tiring your legs on long drives. Due to an excellent suspension, the car holds itself well on the highway, and at high speeds there is minimal body roll. We hit a top speed of 145 kmph.

Fuel economy
Just like the Japanese, Hyundai have mastered the skill of making frugal cars pretty well. Like the Santro Xing, the i10 returned a miserly 17 kpl on the highway with the AC on and 18 kpl without the AC. In the city, the figures were 14 kpl and 15kpl, respectively.

Last word
On a lot of counts, the i10 raises the benchmark in its segment. With desirable looks, good price Rs 3.38 lakh-Rs 4.9 lakh and great ride quality, it will find many takers. A quick engine should over-ride irritants on the ergonomic front and high noise. With such a good package, Hyundai has to be unlucky if it doesn8217;t sell the i10.