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COMPACT AND COMFORTABLEThe new i10 has spot-on proportions and sharp-edged details that make it look attractive

The Hyundai i10, which is the successor of the Santro, is probably the most important car to be launched in 2007. This car is being launched worldwide but as India is the most important small market for Hyundai, we are the first to get it. What’ ;s more, this car will be made at the Chennai plant and the car will be sold in around 80 countries. The Santro has been undefeated in its class for a while now and the i10, being its successor, should be even better. So is the new i10 everything the Santro is and more? We find out…

When the original Santro was launched, its unconventional design didn’t exactly take one’s breath away. The new i10 however, is another story. It has spot-on proportions and sharp-edged details that make it look attractive. The windscreen on the i10 is steeply-raked and it is less upright than the Santro. The aggressive air intake that extends down into the bumper, the short overhang (reduced by 20mm) and the chiselled wheel arches enhance the looks of the i10 and give the car its own identity. Even at the rear, the car looks great with distinctive tail-lights, tailgate and sharply-cut bumper.

The length and wheelbase of the i10 is similar to the Santro but it isn’t as tall. This has taken away from passenger space but Hyundai has made amends for this loss by making very good use of the horizontal space, owing to a more cabin-forward design. As a result, the car is visually less upright but the sleeker body is a substantial 40mm lower than before. It is when you look under the skin that you realise the new i10 is way ahead of the Santro. The front and rear suspension has been completely revamped and the wheel stroke increased to improve ride and handling.

Though the seating position on the i10 isn’t as lofty as the Santro, its ergonomics are far better. Visibility from the driver’s seat is great and the pedals that were placed awkwardly on the Santro are not present on the i10. In addition, the bulkhead has been pushed forward to liberate significantly more legroom. A centre console-mounted gear lever is also present on the i10 – a first for a car in this segment. The steering wheel is adjustable but not the headrests. The legroom for the rear passengers is better than that on the Santro, though there isn’t as much sense of space owing to the lowered roofline.

The quality of the i10’s interiors is better than any other car in this class. The dashboard has flowing contours and an interplay of surfaces that looks state-of-the-art. The air-con knobs have a silver rim that really make them stand-out from the black base and the air-con system too, is effective. The car has enough storage space; there is a well-located shelf below the HVAC controls, a pair of different-sized cup-holders and a very clever ‘L’-shaped storage area. Even in terms of equipment, the list is quite impressive. The 1.1 Magna version we tested comes with ABS, airbags, MP3 four-speaker stereo, solid parcel tray, leather steering, gear knob, handbrake lever and even driver’s side auto down.

The iRDE engine that is used in the i10 is an updated version of the Epsilon engine that first powered the Santro. This engine develops 66bhp of power and 10.1kgm of torque. However, despite the fact that this motor does have more grunt than Santro’s, the performance gain isn’t of a very high degree owing to the car’s increased weight. In fact, in terms of power-to-weight ratio, the Santro is significantly better than the i10 and this has a telling effect on acceleration times. The i10 is slower to 100kph and in-gear acceleration is not as good either.

However, the gearing has been tweaked to improve drivability; the good thing is during normal driving, you can’t really feel any performance deficit. The ability to pull in third gear at low speeds, the Santro strength many drivers have appreciated, is still there and the engine pulls smartly from as little as 1500rpm. . In the final analysis though, the i10 doesn’t feel underpowered in the least but there wasn’t the performance improvement you expect from an all-new model.

Given its weight, the i10 delivers a decent 12kpl in the city and 16.3kpl on the highway.

The new Hyundai i10 is a refreshing addition to its segment owing to its fresh contemporary looks and the fact that is comes with features one would expect on a more expensive car. Though its design is way ahead of the Santro, it is still too similar to the Santro in terms of performance and fuel economy whereas we were expecting a huge difference.

Yes, it is Rs 20,000 more than the Santro but given the qualities of the new i10, we feel it is worth it.

Price: 5.57 lakh (on-road, Mumbai)

Engine layout: 4 cyls in-line, 1086cc

Max Power: 66bhp at 5500rpm

Max Torque: 10.1kgm at 2800rpm

Top Speed: 149kph

0-60: 5.95secs

0-100: 15.5secs

CFE: 14.15kpl

Fuel tank capacity: 35litres

Boot capacity: 225litres

Length: 3565mm

Width: 1595mm

Height: 1550mm

Wheelbase: 2380mm

Weight: 860-952kg

Ground clearance: 165mm

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