Hyundai i10 review

Driving position

Being a city car, the Hyundai i10's cabin is far smaller than your typical family hatchback, and you'll instantly notice there isn't an awful lot of wiggle room inside.

For example, although the driver's seat and steering wheel both have height adjustment, the steering wheel doesn't move in and out, which could make finding a comfortable position awkward if you're over 5ft 10 (we speak from experience).

Thankfully, outward visibility is good thanks to small pillars all-round, so weaving the i10 through traffic or parking in tight spaces is pretty easy.

Tech and features

This is where the i10 stands out above competitors – its tech might not be show-stopping, but all trim levels have more than just the basics, making it a really strong-value city car.

The eight-inch touchscreen looks dinky compared with the hyper-displays you get in bigger cars, but it does everything you need. It's responsive, comes with built-in nav, a reversing camera and lets you change the car's safety systems pretty easily (albeit with a couple more clicks than we'd like).

Its only letdown is that we were unable to connect Apple CarPlay from the USB-C cable – it only works from the old-school USB connector. It's not wireless.

On the flip side, we love the physical climate controls. Sometimes you just need quick access to key controls. Our N Line model had the upgraded digital version, which means you can select a specific temperature rather than guessing from a scale of blue and red.

The i10 reminds us of a time when small cars were actually small, didn't beep and had systems you could use without needing a Masters in IT.

Engines and power

Let's not beat around the bush – if you opt for one of the standard i10 engines, you're not exactly strapping yourself into a rocket ship.

The 1.0-litre (63 or 67hp) and 1.2-litre (79 or 84hp) naturally aspirated petrols need a good talking-to before they get moving, with most of the power hiding somewhere near the top of the rev range. In other words, you'll need to change up pretty late to pick up any speed, which can be quite noisy.

The 1.2's 0-62mph time of 12.6 seconds feels slow. The 1.0-litre? Let's just say you'll get to 62mph eventually. The automatics? Slower still.

But that's not why you're buying an i10, and here's the thing – in town, they work really well.

If you want a bit more oomph, we think the N Line's (90 or 100hp) 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol could just be the most important upgrade you could make to this car.

Adding the turbocharger is like having a couple of shots of espresso – it won't make you a different person, but you'll react a bit quicker. It's thanks to the extra torque, which comes lower down in the rev range, allowing you to pull away more quickly and change up gears sooner (for a quieter and more efficient ride).

Handling and ride comfort

The i10 is built first and foremost for towns, so its light steering and tight turning circle are highly appreciated. It's relatively tall given its compact footprint, but it doesn't lean too much and feels quite darty when you're zipping between side streets.

Its firm ride absorbs bumps well, but it can feel a bit choppy over poorly surface roads compared with bigger cars.

Take it up to speed and it's just as capable in the outside lane of a motorway, where it feels stable and composed (albeit with its fair share of wind and tyre noise).

The seats are comfortable for shorter trips, but a lack of lateral support makes you feel ever-so-slightly twisted behind the wheel, which becomes tiresome when you're tackling longer distances.

Boot space

The Hyundai i10 has a 252-litre boot, which is enough for some shopping but you might struggle with any longer road trips.

It's way ahead of many key rivals, like the Fiat 500 (185 litres) and Toyota Aygo X (231 litres), and offers nearly identical levels of space to the mechanically similar Kia Picanto and the popular Volkswagen up!.

When you lift the boot, the parcel shelf stays in place because it's not tethered to the tailgate. It's a sad cost-cutting measure, because it impedes on visibility into the boot and makes it feel dark.

Rear seats

Clever packaging inside means rear legroom is pretty decent, so fitting two adults in the back will be fine. The i10's taller shape also translates to good headroom.

Even for children, the middle seat might not be especially comfortable, but it's good to have a backup – some city cars are strict four-seaters.

Storage solutions

Up front, there's a well-proportioned glovebox, a handy shelf above it and a centre tray with a wireless phone charger on mid-spec Premium cars and above.

The two cupholders are also well-positioned out of the way.

Safety

Besides the usual safety systems designed to minimise the impact of collisions, all i10 models come with a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

The i10 got a three-star Euro NCAP rating when it was renewed in 2020, which is the same as its cousin, the Kia Picanto (in standard form), but that car has optional safety equipment that the i10 doesn't to give it an extra star (so long as you've got the right options boxes ticked).

Three stars is pretty standard for city cars, but the Toyota Aygo X does better with a standard four-star rating.

Fuel economy

Official figures for the three engines suggest up to 60mpg could be possible, but they all have lower-end estimations of 40-45mpg, which is far more realistic.

In our testing over around 500 miles, we averaged around 45mpg. We saw the 90hp 1.0-litre Hyundai i10 N Line tip over 50mpg on motorway trips.

Reliability

Hyundai has an outstanding reputation for reliability, and all of its cars are built to a high standard, including the i10. Like its siblings, it comes from the factory with a five-year warranty, which is two more years than the industry standard.

There's no mileage limit, either.

Its Kia Picanto cousin has a longer seven-year warranty, and the Toyota Aygo X has up to 10 years' cover with eligible annual servicing (otherwise it's just three years), but both have mileage limits.