Overview

The Hyundai i10 is a small five-door hatchback that’s compact and easy to drive. It was launched in 2008 and came with an aggressive list price and compact dimensions. With an attractive seven-year warranty it sold in huge numbers in spite of very stiff competition from the Kia Picanto and Ford Ka. In 2011 the car received a refresh with new front and rear lights, a revised grille and updated bumpers.

Out went the 1.1-litre engine and in came a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol for the Blue eco variant. The frugal i10 68bhp Blue engine compliments other fuel-saving technologies to make the i10 a first port of call for those looking to keep their monthly costs down. By tweaking the aerodynamics, introducing stop/start, fitting low rolling resistance tyres and making refinements to the powertrain CO2 emissions in the i10 blue were reduced to just 99g/km.

The i10 then is a no-nonsense machine that’s cheap to buy as well as cheap to run. With the addition of the Blue model, the range comprises a 1.25-litre four-cylinder petrol and the three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol. The 1.25-litre is our choice though: it offers nippy performance to go with the 61.4mpg economy. Along with a five-year warranty and low insurance groups, the i10 has all the bases covered.

With all this emphasis on low-cost motoring one might expect the i10 to have bargain-basement attributes. Not at all: the cabin is modern and easy to get on with and there’s also decent space with enough legroom in the back for two adults to travel in comfort. The i10 became the darling of the UK government’s scrappage scheme in 2009 and 2010. The already competitive pricing became even more attractive to bargain hunters who would get £2,000 for their cars on trade-in even if they were ten years old and worth little more than a few hundred pounds.

As a result of that Hyundai i10s are a common sight in the UK, particularly in city centres. The city car segment is packed with impressive models, but the i10 has proved it’s a class act. To find out more, read our full Hyundai i10 review.