The current Hyundai i10 is as close as you’re ever going to get to get to an Asian kei car in Europe, with its tall yet narrow body and slightly awkward dimensions. It’s also quite frugal, not bad to drive and surprisingly spacious – most reviews you’ll get to read/watch really put the little Korean in a very positive light.
Now, though, the wraps have come off an all-new model, which is considerably bigger and looks much more grown and has a bit of Ford design imprinted somewhere in its DNA – looks a bit like the B-Max from the front, I think. Still, with the extra length, there’s more space inside and reportedly one of the biggest trunk/boot spaces in its class.
There’s also extra room for passengers to move about in the cabin, and while the model is 80 mm longer than before overall, the wheelbase only grows by 5 mm. This means the overhangs are noticeably more overhang, and I frankly like the wheel-at-each-corner design of the current car much better – at least it’s more distinctive than this 2014 model. It’s also wider (+65mm) and lower (-50mm) than its predecessor, while boot capacity has been boosted by more than 10 percent to 252 liters with all seats in place.
It’s worth mentioning that Hyundai revealed a slightly longer version of the i10 with the Grand moniker in India on Tuesday.
Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: “New Generation i10 is another significant step forward for Hyundai Motor. Every aspect of the car has been designed and rigorously developed to meet the demands and needs of European consumers.”
This car won’t be bought on style alone, though, and its range of efficient low-displacement engines, comprehensive warranty packs and the oodles of interior space for its class will be the clinchers, I think. Granted, they have given it LED DRLs to spice up the look of the front, but they will probably be reserved for higher trim levels, so not all cars will get them.
The new European market i10, which will enter production in September at Hyundai’s factory in Ízmit, Turkey, will make its official in-the-metal debut at the Frankfurt motor show, which is just around the corner.
By Andrei Nedelea
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