Hyundai i10 1.2 Style

The i10 has been a huge sales success for Hyundai, but the arrival of the new Fiat Panda – not to mention the imminent launch of the five-door Volkswagen up! and its Skoda and SEAT counterparts – means the city car class is getting tougher by the week.

So, despite a mild makeover last March, our reigning City Car of the Year risks being left behind. Visually, it’s simply not as eye-catching as the more modern Picanto and fresh, charming Fiat.

The entry-level Classic model pictured looks a bit basic, but our range-topping Style test car is a much smarter option, thanks to its body-coloured door handles and mirrors, alloy wheels and racy front foglamps.

Inside, the Hyundai has neither the character of the Panda nor the modern design of the Picanto. But while some of the plastics look cheap, the no-nonsense layout is easy to live with and there can be no faulting the build quality.

It comes loaded with standard kit, too. Style spec features big car luxuries like heated seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and an electric sunroof, plus more functional kit such as all-round electric windows, electric mirrors and driver’s seat height adjustment. You’ll have to fork out extra to have these features on the Fiat.

The i10 matches the Picanto for interior room, and rear legroom is better than in the Panda. Plus, it has the most boot space of the three with the seats folded: 910 litres.

With 85bhp and 121Nm of torque, the Hyundai also wins out under the bonnet. Its throttle response is a little flat compared to the Fiat’s and in-gear pick-up is disappointing, but you can make good progress by working the engine hard, and the i10 accelerated from 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds – that’s 3.5 seconds up on the Panda.

On the motorway, there’s less engine noise than in the three-cylinder Kia, and the ride is more forgiving. This is even more noticeable around town and on back roads, where the i10’s suspension soaks up bumps and potholes more effectively. Even so, the Panda is the best of the three when it comes to ironing out the worst of city streets.

The Fiat has the edge over the Hyundai on open roads, too. While the i10’s light controls are well suited to town driving, it doesn’t feel quite as spirited or composed on faster roads. The front tyres lose grip sooner and there’s more body roll. However, in day-to-day driving, the differences are harder to detect.

Overall, the Hyundai strikes a good balance between comfort and handling, but lacks the Panda’s fun factor. Buyers will be more worried that stability control isn’t standard. However, with a five-year warranty and impressive residual values, the i10 still offers lots of hassle-free motoring for your money.

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WHY: The Hyundai i10 is our reigning champion in the city car market. We tested the 1.2-litre four-cylinder model in range-topping Style trim.