The latest Hyundai i10 N-Line proves that small is not just beautiful but also vital
The sub-compact, or city car market segment has always been a ‘needs must’ one that Iain Robertson has appreciated since his first car (a Mini), which led invariably to a desire to own something of equal size but greater performance overall.
Long before I could drive, cars like the diminutive and surprisingly ubiquitous Austin Seven satisfied basic motoring requirements, accompanied by both low acquisition rates and low operating costs. The fact is, budget motoring has always been an essential need, as much, in fact, as affordable housing is, even though most property developers are not so keen on building them, due to the somewhat lower profit-on-return. The carmakers are little different in truth, as any quick scan of the latest model list prices will highlight, an aspect that I continue to question and criticise.
Yet, working to a premise of ‘build-them-and-they-will-be-bought’ (regardless of price tag!) has allowed numerous manufacturers to earn profits with a combination of guile, reduced dealer margins, hiked-up price lists and vastly improved specifications. Just as VW Group has now (finally) turbocharged its 1.0-litre ‘triple’ and inserted it beneath the bonnet of its ‘up! GTi’ model, there is room for the sportier option, just as it existed for John Cooper’s modified Minis almost 60 years ago.
To be frank, I am a genuine fan of small cars, despite my two metres height, and I never cease to be impressed by the Japanese ‘Kei-class’ cars, very few of which have ever been exported to the UK but that provide both taxation and parking advantages in their domestic cityscapes. Some of the 660cc models are as outrageous as the model names adorning their registration documents, mostly because there would be no space on their bootlids for the full badging…such as the Mitsubishi Dangan ZZ-Turbo-20×4, with four-wheel drive and a remarkable and unofficial top speed nudging no less than 120mph, despite being ‘electronically restricted’ to just 85mph!
However, remaining in our waters, the original Mini Cooper S set a standard that many other carmakers have endeavoured to emulate. As you may be aware, if you read my recent report about Peugeot Sport Engineered, I am also a fan of in-house vehicle tuning operations. They are beneficial to buyers, because the full weight of a manufacturer’s new car warranty is applied, to provide extra surety of the tuned vehicles’ integrity.
Hyundai, the South Korean carmaker, which also designs and even builds some of its new models in Europe for very sound reasons, has been reinforcing its N-Line status recently. Naturally, with an international race and rally programme taking place, its i30N and i20N models have been earning their stripes. Much like Ford with its ST-line, or VW and its R-line, Hyundai is applying the sporting essential elements to other models across its continually expanding range, with N-Line designation, which includes the sub-compact i10.
It is not so long ago that Hyundai’s city car combatant was little more than a better detailed and marginally enlarged (for its larger European customers) ‘kei-class’ model (Atoz). However, the i10 in its latest guise is a very complete and superb rival to cars like the Toyota Yaris, although larger dimensions are moving it, Fiesta and Corsa into i20 territory, which is broadening the small car market considerably.
Fortunately, Hyundai has set its goals appositely and the i10 N-Line gains the extra punch of the 98bhp turbo-petrol 1.0-litre engine but not without a comprehensive raft of N-Line branded hardware. They include exterior features, such as a bespoke, wider N-Line front radiator grille, complete with integrated LED daytime running lamps’ signature, an unique style of N-Line 16.0-inch diameter alloy wheels, N-Line badging to the front wings, dual chrome exhaust tips, rear LED combination lamps and red finishing stripe to both front and rear bumpers. The interior design features include N-branded steering wheel and gearstick, N-Line cloth seats, with GTi-style red stitching, rear privacy glass, a black roof lining and red air-vent detailing.
Remember that the original Cooper S was powered by a 1275cc A-Series engine that developed 70bhp, not quite twice the power of the normal 1.0-litre, in a featherweight body. Hyundai’s 67bhp standard 1.0-litre engine, in a car almost 30% heavier than the Mini, will clock the 60mph sprint in just shy of 15.0s. The N-Line version can despatch its 0-60mph in around 10.0s, topping out at a cool 115mph, which makes the almost 100mph of the original Cooper S look positively glacial. The zesty package is also supported by a series of ‘chassis’ changes that include an increased spring rate, longer rear bump stops and new rear dampers featuring improved compression control. Rather than ‘puddle jumper’, the resultant handling feels satisfyingly mature, the i10 tracking securely, riding out the worst transverse ridges that British roads can serve up and inferring a sense of sporting control that, to be brutally honest, was not entirely anticipated.
The cabin is neatly proportioned and accommodating for a wide (and tall) range of possible users, with a good range of driver’s seat adjustability and genuine comfort. As with all Hyundai models, the standard specification is already excellent, the N-Line additions only serve to enhance an impressive collection of both connectivity and ADAS that include lane departure warning system with lane keep assist (LKAS), drowsy driver attention warning, high headlight beam assist and forward collision warning with integrated autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and even ‘eCall’, which can dial emergency services automatically in the event of a serious incident, shortening response times and improving post-crash protection. Buyers choosing the optional Tech Pack can also benefit from an intelligent speed limit warning (ISLW), which might be useful, when indulging in the car’s sporting character.
With prices starting at a moderate but highly specified £16,195, Hyundai makes money from every i10 N-Line sold. When you factor in the five years warranty, which includes roadside assistance and 12 years anti-corrosion protection, acquiring a zippy little Hyundai looks like conspicuously good value for money. The hopped-up baby car segment is a competitive one, with Kia even providing its alternative offering as an in-house rival. When available parking space becomes a determining factor, especially for commuters, the Hyundai i10 N-Line becomes a very sensible choice.
