Hyundai i10 1.25L

by Meryll Thoo

For every car, there’s a person’s dream to own it. The adorable, fun-loving Hyundai i10 fits the bill for an ordinary girl’s dream car. It is small enough, which eliminates the hassle of parking and driving for most girls and also spacious enough for a girl’s belongings and luggage. If size doesn’t matter, then the 1.25L Kappa engine i10 definitely kicks into gear during acceleration, something you don’t quite expect from a car this size.
 

Coming in three colours, Crystal White, Oyster Grey and Deepsea Blue, it is quite a boring selection compared to the 1.1L that offers more vibrant colors such as Alpine Blue and Blushing Red. Though targeted to appeal to women, these colours wouldn’t appeal to me much really.

Although it fails in its choices in colour, the 1.25L i10 is still without doubt a better investment than the 1.1L. You can’t really see differences in its body other than the difference in colour but it is substantially different in its performance.
 

So as we dive into the interior and ignore the physical, let’s look at how comfortable and reliable the car is. First of all, the seats offered aren’t leather but it is still a comfortable fabric and the size of the seats fit the average girl very well.

Then there are the accessories in the car; its compartment can hold just enough items and trinkets and there are two cupholders situated at the centre, making it easy for both driver and passenger to grab drinks whilst on the road. Eating and drinking while driving isn’t exactly recommended, of course, but it is an automatic transmission after all therefore, it is possible to do so (but remember we warned you about the danger!).
 

The automatic transmission is only a 4-speed and pick-up isn’t very quick but for a supermini, it still performs pretty well, managing to achieve a maximum speed of 160 km/h. To get the extra zip when the i10 is accelerating in ‘kickdown’ mode, the air conditioning compressor automatically cuts off for a moment and then it switches back on once acceleration becomes more consistent.
 

Best thing about this car I think is the power steering. Although already small in size, which automatically makes it easier to maneuver around corners, based on my experience with the i10, the steering was the one that helped me a lot while driving. It feels stable and solid enough, not too loose or light which makes difficult turns much simpler to overcome and less frightening.
 

And then there’s the sound system. I think it is essential to have good one in any car to ensure that one does not die of boredom. But there were minor glitches, though, in the beginning of the media drive to Port Dickson. The RDS, which is very actually very helpful in automatically switching frequencies across state borders, didn’t function as expected. It was like the radio had a mind of its own and started jumping through stations like it was playing hopscotch across different channels.
 

I also couldn’t find the seat adjuster at first as it wasn’t placed at the usual bottom right corner or under the seat but finally found it placed on the left corner of the seat. It also needs a little more effort to adjust the seat as well, at least to suit my body and preference.
 

Safety features in the 1.25L i10 vary quite significantly between the standard and high-spec model. For RM3,000 more, the high-spec comes with dual airbags and ABS with electronic brake force distribution. I think it would be better to get the high-spec model as safety should never be compromised over money. Also, knowing most Malaysian drivers, an accident is always just lurking around the corner waiting to happen… Other safety features include the reinforced body structure that uses high-tensile steel for strength but without a severe weight penalty. However, I think that the most important safety item to me has to be its 4-star rating in an independent car assessment program (the specs for the car that was crashed in the test may not be the same though).
 

There’s a battery-saver that recognizes any electrical system not in use and the i10 also has anti-carjacking central locking system.
 

Overall, the 1.25L Hyundai i10 is one supermini that is very reliable and sturdy in its driving performance but most importantly, its shape and design is very much appealing to women due to its adorable, compact and endearing exterior. It is definitely a car I wouldn’t mind driving on a daily basis.

PRICES
Hyundai i10 1.25L Standard: RM49,688
Hyundai i10 1.25L High-Spec: RM52,688
NB: Prices inclusive of insurance/roadtax for Peninsular Malaysia

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