New Hyundai Grand i10 A lot of car in a small package

Hyundai has rejuvenated its Grand i10 range in South Africa, adding a new entry derivative, plus new features across the line.

The Grand i10 hatchback – the smallest new car in the local Hyundai range – has taken over the role of entry-level model after the i10 was discontinued.

“There is a choice in the Grand i10 range for many different buyers – from the young first-time owner who wants an affordable car, to the buyer of a second family car with luxury features or someone who wants to downscale to a smaller, yet comfortable vehicle later in life,” says Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

The revised Grand i10 line-up consists of six derivatives – three powered by Hyundai’s new one-litre, three-cylinder engine delivering 48kW of power at 5 500rpm and 94Nm of torque at 3 500rpm. The other three use a 1.25-litre, four-cylinder engine which delivers 64kW at 6 000rpm and 120 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm.

The one-litre derivatives are the 1.0 Grand i10 Motion with a five-speed manual gearbox, the 1.0 Grand i10 Motion with fourspeed auto box, and the 1.0 Grand i10 Fluid, with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The derivatives with the more powerful engine are the flagship 1.25 Grand i10 Glide (five-speed manual), and 1.25 Grand i10 Fluid models, which come with a choice of five-speed manual or fourspeed automatic.

Standard features across the range include a passenger airbag, steering wheel remote controls, keyless entry, USB and AUX ports for the sound system; an air conditioner, central locking, front fog lamps, a full-size spare wheel, 14-inch alloy wheels, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, plus remote controls for the sound system and driver’s information on the steering wheel.

Under the front passenger seat is a handy storage tray, while the driver’s seat belt’s shoulder mounting point is height-adjustable. Front and rear passengers have height-adjustable headrests.

A handy trip computer displays fuel consumption and range left with the fuel in the tank.

The Grand i10 yields 256 litres of trunk capacity, with up to 1 202 litres available when the rear seats are folded down. Interior styling and trim differs from black cloth for the Motion and Fluid derivatives, to black leather and red cloth for the Grand i10 Glide.

The new range is available in eight exterior colours, including Star Dust, Phantom Black, Polar White, Flame Orange, Fiery Red, Wine Red, Marina Blue and Sleek Silver.

According to Hyundai, fuel consumption for the 1.25-litre derivatives with the four-speed automatic gearbox can be as low as 5,9 litres/100 km, and 6,9 litres/100 km for the five-speed manual.

The fuel-consumption of the one-litre engine is said to be 5,4 litres/100 km for the manual gearbox derivatives, and 5,9 litres/100 km for the automatic version.

The McPherson strut front suspension of the Grand i10 and its electric motor assisted steering system provides good handling characteristics. At the rear, a coupled torsion beam suspension ensures comfortable driving with a stable and firm grip on the road.

Improvements to the trailing arm geometry and rear coil springs of the rear suspension have contributed to the secure handling and comfortable ride of the Grand i10.

The Grand i10 range with their standard recommended retail prices is:

• Grand i10 1.0 Motion manual R149 900
• Grand i10 1.0 Motion automatic R169 900
• Grand i10 1.0 Fluid manual R169 900
• Grand i10 1.25 Fluid manual R189 900
• Grand i10 1.25 Fluid automatic R206 900
• Grand i10 1.25 Glide manual R202 900

All the vehicles come with Hyundai’s five-year/150 000 km manufacturs’ warranty, an additional two-years/50 000 km powertrain warranty, and five-year/150 000 km roadside assistance.