I can’t see myself in the new Hyundai Grand i10

Hyundai’s number one seller in South Africa, the Grand i10, has been given a subtle little nip and tuck to maintain its appeal in the entry level segment of the market. But as cute as I thought it was, there is just no way I could see myself inside this new hatchback.

There are new LED daytime running lamps and fog lamps for the R230 900 1.2 Fluid I was driving. Plus bumpers and door handles finished in body-coloured and a new front grille finished with neat chrome. You also get 15-inch alloys and some two-tone colour options complete the exterior package and allow you a fairly decent level of personalisation.

The Grand i10 is just as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside with its leather seats and sassy red stitching. And you also you get so much spec and luxury, its hard to believe that this is car that competes at the bottom end of the price range.

rear view

Heated side mirrors, a multi-function steering wheel, air conditioning, a 6.2-inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto when connected to your smartphone via a cable to an USB port, rear seats that fold down for added loading space, and a driver’s seat that is height adjustable, which is perfect for shorter lady drivers like me to get into a comfortable driving position.

The 1.2-litre non turbocharged engine provides sufficient drive from its 61 kW of power and 114 Nm of torque, and the five-speed manual gearbox and clutch are nice and light and easy to use. Squeezing into tight spaces and parking anywhere you find a space is a breeze, and as a bonus for a girl on a budget, fuel consumption hovered around the 6.0-litres per 100km mark.

Staying with the budget talk. It is important these days with the prices of apartments being so crazy and the general cost of living being what it is. At least you know when you buy a Hyundai Grand i10, you get a seven year/200 000 km manufacturers’ warranty, as well as a one year/15 000 km service plan and five year/150 000 km roadside assistance. Dare I say it, but your new car will probably be cheaper to have around, more dependable and outlast your boyfriend.

interior

Safety is pretty decent too, as all the new Grand i10 versions come with driver and front passenger airbags, ISOFIX child seat attachments on the rear seats and pretensioners for the front seat occupants’ seat belts. As is Advanced Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) are standard features on all derivatives.

But despite all this attention to detail and cute touches, there is no mirror on the driver’s side sun visor, and that means there is no doing of your makeup while stuck in the traffic. Yes, you know many women do, so don’t roll your eyes. So last-minute checking of your appearance is out the window. Come on Hyundai, this is a vital omission in my humble opinion.