By Ané Theron

 

The Hyundai Grand i10 comes highly recommended if you're an inexperienced driver who needs a safe and user-friendly set of wheels.  But the Grand i10 is much more than just a good starter car. Here's why...

 

As far as affordable entry-level cars go, it would be easy to spend the bare minimum on whatever has four wheels and an engine. But if you want to survive an accident with your face (and spine) intact, we think you should have some standards. The Grand i10 is one of our top picks for many reasons, and you can read our review of the flagship Grand i10 1.25 Glide here.

 

Safety

Starting from R167 900 for the Hyundai i10 Grand 1.0 Motion (with 3 cylinders and 48kW/94Nm), you get a solidly-built little car with two airbags, ABS brakes and EBD (electronic brake force distribution). Sure, there are other options with the same safety spec such as the Renault KWID (ABS was added quite recently) as well as the Datsun Go (now also with 2 airbags as well as ABS). But, the Hyundai is just a more solid proposition, if you plan on driving it for a very long time. Plus, it's really fun to pilot around town and beyond.  (Stability control would have been nice to have, but in this segment it's not very common. The Toyota Aygo and Renault Sandero both have stability control as standard.)

The i10  also gets front fog lamps, and electric windows are specced in all derivatives except the 1.0 Motion, where the rear windows go up or down using kinetic energy generated by your arm.

 

Tech & spec

Apart from being equipped with a trip computer, the i10 also gets Bluetooth and a USB port. Glide and Fluid models do have fancy touch-screens, but in all honesty, new drivers hardly need this kind of distraction.  Besides, there are buttons on the steering wheel for operation of the radio/audio/telephone/CD player settings so you don't have to take your eyes off the road.  Glide derivatives have rear park distance control as well.  For the complete list of equipment, you can visit the Hyundai Grand i10 microsite here.

 

Output figures

Where power output is concerned, the four-cylinder 1.25-litre engine is, quite obviously, the more desirable of the two. With 64kW and 120Nm, it's a fair bit easier to overtake slow-moving vehicles than in the 1.0-litre i10. I'd say rather go for a lightly used 1.25-litre model than a new 1.0. It's hair-raising when you run out of power when you're attempting to pass someone and there's oncoming traffic!

 

Handling

The i10 (in 1.25-litre guise) makes it fun to drive to Checkers for two-minute noodles and bread. It handles beautifully and is surprisingly dynamic! Very few cars in this segment are this driver-focused. That's why the i10 isn't just a car for new drivers, but also for wannabe petrol-heads who have champagne taste, but beer income. Other cars that have the fun-factor in this segment are the new Ford Figo and the Toyota Etios. The Kia Picanto offers driving fun too, but just be aware that the entry-level models don't have ABS brakes.

 

Space

Another point that counts in the Grand i10's favour is how much room there is on the back seat, even for tall adults. The boot is of average size for this segment, but we'd rather have more room for friends in the second row than a large luggage compartment.  There's no 3-point seat belt in the rear middle, however. But how often will you have three adults seated in the back? If you're a student, I suppose that depends on your popularity and/or preference.

 

Running costs & aftersales

Hyundai's 5-year vehicle-  and 7-year drivetrain warranty means you don't have to worry about anything, as long as you  take your i10 for a service every 15 000 km. However (and this is a big however), the entry-level 1.0 Motion derivative has no service plan. It's only standard from the Fluid model and upwards. You do get 5 years of roadside assistance, though.

The i10 has an affordable parts basket too and servicing is not expensive either. The 1.25-litre model's fuel consumption is around 6 - 7.5 litres per 100 km on average, and the 1.0-litre engine does about 5.5-6 litres per 100 km. This is on par for most of the cars in this segment. (I managed to get around 740 km out of one tank (in the 1.25 Glide manual derivative.)

 

Other options?

Other starter cars to consider include the Toyota Etios, Renault Sandero, Ford Figo, Suzuki Celerio, Toyota Etios, as well as the smaller Toyota Aygo. There's also the Honda Amaze and Suzuki Dzire if you are serious about having boot space.

(Your best bet would be to read Safest Small Cars for New Drivers  before you start your official car hunt...)

 

Here's what a new Hyundai Grand i10 will cost you these days:

Hyundai Grand i10 1.0 Motion: R167 900

Hyundai Grand i10 Fluid: R189 900

Hyundai Grand i10 Motion auto: R189 900

Hyundai Grand i10 1.25 Fluid: R204 900

Hyundai Grand i10 1.25 Glide: R223 900

Hyundai Grand i10 1.25 Fluid auto: R227 900

 

• If your budget doesn't stretch this far, a used Grand i10 with low mileage is your best bet.