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| Starting a price fight in South Africa's hatch segment, the revised i10. |
HYUNDAI is taking the fight to other hatches with the facelifted Grand i10 range.
Competing against SA’s best selling the Polo Vivo, as well as the popular Renault Sandero, and the Swift and Celerio models from Suzuki, Hyundai has rejuvenated its Grand i10 range in South Africa with new features and added a new entry derivative to give this popular entry-level model a fresh appeal in the local automotive market.
The Grand i10 hatchback, which is the smallest new car in the local Hyundai range, has taken over the role of entry-level model after the i10 was discontinued.
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| The Polo Vivo is SA's best selling hatch. |
“We had a relook at the Grand i10 range, change the specification levels and added a new entry derivative with a 1-litre engine and the Motion specification level. The end result is a hatchback model with a variety of derivatives that offer exceptional value,” says Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
“There is a choice in the Grand i10 range for many different buyers — from the young first-time owner or student who wants an affordable car, to the buyer of a second family car with generous luxury features or someone who want to downscale to a smaller, yet comfortable vehicle later in life.”
Witness Wheels took the Grand i10 for a ride through the backroads on the north coast and found Hyundai’s littlest local cart to be remarkably spacious inside.
Six models to choose
The revised line-up now has six derivatives — three powered by the new 1-litre three-cylinder engine delivering 48 kW at 5 500 rpm and 94 Nm at 3 500 rpm.; and the other three using the 1.25-litre 4-cylinder engine which delivers 64 kW at 6 000 rpm and 120 Nm at 4 000 rpm.
The flagship is the 1.25 Grand i10 Glide (five-speed manual); and the flagship 1.25 Grand i10 Fluid (5-speed manual) and 1.25 Grand i10 Fluid (4-speed auto).
Price fight tactics
There are two ways to fight for buyers in the fiercely competitive hatch segment. One is to get on the podium in the World Rally Championships, and the other is to offer great value.
While Hyundai will this weekend strive to get to that podium on the icy tracks and long jumps in Sweden, locally the prices for the revised i10 range are equal to or lower than that of the competition, while offering a lot more standard features.
Prices start at R149 900 for the Grand i10 Motion (manual), where Renault’s basic Kwid is a popular competitor at R136 000.
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| The Toyota Etios offers a bit less but want the same money. |
The 1.25 Grand i10 Fluid auto, cost R3 000 more than the present top-of-the-line model, and competes with another Renault, the Sandero, as well as the Toyota Etios and Suzuki Swift.
Stanley said a passenger airbag has now been added in all the derivatives to the driver’s airbag, and steering wheel remote controls, including buttons for the Bluetooth connectivity for cell-phones and an integrated microphone also forms part of the upgraded features across the range.
The Grand i10 Fluid and Glide derivatives boast standard convenience features such as electrically heated side mirrors that can also fold in at the touch of a button, and an “infotainment” centre with a large full-colour touch-screen where, among a variety of features, one’s telephone Bluetooth pairing can be done.
Customers also has the option to buy a SD memory card for R2 500 to activate the navigation system on the infotainment system in the derivatives with the Fluid and Glide specification level.
With a 2-year/30 000 km service plan thrown in as part of the standard package of the Fluid and Glide derivatives, the Grand i10 presents great value.
Design and styling
Influenced by Hyundai Motor Company’s design philosophy, “fluidic sculpture”, the Grand i10 features sleek and substantial lines that makes the hatchback look dynamic and somewhat larger than its actual dimensions.
The body shell of the Grand i10 yields one of the roomiest occupant cabins on the market, as well as an impressive 256 litres of trunk capacity. Up to 1 202 litres become available when the rear seats are folded – also one of the best in its class. New levels of craftsmanship can be found in the spacious interior, together with levels of comfort and safety equipment commonly only found in segments above.
The sleek exterior design of the Grand i10 ensures a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0,35, which is aided by detailed improvements such as windscreen sealing that does not protrude into the airstream. The aerodynamic shape reduces wind noise as well as fuel consumption, contributing to very low noise levels.
The Grand i10 incorporates the hexagonal grille, the signature front end for Hyundai Motor’s cars, which clearly showing its family DNA and providing a link to its larger siblings. Grand i10 Fluid and Glide derivatives boast a chrome grille in front, as well as alloy wheels. The Motion derivatives are equipped with steel wheels with an attractive cover.
Colour-coded door handles and side-mirrors, with turn indicators built into them, combine with the attractive alloy wheels (in the Fluid and Glide specification levels) to create a very good-looking small hatchback.
At the rear a combination lamp with a spoiler and built-in LED lamp gives the Grand i10 attractive looks seen from behind.
The Grand i10 1.25 Glide is equipped with LED daytime running lights.
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 Glide also sports red inserts on the instrument and door panels, as well as the centre console.
The Grand i10 is available in 8 exterior colours, including Star Dust, Phantom Black and Polar White to a lovely Flame Orange, Fiery Red and Wine Red. Marina Blue and Sleek Silver complete the choice of colours.
Long list of standard features
Among the many features of the revised Grand i10 are luxury items such as the infotainment centre with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and AUX ports for the sound system, keyless entry and electrically heated and folding side mirrors for the Fluid and Glide derivatives; and an air conditioner and central locking for all the derivatives.
All Grand i10 derivatives are also equipped with a full-size spare wheel, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, and 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, as well as rear passengers have height-adjustable headrests. A handy trip computer displays inter alia fuel consumption and range left with the fuel in the tank.
The flagship Glide derivative also has park distance control sensors in the rear bumper.
Spirited Kappa engine delivers excellent fuel economy
The Grand i10’s 1,25-litre engine belongs to Hyundai Motor’s popular “Kappa” engine family and incorporate a range of advanced technical features that raise power and torque, and enhance smoothness and driveability. Mechanics who a decade ago deried Korean engines, now show respect to the 1 248 cc engine, which delivers 64 kW peak power at 6 000 rpm and 120 Nm at 4 000 rpm/min. Fuel consumption can be as low as a measured 5,9 litres/100 km, and 6,9 litres/100 km for the 1.25-litre derivatives with the four-speed automatic gearbox.
The fuel-consumption of the 1-litre engine is 5,4 litres/100 km for the manual gearbox derivatives, and 5,9 litres/100 km for the automatic version.
