Do it the ‘i’ way

When the road got tight and tricky, the properly weighted steering wheel offered adequate response and feel. Do note that the i10 utilizes electronic power steering as opposed to the more conventional hydraulic type that adds extra strain on the engine - thereby lessening fuel mileage. This innovation is also found on other Hyundai automobiles like the Accent and the recently launched i30. It is only a matter of time before other car manufacturers follow suit, especially as fuel prices continue to rise. Fuel-saving tricks go a long way in helping motorists optimize their car use.

At speed, the i10 was well planted, even as the speedometer read 140kph on the SCTEX. How is it possible that such a small car can feel so secure? The engineers at Hyundai are obviously on to something. But the i10 is meant to be an urban transport and not a cross-country touring car.

Mileage figures when driving conservatively can reach well above 20 kilometers per liter. But when traveling long distances with passengers, this figure will drop, especially when you push past 120kph, which you shouldn't be doing anyway if you want to save on fuel. We're eager to find out if Hyundai will release a diesel version of the i10 any time soon.

Unfortunately, there are a few key features that are missing in the i10, and these include airbags and ABS. Of course, this won't be too much of a concern especially as the i10 is meant for city cruising and not high-speed runs through the country. The 1.1-liter, 65-horsepower engine is capable of accomplishing the latter, but that would be working it mercilessly hard, especially when tackling hilly terrain.

Tight, stylish, and a real pleasure to toss around, the i10 is Hyundai's answer to the cheap mini cars on the market. It is about time somebody injected some much-needed class into this growing segment.