Hyundai launched the new
Grand i10 in
South Africa late last year. The little hatch is the brand’s best-seller in the country, with about 5 300 units sold in 2019 to make it the third most popular passenger car in its segment for that year. I drove the stylish new Fluid model and came away satisfied.
The redesigned front end features a rather large and deep new grille and extends almost to the front lip. Within that are two LED daytime running lights on the flanks, something you don’t see not only in this segment, but in bigger cars as well. The headlights themselves extend to the side of the car and do not interfere with the bonnet. There are also two round fog lights.
The side profile shows dark 15-inch alloy wheels, and Gi10 badges on the C-pillars. 
At the rear the designers kept things neat and tidy, with the
Grand i10,
Hyundai logo and engine designation standing out. Our model came with a roof-mounted antenna and brake lights on the roof spoiler. In addition to five exterior paint colours, buyers will be able to choose from a couple of two-tone options as well, which fit in with the buyer profile of the car.
The 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine is not bad on power, although here in
Gauteng where I tested the vehicle, there is a noticeable loss due to the high altitude.
At its best it delivers some 61kW at 6 000rpm, and 114Nm of torque at 4 000rpm. The 5-speed manual transmission is tight and fun to play with, urging one to keep changing gears even when it’s unnecessary.
Hyundai fitted shock absorbers and a McPherson strut system in the front suspension, as well as a torsion beam and shock absorbers at the rear. Therefore handling is positive and matches the power output quite nicely. Of course more power would be nice, but what it has is adequate for the purpose.
Hyundai claims an average consumption figure of 5.9 litres per 100km, but I could only manage a best of 6.2 during the test period.
The interior is a comfortable space to be in, with artificial leather covering the seats and some red stitching on some surfaces. A multifunction steering wheel feels solid to the hands and turns quite easily into small spaces, while keeping firm under higher speeds.
A new 15.7cm touch screen was installed for the infotainment system which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as a USB port. Another USB port has been allocated for charging mobile devices.
Hyundai has improved on the old
Grand i10, which in itself was a better version of the popular Getz. It remains a desirable entry-level car with plenty of features to please its target market. A turbo engine would complete the picture and give it that needed performance edge against competitors.
