Hyundai Grand i10: This Grand could be grander

The way automakers categorise their cars is becoming increasingly complex. Not that long ago, the market was primarily made up of sedans, hatchbacks and station wagons. But it has become increasingly segmented.

Take the hatchback category, for instance. These days, it consists of compact, subcompact and ultracompact models, with crossover versions of each also on offer.

Now Hyundai has muddied the waters even further with the release of the Grand i10 – a model that, according to the Korean automaker, slips in between the smaller i10 ultracompact, and the i20 subcompact.

Does that make it a semi-subcompact, or an almost ultracompact? The simple answer is… neither.

In other markets, the Grand i10 is actually the larger, more sophisticated replacement of the i10 we know. But in South Africa, the combination of strong demand and keen pricing appears to have persuaded the powers that be at Hyundai to retain the smaller, now previous-generation i10, while also introducing the new i10 as the Grand i10, and pitching it at a higher level.

It’s a clever move, actually: why kill off a car that still sells in significant numbers, and replace it with something that, although bigger and better, is also more expensive?

As the name implies, the Grand i10 is significantly larger than the normal i10: 180mm longer and 65mm wider, to be precise, while the wheelbase has grown by 45mm. However, it’s slightly lower and more streamlined than the upright, boxy i10.

The result is a car that looks sleeker, less angular and more grown-up than its smaller, older sibling. It also incorporates some of the newer, sexier styling trends already adopted by the larger i20 and i30.

These include the relatively large, swept back headlights, the bold hexagonal grille, the sloping roofline culminating in a pert roof spoiler, and – on the 1.25 Fluid model tested here – alloy wheels and full colour coding.

In interior design and layout terms, the Grand i10 is a big step up from the i10. Both this higher-spec Fluid model and the entry-level Motion are comprehensively equipped, and feature a clean, elegant cockpit design with intuitive ergonomics.

A grippy multifunction steering wheel frames an instrument cluster with a prominent speedometer and smaller ancillaries while the infotainment system, and the rotary controllers for the air-conditioning, dominate the centre stack.

Comfortable seats, pleasantly tactile materials and generous glass areas create an inviting interior space, while the rear hatch provides convenient access to a reasonable luggage compartment.

As far as trim and finishes are concerned, Hyundai offers some brighter, younger options for the Grand i10’s seat insert and dashboard finishers, including orange or red hues instead of the more usual (and more conservative) greys.

The expected gains in interior space terms created by the Grand i10’s expanded exterior dimensions are not nearly as substantial as one would expect, however. Front legroom is up by 20mm, but at the rear (where it’s needed most) the space has remained virtually the same.

Similarly, the shoulder room is only slightly better, both front and rear. At least the boot has grown in size – if by only 31 litres.

It might be bigger than the i10, but the Grand i10 doesn’t get a grander drivetrain. The four-cylinder 1.25-litre engine is the same unit powering the i10, and it still pumps out 64kW of max power, combined with 120Nm of torque.

The all-aluminium powerplant is Hyundai’s in-house developed Kappa unit, and features continuously variable valve timing. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, but a four-speed automatic is an added-cost option.

Performance is adequate – nippy enough around town, but short of zest when loaded. You need to use the gears to keep the engine spinning in the power band, and expect to change down for hills more often than not.

The 0-100km/h sprint time is a claimed 12.7sec, while the little hatchback will reach a top speed of 167km/h – not exactly adrenalin-pumping stuff, but then, the little Hyundai isn’t playing in the hot hatch league.

With its longer wheelbase and wider tracks, you’d expect the Grand i10 to handle better than the boxy i10 – and it does, with a ride that is both more stable and more comfortable. The suspension does a good job of soaking up the bumps and ruts increasingly typical of our suburban routes.

Overall composure is good, even when pressing on, and the chassis always feels ahead of the game. Pushing too hard into a corner will produce the usual nose-wide understeer, but even that process is benign, and easily remedied by coming off the gas.

All the more’s the pity that the steering is such a disappointment. It feels completely overassisted, which is fine in congested parking lots, but borders on the unpleasant on the open road, because of the lack of overall feedback. You might as well be driving a computer game.

Admittedly you get used to it, but the Grand i10 deserves better.

For just R15 000 more than an i10, the Grand i10 is certainly grander in almost every respect. It’s a lot more handsome inside and out, and it offers a bigger boot, while ride quality and overall stability are much improved, too.

Disappointingly though, the interior is not significantly more spacious, and the overassisted steering dulls the car’s potentially good handling.

That leaves value for money as the Grand i10’s strongest talent, and in that context, it should win the Hyundai brand some new friends, while would-be i10 buyers might just decide to upgrade their aspirations. DM