i10 (kappa engine) - old shape

i10 happens to be my first car with my hard earned money, so my review will probably help other first time, car owners like me. I'm 5ft 7 in tall and have driven her on highways quite a few times. (Blr - Coimbatore). I also use her to commute to my workplace most of the times.

Mods - i have replaced the stock bulb with Osram night breaker bulbs for better night vision clarity within legal limits.

I would like to change the stock tyres for wider tyres for better roadgrip and suspension.

Exterior

Pros - Jelly bean headlamps, with curved rear. Looks proportionate and that too all black color for me. Not many i10's with black in Blr

Cons - not any to mention. Considering she is a better looker than Estilo's, Figo's, Wagon R and even Swift

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

Pros - Airy cabin, beige dashboard, get a proper view of the road and do not feel like you sit way down, unlike in a Ritz or WagonR. I found the dashboard and the downward sitting posture a issue in many cars. I did experience this in Figo as well. If you can't see the road well or feel the dashboard jutting out then i guess you will not have enough confidence to drive on roads. I also test drove the Polo diesel and Fiat Punto (though out of my price bracket) and felt the view from drivers seat to be commanding.  This is the basics to buy any car, step in, sit and see how you feel as a driver driving down the car. Do you feel assured that you can easily see from end-to-end and also be able to drive well.

Cons - space is ok for 3 average sized people at the rear seat. Also i would liked to have some underthigh support and more cushioning for factory fitted seats. Eon though a class below is better equipped for seating than i10 suprisingly for a driver. Also interiors i feel is better built in an EON when compared to i10

I found the clutch, brake positioning to be a bit high and awkwardly placed. You have to tilt your ankle at a certain deg. I feel Accent has a much better placement of Clutch, Brake and Accelerator than i10.. (probably because it is a sedan). This is one of the other aspects any first time buyer should check, sit in, try the gearshift and see if you are comfy, adjust the seating position, tilt the steering etc to get a feel for it. Do you drive long distances or short or both? I did not check this part as a first time buyer:-(

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

Pros - Excellent, smooth engine with 80 bhp on tap, smooth gearbox, effortless driving.

Cons - none really, though when you switch on the AC, you do feel a drop in power. But this is something not to be bothered about really...

Ride Quality & Handling

 Well here is where i thought other cars like Swift and Fiat outscore the Hyundai. Driving characteristic is bumpy and she doesn't handle the bad roads well. You will have an unsorted ride on Indian roads. Soln - replace the stock tyres with a better profile and ask your service centre to adjust your suspension setup to be slightly stiff.

I test drove a Swift and man, i was really impressed with it's driving dynamics over bad roads. Though i must say, i felt like i was sitting in a tank:)

Final Words

 Nice car, VFM, looks good, drives ok, comfortable on highways, i drove at an avg. speed of 100-110 on Blr - Coimbatore highway and it does not make me feel tired. A better profile tyre and a stiff suspension would greatly enhance it's driving characteristics.

Of course, one can't have it all in such a segment, but i believe it scores well in most departments and averge in some. Go for it.

Areas of improvement 

Already mentioned above

 

Jelly bean looks, neat looking rear and spaceClutch, Brake positioning, suspension