Surprisingly complete, but still just the ‘Smart’
In ‘Back to Basics’ we cover all sorts of cars, including cars that are expensive even in their basic form. That leads to some complaints here and there, but today we’re going to go really ‘back to basics’. Although, actually that’s not so bad with the Hyundai i10!
Hyundai i10 Comfort – €19,995 (normally: €20,995)
Yes, the Hyundai i10 is still around. You could almost forget it now that the A-segment has been significantly thinned out and all the attention is going to the recently and extensively renewed Kia Picanto and the recently renewed Toyota Aygo X. The smallest Hyundai received a modest facelift in early 2023 and was tackled again last year, albeit mainly under the skin and in terms of price. The starting price is now officially €20,995, but thanks to a discount promotion, the cheapest i10 remains just below the twenty grand mark at the time of writing. For a long time, these types of cars were much cheaper, but this is already quite an achievement.
But wait a minute, does it say in the heading that the i10 is less basic than Hyundai thinks? Yes, because the configurator shows a considerably more bare car than the price list promises. For example, the touchscreen is missing in the digital environment, while the i10 does have it according to the price list. The importer confirms that the price list is correct and will undoubtedly adjust the configurator. Another funny mistake: the list of ‘highlights’ that Hyundai.nl shows for the i10 Comfort consists of one item: the front fog lights. Let the Comfort version not have that now…
But even if the cheapest i10 was equipped with fog lights, that would certainly not have been the highlight of the equipment as far as we are concerned. That standard equipment is quite decent. We already mentioned the screen, no less with navigation, but the basic i10 also has air conditioning, cruise control, speakers all around, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a split-folding rear seat, a light sensor and a reversing camera.
According to the configurator, the i10 Comfort has no screen, according to the price list it does. Under the dashboard of the Comfort Smart, which also has a center armrest, among other things.
The standard equipment is so extensive that you would almost think that there is no reason to go for a more expensive version. Yet that is also too simplistic. For example, the basic i10 has manually adjustable exterior mirrors, a simple plastic steering wheel and lacks electric rear windows, a center armrest, lighting in the luggage compartment and even tinted glass. Yes: ‘lightly tinted windows, front and rear’ is included in the additional equipment of the more expensive Comfort Smart.
On the outside, the simplest i10 is also easy to recognize. For example, it has black, unpainted exterior mirror caps and door handles. The headlights are even unique to this version, because this is the only i10 without projector lenses in the headlight. This is also the only version with indicators in the front screen, because in all other versions the side indicators are in the electrically folding exterior mirrors.
The i10 is standard a four-seater.
The author’s choice
With a €1,000 discount, you can do two things in this case: pocket it or upgrade to the Comfort Smart version. I would do the latter. The standard equipment of the Comfort is fine, but the extra items of the Comfort Smart make that car much more ‘complete’ and also make it look less like the smallest part of the fleet of a large employment agency. For that €1,000, the Comfort Smart actually offers all the items that the regular Comfort is missing, plus a slightly more nicely finished interior and exterior.
A nice color also helps, of course. To make a statement, I would like to select Lucid Lime Metallic, but the configurator refuses that in combination with the Comfort Smart trim. That is why we are going for Vibrant Blue (€695), because there is also something to be said for a somewhat more businesslike and stylish color for such a small model. The total price is therefore €22,690, including that €1,000 discount, of course.
Incidentally, the projector headlights of the Comfort Smart are also not shown in the configurator and the ‘Smart’ has privacy glass in the pictures, but not in reality. Did we already say that the price list is fortunately correct?