MOTORING NEWS - Hyundai's all-new Grand i10 has arrived in South Africa and the manufacturer is sure this small hatchback has the potential to follow in the footsteps of the Getz that put the Korean brand's name on the map in South Africa.

The Motoring Guide Southern Cape recently had the opportunity to test this ambition at the car's national launch near Cape Town.

"We couldn't help drawing comparisons between the new Grand i10 and the Hyundai Getz - a car that was discontinued about four years ago. The Grand i10 has everything - not only is it spacious inside while small overall, but it is filled with standard features that will make it a compelling choice in the entry-level segment," says Stanley Anderson, marketing director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

"The Hyundai Grand i10 is to fit in between the smaller i10 and the i20. It fills that spot well in terms of size, price and standard features," he said at the launch..

The Grand i10 will be available in three derivatives in South Africa: a 1,25 Motion manual, 1,25 Fluid manual (with slightly higher specification level) and the 1,25 Fluid with a four-speed automatic gearbox.

LOOKS
Following the Hyundai Motor Company's design philosophy of "fluidic sculpture", the Grand i10 has smooth lines and an overall impression of athletic ability since its predecessor. With its different size the design team under leadership of Thomas Bürkle at Hyundai Motor Europe's Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany aimed for a dynamic shape to convey an impression of strength and stability.

The Grand i10 has the family look thanks to the by now familiar hexagonal grille. The car also has colour-coded door handles and attractive side-mirrors with the turn indicators built in. From every angle the moulded door panes have a definite beltline that adds depth to the design. At the rear the Grand i10 has also not been neg-lected in design terms with a spoiler and built-in LED lights.

Interior styling offers a choice between grey cloth with orange inserts, grey leather with red inserts or more standard grey cloth with grey inserts. The different colour themes are also reflected in the dashboard inserts and matching colour on the gear lever's housing.

DRIVING
Developed to meet European and South African driving preferences. Relocated and retuned components result in greater body and wheel control, delivering more driver involvement and ride comfort comparable to that of cars from higher segments.

For a small car, the Grand i10 handled a familiar but always interesting twisty launch route well, with accurate steering and good road holding in some wet weather.

Over different road surfaces, the new offering from Huyndai also fared well, with little road noise and a comfortable, easy drive.

We found the car roomy at front and back - which is borne out by the numbers.
At 3 765mm, the Grand i10 is 180mm longer than the smaller i10 and it also the widest in its segment at 1 660mm (+ 65mm). The larger body shell of the Grand i10 also boasts an impressive 256-litres of trunk capacity with up to 1 202-litres when the rear seats are folded forward.

STANDARD FEATURES
Among the many features of the all-new Grand i10 are luxury items such as Bluetooth connectivity to the sound system; keyless entry and electrically heated and folding side mirrors (for the two Fluid derivatives); USB and AUX ports for the sound system; an air conditioner and central locking for all the derivatives.

All three derivatives are also equipped with front fog lamps, a full-size spare wheel, attractive 14" alloy wheels, height adjustment for the driver's seat and remote controls for the sound system on the steering wheel.
Under the front passenger seat is a handy storage tray, while the driver's seat belt's shoulder mounting point is height-adjustable. Front, as well as rear passengers have height-adjustable headrests. A handy trip computer displays fuel consumption and range with the available fuel.

FUEL ECONOMY
The Grand i10's 1,25-litre engine belongs to Hyundai Motor's well-known Kappa engine family and incorporates advanced technical features that raise power and torque combined with smoothness and driveability.

Outstanding features of the engine are: a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC), dual continuously variable valve timing (CVVT), an aluminium cylinder head, lighter connecting rods and a maintenance-free long-life timing chain.

The 1 248cc engine delivers 64kW peak power at 6 000r/min and reaches its maximum torque of 120Nm at 4 000r/min.
Measured fuel consumption can be a low 5,9 litres per 100km, with emissions of 130g/km in the 1,25 Motion manual and 1,25 Fluid manual derivatives, and 6,9-litres per 100km with emissions of 147g/km for the 1,25 Fluid with the four-speed automatic gearbox.

SAFETY
The motor driven power steering provides sharper responses and accurate handling and the body shell has been reinforced with high-tensile steel, reinforcing loops and additional bracing. The torsional rigidity has increased by 27% compared to the smaller i10 thanks to a higher component of high-tensile steel in the body structure.
The firm underpinnings improve the car's impact-resistance and reduces noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
There are also dual airbags, one each for the front passenger and the driver and the car has the all-important safety feature of an Advanced Brake System (ABS).

DETAILS
At a price range from R139 900 to R159 900, the Grand i10 is offered with Hyundai's 5 year or 150 000km warranty and roadside assistance. A red interior option with a leather and cloth combination adds R5 000 and a service plan is also optional.

The standard recommended retail prices are: Grand i10 1,25 Motion manual - R139 900; Grand i10 1,25 Fluid manual - R149 900; Grand i10 1,25 Fluid automatic - R159 900.

The Grand i10 is available in eight colours: Start Dust, Phantom Black, Pure White, Golden Orange, Aqua Blue, Red Passion, Twilight Blue and Sleek Silver.


The design team at Hyundai Motor Europe's Technical Centre in Germany aimed for a dynamic shape to convey strength and stability in the Grand i10w. Photo: Hyundai.