Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Corp’s Indian subsidiary has not had a decent run of late, with all its new launches—Getz, Verna, Sonata, Elantra, Tucson—not quite setting the sales counters ablaze. It was time the company, which wants to establish itself as a premier small car company in the world, reinstated its position in one of the biggest small car markets. It was time for the i10.
Unlike most cars, the i10 is completely new in that it hasn’t been produced or marketed anywhere in the world. Apart from the homegrown Tata Motors, no other company has accorded such respect to India before. In most other markets, i10 would be a replacement for Santro (Atoz), but in India it will co-exist with the latter. Not having a track record or a legacy may have its disadvantages, but many will fall for the novelty factor alone.

Exterior
After the tepid response to Verna, which lost out to Fiesta largely because of its looks, Hyundai has been cautious with i10. In many ways, it lies somewhere between the Santro and Getz. It is not as revolutionary or offensive as the first Santro, but in a market cluttered with models, it looks new and contemporary.
It’s distinctly Hyundai, but has a lot of firsts to its name. It looks strong from the front with the shortness of the hood the only indication that it is a small car. The wraparound head lamps are not exactly new, but along with a wide grille and fog lamps, they make a style statement. From the side, the car looks like a taller version of the Getz. The back door has been stretched far back to the tail lights, which ensures that it has large windows. The rear is more conventional with modified Xing type of tail lamps. Rear overhang is minimal and the hatch handle has the Hyundai logo inspired by the Volkswagen.

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