Aug 27, 2008 10:49 PM
34870 Views
I am the proud owner of the first i10 automatic transmission in the city of Chandigarh(1.2 L, Kappa engine, Magna variant with Oyster Grey colour). I took the delivery of my vehicle on 8/8/8.
All credit to Hyundai for introducing the automatic transmission in small cars after Suzuki shied away from it and other manufacturers never even gave it a second thought. AT is a boon in the increasingly chaotic and maddening traffic conditions in the cities. Moreover, certain categories if customers like NRIs, aged people and physically challenged people are also likely to have distinct preference for the AT variants. However, to keep up its first mover advantage and to hold on to this niche segment of customers, Hyundai shall have to ensure that the spare parts of the AT vehicles are readily available and are affordable vis a vis the Manual transmission vehicles.
Performance: The 1.2 l kappa engine is very responsive and so is the automatic transmission(the vehicle begins to cruise at 10 kmph even without pressing the accelerator the moment the lever is positioned on Drive(D) mode). The overdrive feature in the AT is an added bonus though one may only use it occasionally. I have driven it at the maximum of 70kmph(the max my city conditions and traffic regulations permit) and the handling was very smooth. The motor driven power steering is also excellent.
The average of my vehicle is 12 km per litre but this is before the first servicing though I do not expect it to be more than 13-14 kmpl in city conditions anyway.(I did not check it on the highways though). I was surprised to find certain standard features which were available in my ten year old Zen car missing in the new i10. Notably, cabin light connected with only front door opening and no intermittent mode in wipers.
I have driven the vehicle for about 500 kms so far and my main worry is the seat belts on both of the front seats. These do not retract completely when released and may need replacement. I have also observed engine behaving strangely sometimes(as if the tuning of the engine has been reduced).
Apart from these “teething troubles”, the i10 AT is an excellent piece of automotive engineering and I recommend it strongly.
