Jan 31, 2008 01:07 PM
13132 Views
(Updated Feb 18, 2008 08:19 AM)
I was planning on buying my first car and was considering various options. Never test drove any Maruti product because of the space constraint in the under 4.5 L category(Alto, Wagon R and Estilo.) Test drove Spark but again faced space constraint. U-VA gear box is not as smooth. Palio 1.1 stile is lacking pick-up and 1.6 sport has mileage issues. Didn’t even think about Indica because of its losing market reputation. Finally booked the new Santro GLS variant and was about to take delivery when the i10 launched. I was fida when I looked at its photos in advertisements and website. Two days later when the car arrived in Advaith Hyundai, and I was on my way to the show room, I was feeling nervous like going for a blind date.
One test drive on Era and I knew this is the car I was looking for. Perfect looks, rich interiors, precise maneuvering, punch packed engine, smooth steering and gear box, optimal space, supposedly great mileage(cannot confirm this yet) and under 4.5 L. No wonder this is touted as the car of the year 2008. Console mounted gear shift is a huge crowd attraction in my office. For a person of average height like me, this gear shift position is ergonomic, but not sure about tall people. It’s better to have a test ride to figure this out.
AC is quick and effective with even the lowest level set for Bangalore climate. And there's no perceiveable drop in pick up with AC turned on. No need for any additional seat covers, as the original cover is a beautiful mix of fabric and leather. Good leg room in the rear compared to Santro, but at the cost of reduced boot space. The back seat is wider and softer compared to Santro and other vehicles in its class. I was actually able to accommodate 4 people of average build on the back seat with a huge travel bag in the boot when we went to the airport to see off a friend to Dubai. Ground clearance is ok, but you need to be careful with huge bumps and irregular roads when the vehicle is fully loaded.
The road grip is superb and car is stable at high speeds and when negotiating steep turns at high speeds. Low turning radius is a huge advantage for Bangalore traffic. I thought the ride is little bumpy but my wife says it’s smoother than swift when riding on the back seat. I had my first free service and was delighted with the service levels of Hyundai service center, though their pricing is on a higher side. The car is even smoother after the service.
Every great product has its share of cons and i10 is no exception. Beige color dashboard reflects on the windshield in bright sunlight and hampers some visibility. But you’ll get used to that in a few days. I guess this problem persists in any car with beige dashboard. My friend owning an Aveo also complains of this. Another complaint about dashboard is it has been designed as oval shape and you cannot use it to keep any small objects. Probably, you are expected to use the cup holder tray instead. That’s why this area has been designed to accommodate objects of various shapes and sizes.
Music player area is designed to fit the OEM player that comes with Magna Option pack. Any other players bought separately would be protruding out slightly from the rack. Hyundai is always poor with choosing the right shades for their cars. I would have expected them to come out with Swift like shades for i10, but this time also they have failed and the result is boring colors like electric red, deep ocean blue, alpine blue, etc. Blushing red is ok, but looks bad when it gathers even slight dust.
Beware of a blind spot when taking a right turn especially on a curvy road. Lots of people have already complained about the missing dead pedal and I’m also of the same opinion. Parking break does not give you a sense of security. So I end up taking extra measures like engaging a gear and putting some blocks against tyres, especially when it’s parked on an inclination.
All in all, i10 is best car in its class as of today and 3 cheers to Hyundai for presenting it to India. When the Traffic signal turns green, my rear view mirror now reads: Objects in the mirror may be "Farther" away than they appear.
*4.2.08 - Mileage Update after 1st service:
*10% AC
City Driving
Speed/Xtra premium used
Beginner driving(More Clutch/Brake/Acceleration)
Mileage Obtained= 15
*18.2.08 - Accident update:
*This part of the review addresses Tata AIG general insurance and Advaith Hyundai Service Center. My baby i10 got a dent and the service center estimated Rs. 6000. I was advised to call Tata AIG and register my claim. The toll free number was endlessly busy, so I called up the Mumbai number. The rep was very polite and got the claim registered. The same day I got a call from their Bangalore office to arrange for inspection and I asked 3 days time before inspecting the car and get the work started, as I had some chores to take care of. They obliged without any qualm.
3 days later I went to the service center, filled up a form and submitted the necessary documents and left my car for repair. All this was taken care by the service center and believe me I didn't even had to meet any insurance guy or explain how the accident occurred. This experience is in contrast to that of my friend's whose Aveo met with a bigger accident and he had a tough time getting ICICI insurance pay up for the damages. My baby is back from showroom and the repair is spotlessly neat, thanks to Advaith.
