What you expect from a city car is lively, peppy performance around town, and for the most part the i10 delivers.
Accelerating up to the 30-40mph maximum speeds of town and city driving, the i10 feels immediately lively and agile. Mainly, the i10’s feeling of urban agility comes from the action of the gearshift itself. The five-speed ’box’s throws are nicely judged and the lever moves with a satisfying, well oiled ease.
If the i10’s transmission is deeply impressive, the performance of the engine itself is less successful.
There’s nothing wrong with the car’s power or torque outputs on paper – 65bhp and 73lb ft of torque are par for the course – but there’s not enough zing to the way the engine goes about its business. The 1086cc four-cylinder petrol motor is smooth enough, but there’s a buzzy vibration as the revs begin to climb that makes the car feel vaguely unrefined.
Stopping isn’t a problem. Being the only car in the class with disc brakes all round and with only 975kg to haul to a stop, the i10’s braking is more than up to the job.
Around town ride is the most important aspect of this class of car, and is probably the i10’s strongest suit. It subdues the effects of the scars and potholes rather than heaving and pitching over them as a more softly sprung car would.
The steering is also exceedingly well judged for busy urban traffic. The electrically assisted rack is light, direct and relatively quick-acting (3.0 turns from lock to lock), and the car has an impressively tight turning circle of 9.2 metres.
Out of town, the taut but comfortable ride translates into impressive country-road composure, flowing over undulating, lumpy B-roads. Through corners the i10 stays flat, neutral and safe, with very little body roll and a decisive turn-in. The i10’s mid-corner behaviour is certainly predictable; it’ll either stay on line or drift into safe and controllable understeer.