Finally Hyundai has launched its global hatchback - i10 in India. It is Hyundai's second major launch after santro. i10 will be manufactured in India and will be exported to 70 countries worldwide. India will be the production hub for i10.

Front of the car is a mix of SX4 and Civic, the wrap around type head lights reminds of SX4 and central chrome grill reminds of Civic, it's a neat job done but does not earn any brownie point. It's low slung grille features the number plate which gives a very modern and stylish look. With steeply raked windscreen and ellipsoidal glass area i10 looks up-to-date in terms of style. In the rear it features Honda Jazz type tail lamps which give it distinctive look. It seems that i10 is likely to be equipped with features like - fog lamps in the front bumper, alloy wheels and rear wiper. Similar to the popular Fiat 500, i10 has dashboard integrated center console instead of conventional floor shift pattern.

Finally Hyundai got away with hydraulic power steering and fixed a fully motor driven power steering. It's fun to drive in the city, will off course be light at high speeds and would lack a little feed back .Comfort and refinement levels are very good, the dashboard looks modern with gearbox shifted from floor to instrument console and it is very well equipped.

The ride comfort for both front and rear passengers is much improved. It comes with 12v outlet which is mounted in the centre console, convenient for charging phones, running laptops or personal sound systems. Located beside the handbrake in the centre console, the Floor Console Tray is conveniently placed between the front seats and is useful for holding cups and small utility items securely.

It comes with ergonomically designed long front seat which has the back rest and head rest as a single unit - a perfect resting platform for the occupant's back and neck for a fatigue free driving experience. The engine of i10 feels peppy, the steering is direct and quick to respond and the car feels well engineered and put together.

It is powered a re-worked santro 1086cc iRDE petrol engine with maximum power of 66 bhp at 5500rpm and develops torque of 10.1 kgm at 2800 rpm. The new-age technological muscle power of Hyundai is evident in the high performance car beating the best. i10 takes this reputation of Hyundai miles ahead with its new, super efficient, intelligent responsive drive engine iRDE, a 1.1 L powerhouse with newly designed ECU that yields an output higher than all in its class.

It is much stable than santro at high speeds due to it's stiff modern body structure. In terms of looks i10 looks far better than its main competitor's Wagon R which looks like a box on wheels. Also the interior layout of i10 is modern and futuristic with gearbox position shifted from floor to instrument console. It helps in better and fatigue free driving. On safety front both Wagon R and i10 comes with Dual airbags and Anti-lock braking system.

Click here for comparison of Hyundai i10 with Maruti Wagon R

It has been launched in 4 variants with top model featuring ABS, Dual Airbags, Sunroof, Fog lamps and MP3 player with 4 speakers. Featuring one touch opening, the sunroof has both slide and tilt functions. It is available in 10 colors: Crystal White, Stone Black, Oyster Grey, Virtual Yellow, Electric Red, Deep Ocean Blue, Champagne Gold, Blushing Red, Sleek Silver and Alpine Blue.

At Rs.4, 90, 000 (Ex-showroom Delhi as in nov.2007) it is quite reasonable as compared to other cars in the market. There is an automatic gearbox equipped version on sale as well. Hyundai also offer an optional sunroof, making it the first small car to have this feature.

Update (New i10 with Kappa 1.2 litre engine)

Hyundai Motor India has recently launched the 1.2 litre Kappa engine powered version of its hatch - the i10. The aluminium block, first in its segment Double Overhead Cam Shaft (DOHC), 16 valve with 32 bit microprocessor Kappa engine delivers a class leading 80PS/5200rpm and 11.4Kgm/4000rpm torque which results in excellent driveability both in city as well as on the highway.

The engine is Euro 5 ready and emits only 119g/km of CO2 which is the lowest for this class of cars. The Kappa engine i10 will now be also with an automatic transmission. A four speed 4-speed, automatic gearbox is mated to this all new, powerful engine which will add to the convenience of city driving.

Developed over a period of 48 months at a cost of US$421 million, the Kappa project harnessed all of Hyundai`s engineering know-how and will raise the bar in terms of power, performance, fuel efficiency and environment and uses some cutting edge technology like offset crank and light weight engine material to enhance performance. The Kappa i10 will be launched in three variants the Magna, Sportz and the Asta with all top end features like the sunroof, 2-Din audio system, a unique red pack for the Sportz interiors and some class leading safety features like anti-lock braking system (ABS) and dual airbags. The new kappa i10 will be sold along with the existing Epsilon 1.1 litre engine variant and will be available in a range of 10 colours.

TV Commercial of Hyundai i10 featuring Shahrukh Khan: