One of the most overlooked segments in the auto market is more often than not the compact car sector. Lest it slips our minds, compact cars are quite frequently the stepping stone into a relationship between man and machine that always leads onto a glistering path filled with betterment, car ownership.
Compact cars tick many of the boxes on our checklist for the proverbial first car as we prepare to part with our hard-earned cash to join the rat race that is traffic jams that snake through our wonderful city.
Fuel frugality, low-maintenance costs, fuss-free and value-for-money pretty much sum up the needs that compact cars have to fulfill in our market.
While the predominant force in that segment would be local cars, the Hyundai i10 has always been lurking around in the shadows. Launched two years back, the only engine option available was a 1.1-liter that, quite frankly, lacked the zest to keep the i10 nippy, thus failing to allow it to nip at the heels of the local offerings that were leading the market share.
That was quite a pity as the i10 packed a pretty heavy arsenal to keep it dog-fighting against the local compacts. The pricing kept it right up there with the king of the compact car segment, the Perodua Myvi, and also the Proton Savvy. This was achievable by badging the i10 as an Inokom, allowing it to be sold at a lower price. Definitely no complains there.
Now though, Hyundai Sime-Darby have remedied the lack of nippyness by dropping in a slightly larger engine, and by slightly we mean slighty, 1.25-liters, for a little more bite for the i10.
The new 1.25-liter Kappa engine might not be a textbook ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’ solution but the real icing on the cake is the detail of mechanical engineering designed into the engine that makes the i10 feel like a totally new car.
Constructed of aluminium, the Kappa engine promises more power whilst maintaining the fuel consumption of the 1.1-liter Epsilon powerplant. The engine will pump out a respectable 77hp@6,000rpm while peak torque stands at a usable 118.6Nm@4,000rpm.
Although the basic engine layout is similar to the Epsilon with four cylinders, 16V and a twin cam head, there are a number of mechanical innovations that contribute significantly towards maintaining identical fuel consumption levels to the Epsilon.
For starters, the engine runs on a timing chain, something unheard of in the compact car segment. Being relatively maintenance-free, servicing costs are kept to a minimal under the hood.
Even the accessory drive belt has been designed to be self-tensioning, eliminating the need for a tensioner-pulley. The self-tensioning also keeps the belt running smooth more, hence increasing the lifespan up to 160,000km.
Up in the head sit hydraulic lash-adjusters and roller swing arms that drastically reduce valve-tapping noise and lowers the friction in the valvetrain. The valve springs feature a beehive design that cut down on weight and press down on smaller retainers that do their bit by reducing valvetrain friction too.
Cooling in the block has been improved by using long-reach spark plugs, thus enabling the water jackets through the block to be enlarged. The increase in area allowed the valves to be enlarged as well for improved airflow.
The party trick of the Kappa power plant would be in the block. Most engines have the centerline of the cylinder bore lining up perfectly with the rotating axis of the crankshaft. Hyundai engineers added some offset to the centerline, leaving it 11mm to the side of the crank’s center point.
By moving the centerline to the side a little, the benefits include reduced NVH and fuel consumption by virtue of the side forces being lowered on the pistons.
On the inside, thing’s would be familiar if you’ve had some time in the 1.1-liter i10. The meter console now has a tachometer, something that was a no-go in the smaller capacity model. The integrated head unit is MP3 capable and comes with an AUX jack so you can hook up your iPod or MP3 players.
The plastics used on the dash are nice to the touch and the layout is very simplistic and neat. Just the head unit, air-cond controls and gear lever dominate the dash, giving it a very uncluttered feel.
While the interior has a decent touch to it and legroom is ample, it still doesn’t quite project that sense of spaciousness compared to the Myvi.
However, on the road the i10 does score favourably. The suspension setup was comfortable enough for us to enjoy the highway cruise yet firm enough to make tackling the B-road part of the drive something to smile about. Even though the steering is electric-motor driven, feedback through the tilt-adjustable steering wheel was sufficient to throw it into corners with confidence.
Sending power to the front wheels is a four-speed auto that copes well enough with the engine. It did exhibit some hesitance when needing to upshift, especially on the twisty stretch of the drive but in general it was smooth and would serve the city-runabout purpose of the car perfectly.
Highway cruising might not be the i10’s forte but it takes to it with zest. We managed to get the needle just pass the 160km/h notch and that was about all the i10 was going to give. Nonetheless, even at that speed, the car felt firmly planted and stable if the need to make some quick corrections arose.
Overtaking did require some precise anticipation on the driver’s side. While the bump up in power can be felt and does the car good, it’s still no whiplash inducing agent and overtaking has to be timed well.
Bumps and potholes were absorbed with a very reassuring thud that speaks volumes for the assembly quality.
At the end of it, the use of the Kappa engine does finally allow the car to stand up and be counted. Hyundai have taken the smart route by just fixing what was necessary and leaving the rest of it untouched, which is not a bad thing at all.
The bigger engine and the mechanical marvels packed into it works wonders for the i10. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s a complicated lump. The car is mechanical simplicity that does what it needs to do well.
The extra power make it nippy enough to be an excellent town-runabout car, the lower maintenance costs and reduced fuel consumption courtesy of the engine will surely be an attractive proposition for buyers and although it might not be the prettiest of its segment, an i10 would be a nice change to see on the road instead of the army of Myvi’s and Savvy’s ruling the road.
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