Super i10 is a cracking little package

Fuel prices might (at last) be starting to fall at the pumps but in these difficult times people are keener to seek out a reasonably priced car with plenty of kit and a good warranty, writes motoring editor Sharon Walters.

And that's where the i10 from Hyundai should be succeeding.

In its supermini sector there is little to better the package from the Korean manufacturer. Prices start at £6,745, running costs are low, kit level is high and you get a five year unlimited mileage, manufacturer backed warranty plus a ten-year anti-perforation warranty.

Now that makes an extremely good package for an urban runabout that actually manages quite well on the motorway too.

The i10 has the sort of equipment which is almost unheard of in this sector of the market. Air conditioning is increasingly seen as essential by all motorists, but surprisingly some mainstream manufacturers still relegate it to the options list for their A, B and even C-segment offerings.

When the i10 was launched it marked the point at which Hyundai became an all air conditioned range. This brings a real benefit, not just in hot weather, but also in the winter when the dehumidifying effect results in far faster demisting.

Also included across the range in the equipment list are four airbags, a six-speaker stereo with MP3-compatible CD player and aux-in socket, 14-inch wheels, electric windows and central locking.

There are also Isofix mountings, electric windows, colour coded bumpers, central locking and that all-important auxiliary port for your MP3 player. On the same price level the i10 is amazing value.

This level of equipment is standard on the entry-level Classic trim, but for those who desire even more there are two steps up the range.

The Comfort is available with a manual or automatic gearbox and gains alloys, rear electric windows, front fog lights, a height adjustable driver's seat, power outlet, electric door mirrors, remote central locking and colour coding on the exterior mirrors and door handles.

At the top of the range, the Style has 15-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, metal grain fascia, a rear roof spoiler and even an electric sunroof.

Personally if I were driving mainly in urban conditions I would have the automatic box and I would opt to have the 15-inch alloy wheels on the Classic and Trim levels as they make for a more comfortable ride than the rather thin 14 inch ones.

All i10s have a 1.1-litre, 65bhp petrol engine which returns 56.5mpg on the combined cycle, and produces just 119g/km of CO2 for the Classic and Comfort models (there is also a Style).

This means it qualifies for a road fund licence (tax disc) charge of just £35 per year and the new 10 percent benefit-in-kind company car tax level. Inside you can actually seat five - and the rear three in reasonable comfort - and there is space for luggage.

That space comes about due it having the longest wheelbase in the class.

An added advantage space-wise are the split/folding rear seats and you also get useful storage spots under the boot floor as well as around the cabin.

The long wheelbase also gives the ride and handling characteristics of a bigger car, which is one of the reasons it handles motorways quite well.

And while it may only have 1.1 litres, the engine is perky enough to make that motorway travelling relatively comfortable and to give you confidence to use the outside lane.

As the saying goes - the best things come in small packages - and in this case they do.

By Sharon Walters