Frankfurt motor show: Next Hyundai i10 to rival Fiat 500

The all-new Hyundai i10 has been revealed at an even ahead of the Frankfurt motor show.

Hyundai says the car, which will go on sale early next year, will compete with the Fiat 500 and the firm expects a significant number of conquest sales.

The firm’s UK boss, Tony Whitehorn says that the new car has grown and now bridges the gap between the A- and B-segments. But despite extra size, weight and additional equipment Hyundai UK plans to keep prices close to those of the existing car.

Hyundai claims the new i10 is quieter, more refined and more spacious than the Volkswagen Up. But despite Hyundai having no plans for a sporting version, engineers cite the Volkswagen Golf as the dynamic benchmark. Resultingly, the body is 27 per cent stiffer. 

The new car was designed in Europe, and will be built alongside the i20 in Turkey. It is 80mm longer, 65mm wider and 50mm lower than the car it replaces, and the wheelbase has is slightly longer for improved interior space. The new car is, on average, 20kg lighter than the current car, with the lightest model - a 1.0-litre 3-cyl, 65bhp model with a 5-sp manual gearbox - weighing in at 932kg. The heaviest model will weigh 1045kg.

It will be offered as a five-door only, and there are no plans for a diesel version as there is insufficient market demand. Hyundai says CO2 emissions will range from 98g/km to 142g/km.

The Hyundai i10 is currently Hyundai’s biggest seller in the UK, representing 23,000 of the firm’s 74,000 sales. The UK is the biggest market for the car, selling around 10,000 more than the second biggest market, Germany.

Hyundai says it will sell around 18,000 i10s in the UK next year, and around 24,000 in the first full year.

Click here for more Frankfurt motor show news.