The only Hyundai sedan you can buy in South Africa

Hyundai has launched the new Grand i10 in South Africa, taking the entry-level position in the carmaker’s line-up now that the Atos has been discontinued.

What makes the i10 stand out from the other affordable models in its segment is the fact that it is available in both hatchback and sedan body types for the first time, as the latter shape has been on the decline across the market for the last few years owing to a corresponding rise in demand for crossovers and SUVs.

Outside of luxury options like the BMW 3 Series of Mercedes-Benz C-Class, sedans have largely fallen out of favour with the local motoring crowd as there is only one left in the country that retails for less than R200,000 and, until recently, only four that go for under R300,000.

The new Hyundai Grand i10 sedan, with its starting price of R285,500, therefore, comes as a welcome addition to a segment that has been mostly neglected by all but a handful of automakers.

This is what you can expect from Hyundai’s one and only sedan in South Africa.

What you get

Unlike the hatchback, which has two trim levels and two engines, the i10 sedan is only available in the top-spec Fluid guise with a single powertrain.

It uses a 1.2-litre, naturally-aspirated block that produces 61kW and 114Nm, with power being transmitted to the front wheels using either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox.

The manual has an average fuel consumption of 5.5l/100km, while the auto uses 5.7l/100km.

Because the sedan is only available in its range-topping form, it comes standard with all of the equipment found on the base i10 hatch, including rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, manual air conditioning, cloth seats, a multifunction steering wheel, and an infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Grand i10 sedan also has access to automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights, 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and auto-folding side mirrors.

Due to its elongated body style, the sedan measures 180mm longer than the hatch at 3,995mm and 10mm higher at 1,520mm, while width remains at 1,680mm for both siblings, and cargo capacity in the sedan comes in at a higher 402 litres compared to the hatchback’s 360 litres.