Maybe it was the 'i' in i10 that triggered excitement. I'm sure the badge guys at Hyundai thought of it that way too. It is simple, in an age where the best, trendiest and most stylish packages come with an Apple 'i'. You know what I mean — iPod, iMac and iPhone. You might as well ride the wave. So I was expecting the funkiest, cutest most hip supermini on the planet.

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For this reason I was a little disappointed on first impression. The i10 isn't ugly but it is by no means as funky as I'd expect from an entry-level car chasing young buyers. That said, the i10 is way cooler than the Atos. Some street cred is earned with colour-coded bumpers and mirrors, fog lamps and a rear spoiler — complete with high-level brake light.

Unfortunately any coolness created outside is quickly lost when you climb inside the i10. Why Hyundai didn't slap some transparent body-coloured plastic on the dash baffles me. The interior quality is top-notch with the i10 ranking at the sharp end of the scale in terms of fit. Space isn't bad either and four adults can get inside the cabin pretty easily.

Our launch unit was fitted with a radio/CD/MP3 player however you’ll have to tick the extras list to get this. Aircon and electric windows are standard but if this segment is cost and trendy reliant why not scrap the electric windows in favour of a sound system? A four star EuroNCAP rating has been awarded but the lack of airbags and ABS mean that the South African specification isn't quite in that league.

On the road the i10 feels solid, steering is well weighted and the McPherson front end keeps the car grounded. Wind from a passing 18-wheeler doesn't cause any hair-raising moments. Unlike some price competitors a direct and accurate linkage means selecting any one of the five cogs is no problem.

You need to work the gears when contemplating a pass from behind a truck. Although the 1.1 engine, same as the Kia Picanto unit, is up there with its natural competitors it is a bit sluggish for open road cruising. It will sit at the speed limit but anticipating overtaking manoeuvres long, long before you actually start executing them is the only way. Round town the i10 does a more than adequate job and will keep the cost down with its fuel sipping tendencies.

An auto unit is also avaliable but we didn't get to give it a go at altitude. With the added performance at the coast the automatic Atos has proved popular and we could see the same future for the i10. Then again, slogging away in Johannesburg's traffic could also be a lot better with an auto so the odd Gauteng i10 buyer will more than likely go the two-pedal route too.

My verdict: Hyundai's i10 is a good little car, better in fact than the majority of its competitors. It does the job of getting you from A to B without a fuss and is economical. The biggest downside is that it doesn't live up to its funky name in the cool department and there are some more cultish cars for similar money with a bigger appeal to the image conscious buyer.

Pricing:
Hyundai i10 five-speed: R89 900
Hyundai i10 four-speed: R99 900