SMALL and spacious are two words that describe the Hyundai i10 perfectly.

Unusually for a car this size, it’s also very practical. It’s well-built, economical and small enough to be easy to park, yet as it only comes in five-door format, you can get all of your passengers in – even the tall ones - in the back.

There are just the two petrol engines to choose from, a 1.0-litre three-cylinder with 65bhp and a 1.2-litre four-cylinder with 85bhp along with a choice of S, SE or Premium trim.

Both engines have either a five-speed manual gearbox as standard or an optional four-speed automatic transmission.

I drove the top spec 1.0-litre version, which is slightly longer, wider and lower than its predecessor and costs just over £10,000. Although it’s very much a city car, it performed well at motorway speeds and the aerodynamic shape has helped reduce wind noise, so it was quieter than expected.

Inside, the interior has a quality feel to it and the controls are all clearly labelled and easy to reach.

There is a host of standard equipment including LED running lights, USB input, automatic climate control and a heated leather steering wheel and cruise control provide additional comfort.

Safety features include the standard-fitment of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Control and six airbags with front curtain. There’s no satnav, but I tend to use my iPhone for directions now anyway. Or an old-fashioned map like the good old days.

Steering is light steering and there is good all-round visibility, as a shallower windscreen and A-pillars gives a perceivably larger field of vision, making exiting blind turns safer and manoeuvring in tight city spaces easier.

Boot space has increased to a modest 252 litres, although this goes up to 1046 with the 60:40 split rear seats folded. As an example, I could just about fit in a buggy without putting seats down, though I did need to take the wheels off.

The new style and expanded range of abilities is likely to attract new customers for Hyundai – predominantly 36-55 year-olds who rate design as the deciding factor when purchasing a new model.

All cars come with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, which includes roadside assistance and annual vehicle health checks.

Factfile
Car: Hyundai i10 1.0 Premium
On the road: £10,310
0-62mph: 14.9 seconds
Top speed: 96mph
Fuel: 60.1mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions: 108g/km