It's an N Line, it's not an N, it's an N Line it's not an N… It's something I've just repeated to myself several times to moderate expectations about the Hyundai i10 N Line and what to expect from this brave townsman.
That's because, well, look at it… When compared to the rest of the i10s, the N Line adds a welcome dose of visual attitude — in particular the custom-designed LED daytime running lights bumper — and eye-catching 16-inch wheels. It would easily pass for a Volkswagen up rival! GTI, but no it isn't.
Even being the most powerful and fastest in the range — 100 hp and 10.5s at 0 to 100 km/h —, and even coming with a specific (firmer) damping, it lacks “a little bit like that” to be a genuine pocket rocket. Especially in the dynamic field.
They're funny, aren't they? And they are standard, 16" in diameter.
On the roughest roads where the smallest cars tend to shine, the i10 N Line starts by captivating by the drive and immediate response of the front axle to changes of direction, and by the very good bite of the brakes and its very good calibrated pedal — it gives enormous confidence when we rely on them.
But at these “knife-to-teeth” rhythms we quickly discovered the limitations of the tiny i10. The front axle starts to look too sharp, largely due to the steering, too light (especially in the first few degrees of operation) and not offering much tact. Add more-than-usual curving and asphalt less than ideal, and we end up uncomfortably shaking the little i10, as if we had to ask for more than it can offer.
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That extra layer of dynamic effectiveness that other pocket rockets have is missing, but I also missed a more cooperative rear axle, not only to help point forward into the curve, but also to increase the level of interactivity and even that of… fun.
You need to lift your foot a little so that the action of the controls and chassis are more in tune and the i10 N Line starts to flow better on the road, keeping a fast pace. It is therefore not a pocket rocket, but…
…is, surprisingly, a competent estradista
A quality I inadvertently discovered when I had to dispatch over 300 km virtually uninterrupted during my custody of the Hyundai i10 N Line. City people aren't usually good estradistas, but as João Delfim Tomé had seen in his first contact with the new i10, this city person seems to come from a higher segment.
The N Line is no different and we also have a willing 100 hp at our disposal — 100 hp that work miracles! It would go even further and should be decreed: “From now on, all city dwellers must have at least 100 hp”.
Not only the 100 hp and the availability of 172 Nm (at 1500 rpm) guarantee a convincing performance for the little more than 1000 kg of the i10 N Line (with driver on board) — more than the 10.5s let's guess —, how they end up for marrying really well with other qualities already recognized by the other i10, which are unusual among city dwellers, namely its stance outside the urban environment.
An “arsenal” that allows you to confidently face any longer journey on the highway or, without great fear, overtake that national truck, always with very acceptable levels of soundproofing and comfort.
On the freeway it turned out to be more stable and refined than I'd expected, even though the 1.0 T-GDI's soundtrack isn't the most musical — hoarse, but more “bagasse voice” than a Brian Adams or Bonnie Tyler. In nationals, only a few more abrupt irregularities shook the small i10, but the benches did not “massacre” the body even after several hours – they have, however, a clear lack of lateral and leg support.
A lot of plastic, but underneath it hides a husky but vivacious thousand turbo.
Fast, but of moderate appetite
Even with the speedometer needle (analog) going several times above 120 km/h on the highway and with more untimely reductions and crushed accelerator for some overtaking in nationals, the more than 300 km resulted in 5.5 l/100 km — not bad…
What the i10 N Line demonstrated is that moderate consumption does not have to be synonymous with leisurely. During the time he was with me, the most powerful and fastest i10 registered consumptions ranging from a little over four liters to less than seven, depending on the context. Yes, it spends more than the 67 hp i10 — not as much as you might imagine — but the added availability and performance more than makes up for the difference.
Small on the outside...
… big inside. Narrow, short but tall, looking from the outside we would hardly suspect that there was so much space inside the i10. Even in the back, it's possible for two people to travel comfortably, with plenty of head and leg room. Not having a transmission tunnel, “squeezing” a third occupant is also not an impossible mission.
The excellent use of space continues in the trunk, with the 252 l announced to be among the best in the segment. It's perhaps not the best car to make changes to, but it's enough to, and why not, take advantage of the surprising roadside capabilities of the i10 N Line and take a mini-vacation.
It only asks for the access step between the opening of the luggage compartment and the floor and for another step between the floor and when we fold down the seats — other i10s have a removable floor capable of leveling the floor with everything else, but the N Line doesn't have it .
Is the car right for me?
Even in this tougher N Line version, the Hyundai i10 remains one of the references among city dwellers. In addition to its innate maneuverability and excellent use of internal space, the N Line adds a very welcome dose of performance, thanks to the 100 hp of the 1.0 T-GDI. This without penalizing consumption much compared to the more modest 1.0 MPi of 67 hp.
It's these 100 hp that greatly contribute to the unexpected qualities of the i10 N Line when we step outside our comfort zone, that is, when we leave the city limits. Who knew that a small townsman could be a competent estradista? As I see it, this is the i10 to have.
Like the exterior, the interior has a bolder tone, with several accents in red.
It is, unfortunately, not a more accessible pocket rocket, as it seemed at the beginning, but for those looking for a car for their day-to-day, well dispatched, the i10 N Line proves to be very rewarding.
The €17,100 requested seems a bit high at the outset and the three Euro NCAP stars can leave us a little behind (the absence of some more sophisticated assistant drivers harmed the final ranking), but between choosing an i10 N Line or a segment model above — for an identical price we can access the more accessible versions of various utilities — and if absolute space isn't a total need, this multipurpose and dispatched city becomes quite tempting.