In the world of city car design there's an increasing tendency to make new models as cool and hip as possible, no doubt with a view to attracting younger buyers. With the i10, Hyundai seems to be avoiding this policy entirely, and doing so with great success.Of all the cars in its class this, to me, is the one with the most mature design, and the one least likely to be seen in a cartoon. This is the case inside as well as outside - the instruments are very conventional, and the graphics on the central digital display would not have been considered adventurous ten years ago.The only thing that made me feel the i10 is a state-of-the-art model was the way the test car set a new record for pairing up with my phone. I can't tell you exactly how long this took because the process had finished before I realised it had started, but it was without question more rapidly achievec than in any other car I've driven.Other than that, there is no apparent attempt whatever to inspire people in their teens or early twenties. The i10 comes across as a not especially adventurous medium-sized car viewed from a distance.And I don't mean that as a criticism. As you probably know, three new city models of slightly varying but basically similar funkiness have been brought to market this summer, and in every case I found them inferior to the Hyundai product which I last experienced at its UK press launch earlier in the year. A week with the i10 1.2 SE allowed me to confirm that although it may not be as flash as the more recently introduced trio, it's a better car.It has its faults. The lack of height adjustment for the steering wheel is ridiculous, the obstructive rear pillars and insufficient glass area unforgiveable. And the rear passenger area is very tight if there are tall occupants up front, though rival manufacturers do a still worse job of this.On the plus side, the luggage compartment is the largest in the class, though admittedly by just one litre, the ride and handling are every bit as good as they need to be, and all the major controls feel solid and dependable.Then there are the sound effects. Shutting the tailgage or any of the doors creates a confidence-inspiring thud rather than the tinny clang from which even some of the most modern city cars suffer. And while the road and wind noise are no better than you would expect in such a small vehicle, the engine noise suppression is outstanding. At out-of-town cruising speeds you wouldn't be able to tell what kind of engine it is, if you didn't already know, because you simply can't hear it.In fact it's an 87bhp 1.2-litre petrol four-cylinder which provides decent performance once it has enough miles on it. The last 1.2 I drove felt sluggish, but it was very new and hadn't been run in properly. This is worth bearing in mind if you have a test drive in an exceptionally low-mileage version.On the EU test this particular i10 averages 57.6mpg, and both the trip computer and my measurements suggested that 51mpg is achievable without any attempt to drive economically. You can get slightly better than that in good conditions on a long motorway journey, which the car dealt with very well, though I could have done with a bit more seat support during that part of the test.Other i10s use less fuel, and the one-litre BlueDrive officially emits so little CO2 that you don't have to pay any Vehicle Excise Duty. The test car cost slightly more than £10,000, as most examples do, and for that you get remote central locking, front and rear electric windows, heated door mirrors and a height-adjustable driver's seat which are not supplied as standard on the entry-level S. The Premium has slightly more equipment and is £700 more expensive.Hyundai's product range is generally very good, though slightly uneven (I think the company is trying too hard with the i40, for example, and the Veloster is just plain weird). The i10, its humblest model, is possibly also its best, and there are times when I think it might be my favourite city car. Engine 1248cc, 4 cylinders Power 86bhp Transmission 5-speed manual Fuel/CO2 57.6mpg / 114g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 12.3 seconds Top speed 109mph Price £10,110 Details correct at publication date
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