HATCHBACKS are becoming more popular in South Africa as they offer good fuel efficiency and driving dynamics, while their compact size and tight turning circles make them perfect to navigate busy city traffic.
What’s more is that these are modern types of vehicles, which means they often feature the latest engineering and technology.
Two worthy choices in this market are the Volkswagen Up and the Hyundai Grand i10 , but others include the Kia Picanto, Toyota Aygo and Suzuki Ignis. Today, we look at the Up and Grand i10.
Volkswagen Move Up
The VW Up is probably the most sophisticated car in its market but its size shouldn’t fool you.
It is comfortable, feels stable on the road and is fun to drive. While VW engineered it as a city car, its engine is more than capable of longer distance trips without being overwhelmed.
Interior and boot space is good too and it scores high marks for fit and finish. Its safety features include four airbags – unheard of in its market. It is a little pricier than the Hyundai Grand i10 and lacks features such as alloy wheels and a trip computer, but as an overall package, it is quite impressive.
FACTBOX
- Price: R185 500
- Engine: 1,0-litre
- Performance: 55kW/95Nm
- Safety: Four airbags, ABS
- Electric windows: Front
- Trip computer: Optional
- Aircon: Yes
- Sound system: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Boot space: 251 litres
Hyundai Grand i10 1,0 Fluid
The Hyundai Grand i10 is a good reason why you don’t always need to buy bigger to get better value.
The Grand impresses with its comfort and a spacious interior, and while it doesn’t quite match up to the VW Up’s style or premium fit and finish, it is a solid car that will serve its owners well for years.
As with the Up, the Grand is quite comfortable on city roads but might struggle a bit with open road cruising as it has less power.
If power is what you want, you can always select one with the more potent 1,2-litre petrol engine but that hikes its price tag to above the R200 000 mark.
It is worth mentioning that the Grand i10 comes with Hyundai’s comprehensive seven-year warranty, and unlike the Up, the Grand i10 Fluid also comes with a service plan.
FACTBOX
- Price: R174 9000
- Engine: 1,0-litre
- Performance: 48kW/94Nm
- Safety: Two airbags, ABS
- Electric windows: Front and rear
- Trip computer: Yes
- Aircon: Yes
- Sound system: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Boot space: 256 litres