Carbuyer reveals its car of the year - The new Hyundai i10 (plus all other winners)

• £8,345 Hyundai i10 wins overall Car of the Year prize
• BMW takes three awards, including Best Electric Car for i3
• Kia wins Buyer’s Award for its seven-year warranty
• No Brit-built cars among the winners

Britain’s best new car buys for 2014 have today been revealed by CarBuyer, the UK’s fastest-growing car buying advice website.

Hyundai’s new i10 has been named overall Car of the Year and Best City Car, with judges praising its quality, refinement, style and value – this slick city runabout costs from only £8,345. Hyundai’s Santa Fe beat more established brands like Land Rover to be named Best Large SUV.

There was further success for Korean car makers, with Kia winning the CarBuyer Buyer’s Award for its seven-year warranty, which celebrates its seventh birthday this month.

BMW claimed three wins, including Best Electric/Hybrid Car for its new i3 supermini. The BMW 3 Series and 5 Series also won in the two executive car categories.

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of CarBuyer said: “The new Hyundai i10 is a brilliant car, offering a real grown-up feel and plenty of space at an incredibly low price. It’s fun to drive and cheap to own, too – the perfect car for cost-conscious car buyers.”

CarBuyer.co.uk was launched just three years ago yet is already established as one of the UK’s most respected sources of car buying advice. Its blend of real-world reviews, expert advice, owner comments and entertaining video has proved to be a big hit with British car buyers. It’s also the only motoring website to be accredited by the Plain English Campaign.

Car of the Year: Hyundai i10

Best City Car: Hyundai i10
Best Small Car: Ford Fiesta
Best Hybrid / Electric Car: BMW i3
Best Small SUV: Dacia Duster
Best Large SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe
Best Family Car: SEAT Leon
Best Large Family Car: Mazda 6
Best Estate Car: Skoda Octavia Estate
Best MPV: SEAT Alhambra
Best Coupe: Toyota GT-86
Best Executive Car: BMW 3 Series
Best Large Executive Car: BMW 5 Series
Best Hot Hatch: Ford Fiesta ST
Best Convertible: Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet
Best Luxury Car: Mercedes S-Class
Buyer’s Award: Kia seven-year warranty

Latest Hyundai i10, the best yet and at no price rise too.

Pricing and specification announced

• Hyundai’s New Generation i10 available in the UK from 30 January 2014
• Price-entry point remains the same as the outgoing model at £8,345
• B-segment value in an A-segment package
• Modern and expressive styling both inside and out
• Even greater levels of refinement, quality and safety

New standard and optional equipment introduced across the model range enhances overall value offering
The latest version of Hyundai’s best-selling model, the i10 city car, will go on sale in the UK on 30 January 2014, with prices starting at £8,345.

Appearing over five years after its predecessor went on sale, the New Generation i10 represents significant progress for the brand in the A-segment. Hyundai has already sold over 110,000 units of the Original i10 in the UK alone since launch in April 2008 accounting for one third of European sales.

The New Generation i10 features a more expressive design both inside and out, while generous levels of comfort, quality and safety equipment enhance the car’s appeal even further.

It is equipped with a host of standard and optional equipment typically found on cars from segments above. Automatic climate control, heated leather steering wheel and cruise control provide additional comfort, while safety features include the standard-fitment of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and six airbags.

The New Generation i10 will be available with two refined and efficient petrol engines.  The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder powertrain has an output of 66PS.  Maximum power is produced at 5,500rpm, 700rpm earlier than in Original i10, while peak torque of 94Nm is available from 3,500rpm.  In manual form, it can travel from standstill to 62mph in 14.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 96mph.

Expected to take approximately 40% of total sales, the four-cylinder 1.2-litre engine delivers 87PS at 6,000rpm. Maximum torque of 120Nm is available from 4,000rpm.

When mated to manual transmission, it can accelerate from standstill to 62mph in 12.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 106mph.

High-tensile steel forms 29.2 per cent of the body structure of New Generation i10 – a huge increase over the nine per cent utilised in Original i10.  The firm underpinnings not only improve the car’s impact-resistance, but yield significant improvements in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

Other NVH counter-measures include larger hydraulic mountings for the engine, a triple-layer dashboard bulkhead with sound-deadening panel, dual door sealing strips, and two measures to reduce wind noise –careful refinement of the shape of the door mirror mounts and moving the radio antenna towards the rear of the roof.  The results of the measures are impressive, with noise levels as low as 38dB at idle and 65dB on rough surfaces –noticeably below those of key rivals.

Longer (+80mm), wider (+65mm) and lower (-50mm) than its predecessor, the New Generation i10 also delivers best-in-class* legroom and luggage capacity for an A-segment car. Front and rear passengers benefit from a combined 1,890mm of legroom while luggage capacity is increased by 10 per cent to 252 litres with the seats up.

It will be available with up to seven exterior colours and 4 interior colour trims depending on model.

The New Generation i10 aligns with Hyundai’s new trim strategy first seen on the New ix35. The range begins with the new S trim, which starts at £8,345 OTR – the same entry price as the outgoing model.

As standard, the S trim comes specified with the 1.0-litre powertrain, cloth interior trim in black with beige inserts, 14 inch steel wheels, central locking, electric front windows, CD tuner + USB, Daytime Running Lights, ISOfix and tilt adjust steering wheel as standard.  The S Air with the addition of air-conditioning will be available from £8,995.00.

Moving up to the mid-trim SE, customers will benefit from remote central locking, electric rear windows, electric heated door mirrors, body colour door handles and mirrors, driver’s seat height adjustment and black B pillar.  The SE is available in 1.0-litre manual, 1.0-litre Blue Drive with ISG (4 seat), 1.2-litre manual and the 1.2-litre automatic variants. Blue accent cloth interior trim is standard with vibrant orange accent cloth trim available as a no-cost option. Prices begin at £9,295.

The range-topping Premium trim sets new standards for equipment in the A- segment. 14 inch alloys, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, steering wheel controls, LED daytime running lights, front fog lamps, rear speakers, drivers safety window, door mirror indicators, Emergency Stop Signal are all available as standard, ensuring customers receive the very best value for money for Hyundai’s popular city car. The interior and exterior design and perceived quality is further enhanced with the addition of side body mouldings, leather steering wheel and gear stick and chrome effect interior door handle and parking brake. The Blue accent cloth interior comes as standard. Vibrant orange interior is available as a no-cost option and the woven pattered cloth interior in red with black leather-like side panels comes as a cost-option on the 1.2-litre Premium.  Prices start from £9,995 OTR.

All models come standard with 5-seats, apart from the SE Blue Drive derivative which is available with 4-seats.

Customers looking for additional comfort and individuality can specify optional equipment, which includes metallic paint, 14 and 15 inch alloys, space saver emergency spare wheel, the Connectivity Pack (which includes Bluetooth with voice recognition, rear speakers and steering wheel controls), the Winter Pack (heated leather steering wheel and heated front seats) and the Driver Assist pack (rear parking sensors and cruise control with speed limiter).

The New Generation i10 is produced at Hyundai’s manufacturing plant in Izmit, Turkey, which recently received a £420 million upgrade to accommodate the increased production.

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “The i10 has proved to be a hugely popular model in Hyundai’s range and it has successfully maintained annual sales above 20,000 units since 2009. The New Generation i10 builds on this success with a more expressive and stylish car that majors on refinement, quality, safety, generous specification and also value. With this in mind, Hyundai expects that the new model will still appeal to both existing i10 owners as well as those customers who may not have considered Hyundai in the past.”

As with all Hyundai’s passenger cars, the New Generation i10 is backed by the brand’s industry leading 5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty, which offers amongst the best warranty cover in the industry as judged by Auto Express magazine. This includes five years unlimited mileage warranty, five years free roadside assistance and five years of annual vehicle health checks, which give customers ultimate peace of mind.

Prices for the New Generation i10 range are as follows:

Hyundai expands Turkey plant to include new i10

• Capacity doubled to 200,000 units with total investment of $677 million
• First New Generation i10 for European market rolls off today
• HAOS working as strategic production base in Europe
• Investment creates more than 2,700 jobs

Hyundai Motor Company has completed expansion of its Turkey plant, Hyundai Assan Otomotiv Sanayi (HAOS), doubling its annual capacity to 200,000 units with an investment of $634 million. With an additional $43 million added by the end of this year, the total investment will reach $677 million, creating more than 2,700 new jobs in Turkey.

The production of New Generation i10 starts today at HAOS with a ceremony attended by Republic of Turkey Minister of Economy Zafer Caglayan, Korean Ambassador of Turkey Sang-Kyu Lee, and Hyundai Motor Company Vice Chairman Euisun Chung, as well as executives,  HAOS employees and media.

“HAOS will be the sole production centre of the New Generation i10, which has a strategic importance for European markets. We will continue investing more at HAOS to produce world-class quality vehicles,” said Euisun Chung, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, during his speech at the ceremony.

The New Generation i10 debuted at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt this month showing features of its dynamic and spacious design and outstanding performance. New Generation i10 is designed, engineered and assembled in Europe to satisfy the needs of Europe’s demanding drivers.

The 16-month expansion of Hyundai Motor’s HAOS plant will contribute to the auto industry of Turkey by adding new jobs to the local economy.  HAOS has become Hyundai Motor’s small car production base for Europe by adding New Generation i10 to existing i20 production.

Established in 1997, HAOS, in Izmit, is Hyundai Motor’s longest-operating manufacturing facility among seven factories outside of Korea. Originally capable of producing 60,000 units per year, the plant added 40,000 units of capacity in 2006. HAOS began producing i20 in 2010 to cover the rapidly growing demand of European customers. Now, with an annual capacity of 200,000 units, HAOS is a base of regional strategic importance for Hyundai Motor.

New European Test Centre officially opened at iconic Nürburgring location for Hyundai

• New European Test Centre officially opened at iconic Nürburgring location
• Hyundai Motor invests more than €6,6 million in its new facility
• Purpose-built site to conduct more accelerated durability tests

Hyundai Motor has officially opened its brand new European Test Centre at the Nürburgring in Germany, the company’s latest investment in its regional infrastructure. An opening ceremony marked the completion of the €6,62 million purpose-built vehicle testing facility, boosting the brand’s R&D operations in Europe.

The company’s new test centre provides it with a full-time presence at the iconic Nürburgring circuit, allowing it to further evaluate and develop the durability and driving dynamics of its vehicles more effectively and more often.

Construction of the striking 3,622m2 Hyundai European Test Centre began in June 2012 and was completed in less than 15 months. The unique glass and steel building houses workshops, office spaces and hospitality areas over four floors. The Nürburgring facility is an extension of Hyundai’s European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, where the brand’s European design and engineering teams have been based since 2003.

Hyundai’s accelerated durability tests are conducted from the European Test Centre. Each car taking part in the tests laps the Nürburgring 480 times in both dry and wet conditions, simulating over 100,000 miles of rigorous driving in less than six weeks.

Throughout each lap, data parameters are continually monitored, assessing steering input and vehicle course, suspension movement and ride and handling characteristics. The results are given directly to the vehicle development team based at the circuit, enabling Hyundai’s engineers to quickly make changes and tailor cars’ characteristics to the demands of European drivers.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe commented: “The Nürburgring is a unique challenge for any vehicle, so it is the perfect location for our new facility.  The new European Test Centre is a natural extension of our Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, and enables Hyundai Motor to more quickly and more accurately test the reliability and drivability of our vehicles. The emotional appeal of being ‘tested at Nürburgring’ will also help to further build the brand’s reputation across Europe.”

The Nürburgring is widely recognised as one of the most challenging tracks in the world, with 73 corners – 33 left and 40 right –spread across 12.8 miles of tarmac. With a difference in height of almost 300 metres between the lowest and the highest points, it features uphill and downhill gradients of 11 and 17 per cent respectively.

New generation Hyundai i10, bigger, better and more luxurious

“New Generation i10 is a significant step forward for the brand and will ensure Hyundai Motor remains a leader in the highly-competitive A-segment by introducing more customers to what Hyundai Motor is all about: delivering ‘true value’.” – Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor Europe

• Hyundai Motor’s first A-segment to be designed, developed and built in Europe
• Longer, wider and lower, with class-leading space and practicality
• Levels of comfort and safety from the segment above
• Sophisticated exterior and interior styling
• High levels of perceived quality and Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty

Hyundai Motor is set to build on its success achieved in the A-segment with the New Generation i10, a model designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, for European buyers.

The new model both enhances Hyundai Motor’s ‘made-for-Europe‘ product line-up and introduces new standards to the region’s A-segment, bringing class-leading space, levels of comfort and safety from the segment above, and sophisticated exterior and interior design.

As well as sales, Original i10 won numerous awards across Europe, most recently being named ‘Best city car less than £9000’ at the What Car?Car of the Year 2013 awards (UK), and generated loyalty rates above the segment average – 54% in the five biggest European markets compared to the segment average of 48%.

Another evolution over Original i10 is the introduction of what Hyundai Motor calls ‘true value’ – the addition of desirable features from segments above and emotional qualities such as dynamic styling to existing rational features such as high quality and high efficiency.  Exemplified by models such as New Generation i30 and New ix35, true value is now integral to the appeal of New Generation i10.

“We’re offering consumers something truly unique in New Generation i10 – an A-segment car consumers want to buy, not one they feel they have to.  It fully meets the rational needs of buyers in the cost-sensitive A-segment, yet delivers levels of comfort, driving pleasure and perceived quality from segments above,” said Mark Hall, Vice President of Marketing, Hyundai Motor Europe.

New Generation i10 is another example of Hyundai Motor’s commitment to European customers.  It has been designed and engineered at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre (HME TC) in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and is, for the first time, manufactured in the region, at the company’s recently-expanded plant in Ízmit, Turkey.

Influenced by Hyundai Motor’s design philosophy, fluidic sculpture, New Generation i10 features sleek and substantial lines that emphasise the naturally athletic stance of a model which is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor.

The new proportions are mirrored by a driving experience that has been developed to meet European preferences.  Relocated and retuned components result in greater body and wheel control, delivering more driver involvement and ride comfort comparable to that of cars from higher segments.

The larger bodyshell of New Generation i10 yields one of the roomiest occupant cabins on the market, as well as a best-in-class 252 litres of trunk capacity.  Up to 1046 litres becomes available when the rear seats are folded – also a best-in-class figure.  New levels of craftsmanship can be found in the spacious interior, together with levels of comfort and safety equipment commonly only found in segments above.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: “The introduction of New Generation i10 represents a pivotal moment for Hyundai Motor in Europe and for the A-segment in the region.  Rich in features and abilities normally only found in vehicles from segments above, New Generation i10 offers consumers premium equipment and abilities –without asking them to pay a premium price.  In addition, consumers benefit from more practicality and space, as well as style and comfort; we’re confident New Generation i10 will win new customers while retaining the many new customers won by Original i10.”

Demonstrating Hyundai Motor’s confidence in its European build quality, the New Generation i10 will come with the company’s Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty.  The industry-best package also includes five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks - which are offered across Europe for the first time on an A-segment Hyundai model.