For our midweek battle, we’re putting two of the UK’s best city cars up against each other to see who comes out on top. The Hyundai i10 vs VW up! will give you plenty to think about if you’re looking for an affordable city car that’s stylish, economical and fun to drive.
So, let’s dive in and see who will scoop the title in this week’s edition of Car Wars!
Design
Both the Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen up! are available in 3 and 5 door models, with the latter coming with a higher price tag but offering bags more practicality. The VW up! is slightly smaller in length, but still has plenty of style – as well as a classy interior that makes use of every inch of space on offer. Climb inside the Hyundai and you’ll be met with a spacious, well-built interior and a fractionally larger boot of 252 litres.
While Hyundai builds great small cars, this VW’s classy interior makes it our winner.
Performance & Handling
Designed for city driving, both the up! and i10 come with petrol power only. The Hyundai i10 has a 65bhp 1.0 litre or a 86bhp 1.2 litre engine, which are both fun to drive thanks to flexible handling. The 1.0 litre returns 60.1mpg and emits just 108g/km of CO2 – while the 1.2 litre isn’t far behind, delivering 57.6mpg and churning out 114g/km of CO2. Opt for the SE Blue Drive and you’ll get an impressive 65.7mpg, while CO2 emissions under 100g/km make it tax free and even cheaper to run.
The VW up! petrol lineup consists of two 1.0 litre versions that are great for city driving, as well as comfortable cruising on the motorway. The performance stats don’t disappoint here, either. The 59bhp returns 62.8mpg and emits 105g/km of CO2 – while the more powerful 74bhp returns 60.1mpg and slightly higher CO2 emissions of 108g/km. As with the i10, these figures can be improved with the BlueMotion engine – which returns 67.3mpg and emits less than 100g/km of CO2, making it free from annual road tax.
The figures speak for themselves – this round belongs to the VW up!
Features
In terms of features, the Hyundai i10 has worked hard in recent years to up its game, with more kit on board and four main trims to choose from. All models – including the entry level S – come with USB connection, a trip computer and electric front windows. Step up to the SE trim and you’ll get air conditioning and cruise control – or for a leather trim steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity and alloy wheels, you can splash out on the Premium or Premium SE spec.
Take up!, Move up! and High up! are the trims available with the VW model, and all come with plenty of standard safety equipment – including tyre pressure indicators, hold-hill assist and electronic stability control. The entry level Take up! comes with an adjustable steering wheel and DAB digital radio – but if you want air conditioning and electric front windows, you’ll need to step up to the middle range Move up! The range-topping High up! is the way to go if you want a touch more luxury – coming with heated front seats and 15 inch alloys.
Although the Hyundai i10 has plenty to offer in terms of features, the VW up! comes kitted with more standard safety equipment – tipping the scales and securing it this round.
Price
The last thing to consider in today’s edition of Car Wars is the cost. With a Hyundai i10 for sale from just £8,895 and a VW up! rolling in at £8,870, there’s very little in it.
For a little extra change from your 9k, the VW up! takes the prize this round.
Verdict
Winning all four rounds, the VW up! is crowned this week’s Car Wars winner. Although our Hyundai i10 review saw the Korean car eating the VW up!’s dust, it’s undoubtedly a great contender for a city car that’s practical and cheap to run.
If you’ve been blown away by our Hyundai i10 and VW up! review and fancy owning one of your own, why not check out the car finance deals on offer from the Car Loan Warehouse. We can offer you a no obligation quick quote when you apply online – or alternatively, head over to our online car finance calculator to explore your options today.
