Small cars are not what they used to be as they come with almost the same amount of technology and features as large cars do these days. This means that cars like the Hyundai i10 and the VW Up are now capable of things that simply weren’t possible with a small car decades ago. These can now be used for a wide variety of purposes because they manage space better, and are safer and more powerful.
The Hyundai i10 was first revealed back in 2007 and has since spawned three different generations. The latest i10 was introduced for the 2019/2020 model year and is available with a small selection of engines. The VW UP was first introduced back in 2010/2011 and is now in its second generation. The VW Up is available with more engines and more choice.
In this article, we are going to put these two small cars in a head-to-head matchup and tell you why one is better than the other. We will compare them in various categories such as engine choices, design, interior, space, practicality, safety, efficiency, reliability, and how it feels to drive them.
As mentioned in the beginning, small cars have come a long way as they can now match larger cars in many categories. So, Hyundai i10 vs VW Up – Which is better?
Hyundai i10
The Hyundai i10 is one of the cheapest cars in this segment and Hyundai did that because they were able to save some money in various categories. One of the ways how Hyundai managed to do that is by offering just a pair of engines, all of which are gasoline engines. The smaller 1.0L 3-cylinder engine offers 67hp or 100hp while the larger 1.2L 3-cylinder offers 87hp.
All i10 models come with FWD, a manual transmission is standard while an automatic is an option. Design-wise, the new i10 looks more authentic and coherent when compared to the old one, but Hyundai still has a long way before they can make the best-looking subcompact hatchback. The interior is modern and well-appointed, so much so that it looks more expensive than it is.
The driving experience is mostly without surprises which means that the i10 is very easy to drive, but isn’t exciting at all. Reliability is excellent as the i10 is one of the most reliable cars in this segment. Values of these are strong because depreciation is not as exaggerated as with some other cars in this segment.
Practicality is good because the i10 offers a sizeable trunk and lots of space for its segment. Either way, you should go for something larger if you often transport passengers.
VW Up
The Volkswagen Up costs a bit more than the i10, but the differences aren’t huge. When it comes to engine choices, the VW Up is available with a 1.0L 3-cylinder engine in various stages of tune. This means that you can get it with 60hp, 75hp, 90hp, or even 115hp for the GTI model. The VW Up is also available as an electric car that offers a small 36,8kWh battery and 83hp.
All VW Up models are FWD, a manual gearbox comes as standard while an automatic transmission is available as an option. The design of the VW Up is certainly authentic, but isn’t anything special. The interior looks cool, youthful, and modern, but it does not look all that particularly modern in today’s day and age.
Reliability is actually really good, but not as good as with the i10. The driving experience is nothing special while the TSI GTI model does offer decent handling abilities. Values of these tend to be strong across the board while practicality is okay at best.
Verdict – It’s a draw
Choosing a winner here depends on what you value more as both of these can up each other in various categories. The Hyundai i10 is the better car when it comes to pricing, reliability, standard equipment, and space while the VW Up is better when it comes to engines, the driving experience, badge appeal, and powertrain options.
It is really neck and neck here which means that you can’t make a bad decision when choosing either of these two. The i10 is a bit more modern and in line with what you’d expect from a 2022 subcompact car, but the VW Up offers solid ground as it manages to hold its own even against a comparably newer model.
FAQ Section
Is the VW Up discontinued?
VW stopped offering the VW Up a year or two ago because they decided to focus their attention on making electric vehicles from the .ID lineup. VW says that they are going to come up with a replacement for the VW Up soon which means that we can expect it to be a 100% electric car.
This makes perfect sense as these small cars are better off with a fully EV platform. With that being said, we can expect Hyundai to come up with its own iteration of the subcompact EV soon.
Is the Hyundai i10 more efficient than the VW Up?
When it comes to efficiency, the VW Up is also neck and neck with the i10 which means that both of these can do between 45MPG and 55MPG at best. These numbers are really good for all cars which means that you can’t criticize these two here.
The VW Up has one benefit because it is available with an electric powertrain while the i10 is not. Either way, efficiency is really good with both which means that you can’t make a wrong decision here.
Is the Hyundai i10 safer than the VW Up?
The Hyundai i10 is the safer car of the two because it comes with a 5-star stellar safety rating thanks to great crash protection and lots of active safety features while the VW Up only gets 3 stars comparably. This is because the VW Up is not the best when it comes to pedestrian protection and because it lacks quite a few active safety features, both from standard and fully equipped.