Small cars have always been big business, but with fuel prices rocketing they are set to prove even more crucial to car makers.

With many car owners looking to move down into smaller models without losing the quality and comfort they have been used to, manufacturers have had little choice but to up their game with their smallest models.

Cheap-feeling plastics, bare metal and exposed screwheads in a rattly interior are no longer good enough in any city car and you will not find any of those in Hyundai's new i10. With prices starting at a little under £6,500, Hyundai is out to impress and its new city car is solid, well-built and fitted with air conditioning as standard.

In addition, every i10 has four airbags, a six-speaker stereo with MP3-compatible CD player and aux-in socket, 14-inch wheels, electric windows and central locking.

While the i10 is clearly meant to spend most of its time in the city, it is more than capable of coping with longer runs.

New front and rear suspension design, electric power steering and all-round disc brakes, complete with anti-lock braking, make for a surprising level of comfort, even when mixing it at speed in motorway traffic. All i10s are powered by a 1.1-litre, 65 horsepower petrol engine which is capable of 56.5mpg. Its low emissions qualify it for a tax disc charge of just £35 per year.

The entry-level model is the Classic, but for those who desire even more, there are two steps up the range.

The Comfort is available with a manual or automatic gearbox and gains alloy wheels, rear electric windows, front fog lights, a height-adjustable driver's seat, power outlet, electric door mirrors, remote central locking and colour coding on the exterior mirrors and door handles.

At the top of the range, the Style has the addition of 15-inch inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, metal grain fascia, a rear roof spoiler and an electric sunroof.

In a nutshell, the i10 is a car that can comfortably seat four adults and has all the comfort and safety equipment you can arguably need. On top of all that it is covered by a five-year warranty.

Hyundai thinks the i10 it is good enough to take the company's sales in the A-segment from 5,000 a year to about 10,000.

And Autocar magazine reckons it might be right. It recently pitched the i10 Classic against the Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic, Renault Twingo 1.2 Extreme and Vauxhall Agila 1.0 Club. The i10 came out on top.

Auto facts Hyundai i10 Comfort

  • Price: £7,095
  • Ins group: Two
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 56.5mpg
  • Top speed: 94mph
  • Length: 356.5cm/140.3in
  • Width: 159.5cm/62.8in
  • Luggage capacity: 7.9 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 7.7 gallons/35 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 119g/km
  • Warranty: 5 years/unlim mileage