This is what remains: these are the last four new cars that can still be purchased in Israel today for less than NIS 100,000: Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10, Mitsubishi Space Star and Toyota Aygo X in the base version. Chevrolet Spark production has been discontinued, and the price of an automatic Suzuki Ignis is already approaching NIS 110,000.
In the era of the high cost of living, the Israelis are attacking them: in 2022, 25,000 mini cars were sold here, with the Kia Picanto (13,000 deliveries) becoming the best-selling car in the country for the third time. The twin Hyundai i10, which shares a platform, engine and gearbox with Kia, was the second best seller (4,800), ahead of the old Mitsubishi Space Star, which was launched back in 2012 (3,600), and the Toyota Aygo, which was launched ten years after it (2,100 deliveries).
They are cheap (relatively!), easy to drive and park, a popular purchase as a first vehicle or as an additional vehicle at home. From the Levi Yitzhak and Vid 2 price list data it appears that they are also in great demand as used cars: Picanto and i10 increased in value last year by 10% instead of decreasing like the other used cars. Spark increased by 11%.
But which of the new minis is the best? We went out to check.
Who is the most beautiful in town?
Aygo is the best-looking car here, adopting Jeep cues, especially with 17-inch rims that are relatively huge for a small car, but in the case of a collision, you’ll have to pay an exorbitant price for the special tire, if you even get one. The Hyundai i10 is very handsome, especially in the test version with the black roof. Picanto stands out less externally, mainly because we have already managed to get used to it with tens of thousands of cars on the road. The Mitsubishi won the latest facelift for a new and handsome front that manages to obscure its advanced age a bit.
And what about the driver’s environment?
Iago is also impressive when you sit in the driver’s seat. The multimedia display is in an interesting oval and the dashboard incorporates a digital display. But a second look reveals the compromises made to cheapen production: exposed metal on the doors in the exterior color, rear windows that open slightly to the side and do not go up and down.
The i10 continues to earn points here with a modern driver environment, a multimedia screen that is on the same surface as the dashboard, and 3D games on the dashboard. The design is more mature and higher quality than that of the Toyota.
The Mitsubishi shows its age again with lower quality materials and a locally installed multimedia screen designed to rejuvenate the older driver’s environment. But it’s not working. Want to switch between the road computer windows? Put your hand away and press a button at the bottom of the dashboard, without operation from the steering wheel or screen.
Update from the back seat
The Kia and Hyundai have the same seat width (1.23 meters), but the Hyundai has slightly more knee and headroom. The Mitsubishi is slightly narrower (1.21 meters), but its knee and headroom are similar to those of the Hyundai, which again shows its age: the Spice Star was originally launched as a supermini, but since then the minis have grown and caught up.
The rear seat of the Toyota is the narrowest (1.1 meters), and the seat itself is the shortest, and it is the only one with two belts in the back and not three. Not that the others are family cars, but at least they will be able to drive three children who no longer need restraint devices. The Toyota also has the smallest rear doors, making it difficult to get in and out, and overshadowing the back seat with small windows.
And there is also a trunk
The iGo has the smallest cabin (231 liters of volume), and its loading threshold is the highest, so you’ll have to make more of an effort to lift packages into it, and it’s the only one without a spare wheel. The trunk of the Kia is the largest (255 liters), ahead of the Hyundai (252 liters) and the Mitsubishi (235 liters).
When the accessories do the talking
The basic iGo X Pure (NIS 96,000) comes with standard 17-inch rims and an 8-inch touch screen. The Pulse version (NIS 101,000) upgrades to light rims, changing gears from the steering wheel, fog lights and two-tone paint. The basic Hyundai i10 Inspire (NIS 87,000) comes with 14-inch alloy wheels and an 8-inch touch screen. The Prime version (NIS 91,000) upgrades to light 15-inch rims, and the tested Superim (NIS 93,000) comes with light 16-inch rims, two-tone body paint, climate control, fog lights and turn-following lighting.
Kia Picanto in the basic LX version (NIS 92.9 thousand) includes an 8-inch screen. The EX version (NIS 93,000) upgrades to climate control, keyless entry and start, rear parking sensors and light 15-inch rims. GT-Line (NIS 94,000) adds a sporty steering wheel, leather upholstery, electrically folding mirrors and a sun window.
The basic Mitsubishi Space Star InStyle (NIS 84,000) comes with a simple stereo and 14-inch steel rims. But only the mid-range Superfi (NIS 85,000) upgrades to light 15-inch rims, a 9-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a reverse camera that competitors have as standard. The premium (NIS 92,000) adds keyless start, fabric upholstery combined with leather, LED headlights, heated side mirrors and normal cruise control.
the safety bag
They all have an autonomous emergency braking system up to around 80 km/h, but the Hyundai and Toyota are also equipped with a lane-departure steering wheel. The Picanto (and the basic Mitsubishi) does not have an automatic transition from high beams to normal, and the i10 has a warning of a vehicle in front that starts to drive at a traffic light. The Toyota is the only one with adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert. The Mitsubishi and Kia have 4 out of 5 stars in the European crash test, but in lenient versions from the past. The Hyundai (3 stars) and Toyota (4) passed a more stringent test.
on performance and gearboxes
They all have simple gasoline engines, no turbo. 1.2 liters in the Mitsubishi (71 hp), 1.2 in the Hyundai (84 hp) and 1.25 in the Kia (84 hp), while the Mitsubishi has 3 cylinders and the Korean has 4. The Toyota has a 1-liter engine, with 72 hp, 3 cylinders as well. The Picanto and the i10 have a single-clutch robotic box, 5 gears, the Spice Star and the iago a continuous automatic.
Robotic boxes tend to shake when shifting low gears. Those of the Kia and Hyundai are more pleasant than before, while in the Hyundai the transfers are smoother, at the expense of a slower transfer, which hurts performance. Kia shifts earlier, was the fastest here, and we will soon get to another advantage that the box gives it. For those who are sensitive to these jolts, in the Mitsubishi and Toyota the shifts are smooth, at the expense of the noise level, in both, but they are slower.
The level of comfort and road behavior
The Hyundai is the most comfortable here, and with better steering. It is also the quietest and has successful road behavior, and the best body control in turns. The Kia is more frantic and slightly less comfortable. The Toyota handles small bumps well, but a stiff suspension calibration makes it less pleasant over deceleration lanes and larger potholes, but its road holding is good and so is body roll control in turns, despite being the highest here. The Mitsubishi is simply not comfortable on any road, its level of grip is the lowest and the steering is the least accurate.
Let’s talk about the fuel
Toyota was the most economical, both in the intercity cruise (19 kml) and in the day’s summary (16 kml). Kia was second, with 17.2 and 14.7 kml, respectively. The Hyundai recorded 16.6 kml in cruising and 14.7 in total, and the Mitsubishi 16.9 in cruising and 14.3 kml at the end of the day.
The bottom line
The Mitsubishi enjoys a successful reputation for reliability, is in demand as a used car and its transmission is smooth. It is also the cheapest here. But it is also noisy, uncomfortable, and outdated in every aspect.
The Toyota is a solution for those who do not use the back seat, and put the emphasis on design and higher seating. For those who need a second car for the family, or even the first car at home, the Koreans will be a better solution.
Picanto is more economical, and a bit sportier in nature, although there is nothing sporty about a mini automatic. But the i10 is better than it in most areas, comfortable, modern and gives the feeling of a more expensive car, which is why it wins the test.
Participated in the test: Kenan Cohen, Yoel Schwartz and Ezri Levy.
Assisted in the performance of the test: Shlomo Sixt