Remember the Hyundai i20 CrossSport? Nope; I don’t either. Once a upon a time, I swear it was part of Hyundai Philippines’ model list only for it occasionally pop up, disappear, and then pop up again. Well, Hyundai looks to be ending the often forgotten sub-compact crossover as it sets to launch the Creta at the Manila International Auto Show or MIAS at the end of the month.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Oh my, how the world turns. Hyundai was once known for being value-for-money cars. They were solid but crude cars with a price tag that made it close to being disposable after a couple of years of use (or abuse). On the other hand, Toyota produced refined and quality cars which certainly cost more, but are seemingly built to survive a nuclear war. Today though, the world moves to a different beat. With the Wigo sub-compact Toyota has moved, for the first time in its Philippine history, way into the basic transportation genre; while Hyundai has leveled up several notches with its i10 (now known as the Grand i10). Has the automotive world turned upside down? Is the P 728,000 Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 really worth it against the P 534,000 Toyota Wigo 1.0 G? Well, it’s time to find out.

Hyundai has this thing recently of calling all their cars, “grand” lately. After calling their larger Starex, the “Grand Starex” and their extended wheelbase Santa Fe, the “Grand Santa Fe”, they’re applying the very same formula to their veteran mini car offering, the i10. Of course, now it’s called the Grand i10. And yes, like Grand Santa Fe and the Grand Starex, the Grand i10 has grown. It’s like Hyundai decided to feed it Cherifer: it’s longer by 80 mm and 65 mm wider than the pre-Grand i10. That’s just for starters.