Hyundai i20

Hyundai i20

The Hyundai i20 is one of the biggest success stories for Hyundai in the Indian market. The Elite i20 was one of the highest-selling cars in the premium hatchback segment before it was swapped with the all-new i20. This model has the potential to set the cast amongst the pigeons in this space.

How is the Design?

The i20 looks the part from almost all its angles. The i20 has a design that is stand-out in terms of sheer attractiveness alone, although there are a few polarizing elements. Road presence is tremendous for the Hyundai i20. The Sensuous Sportiness design template lives up to its name while the grille and headlights are part of a single unit, looking more enticing in front. The jewel-patterned parametric grille has an imposing touch, particularly for its finishing in glossy black. It also gets LED DRLs and projector headlights along with projector fog lamps. There is a chiseled bonnet along with several body creases and cuts. The splitter gets a glossy black finish as well. The Z-shaped wraparound tail lights are linked by a chrome strip too.

How does it perform?

The i20 performs well and with adequate sportiness. The petrol engine is smooth and refined in its Kappa guise, with good power delivery and it makes the i20 perfect as a city commuter. However, the 1.0 Turbo engine is the show stealer with its pizzazz and robust feel. The diesel engine offers great performance due to the lighter weight of the car. Throttle responses are anyway sharp while the i20 moves swiftly once you get to the peak power threshold. There is neat spacing for the gear ratios while you can smoothly cruise on the highways at around 100 kmph in even fourth gear with sufficient reserve power to take you quicker if you wish. Engine refinement is on the higher side for the i20 and this I visible across all the engines while NVH levels have also gone up in comparison to the earlier Elite i20.

How’s the mileage?

• Diesel Manual- 25 kmpl
• Petrol Manual- 21 kmpl
• Petrol Automatic- 20.28 kmpl

How’s the driving experience?

The i20 offers better ride and handling along with effortless drivability and also gets the smoothly tuned new suspension system. It offers sportiness without compromising on comfort levels at the same time. The car can take bumps and undulating roads without feeling unsettled at all. The dampers also keep their balance intact after immediately tackling a pothole. The i20 feels stable at higher speeds and its planted nature inspires confidence. Lower kerb weight and the improved suspension contribute towards superior handling and cornering alike. The car has better body control this time around. However, the stock tyres could have come with slightly more grip levels.

What’s the interior like?

The i20 feels like a new world inside. You will appreciate the all-black theme with the air vents making their presence along with the edgy dashboard. There is a big digital instrument console with attractive graphics. This is the same as the Verna while there is also the MID for showing the parking sensor display, tyre pressure, gear shift indicator, and range. There is also the 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen beside the instrument cluster. This is similar to the Creta and is the biggest in this category. It also gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with the Tizen platform. The i20 also gets several connected car features along with the updated BlueLink setup with 55 such additions as remote engine start/stop, geo-fencing, remote door lock, vehicle health report, and more. There is also an audio system from Bose with wireless charging and cooling, ambient lighting, and an electric sunroof. The i20 offers more legroom with the new car platform. There is more shoulder room as well. The boot space has gone up sizably as well. The rear seat however lacks suitable bolstering while the backrest needed some more work.

Tech and infotainment

The i20 is packed with tech features. It comes with the MID that shows various readouts like tyre pressure. There is also the massive digital instrument console with stylish graphics and the touch screen infotainment unit of 10.25 inches. This is the biggest in this segment, getting Tizen, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. The i20 is also the only car to get connected car features in this space, with 55 of them, like remote engine stop/start, geo-fencing, vehicle health report, and more. There is the 7-speaker audio unit from Bose along with wireless charging, an electric sunroof, and ambient lighting.

Safety equipment

Hyundai offers the i20 with good safety features including six airbags, ABS, forward collision avoidance assist, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and a lot more. It is one of the safest cars in the segment.

Which variant to buy?

The i20 had two new additions to the variant list in the form of the 1.2 CVT Asta (O) and the 1.0 DCT Sportz. The base Magna variant is available in the 1.2 petrol MT configurations only. It is decent value for money at this price although it lacks several features in higher trims. There is the Sportz variant which comes with the 1.2 petrol-MT, 1.0 turbo iMT, 1.2 petrol-CVT, and 1.0 turbo DCT options. This is priced at a slight premium over the Magna. The top-end Asta and Asta (O) trims come with all the options although the 1.0 turbo iMT is missing for the latter. They are sizably costlier and should be purchased if you have no qualms about your budget.

Which cars compete in the segment?

The Hyundai i20 has to fend off stiff competition in the segment from the likes of the Tata Altroz, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, Volkswagen Polo, and the Honda Jazz. The Baleno and Altroz are the most reasonably priced models, while the i20 and Jazz are costlier. The mild-hybrid options are available for the Baleno and Glanza which are unique features. The i20 is still costlier for the petrol-automatic guise. The Glanza and Baleno are cheaper. The turbo version of the i20 is mostly unchallenged with only the Volkswagen Polo’s 1.0 TSI fighting it out. This is more affordable but lacks features. Hyundai and Tata are the only ones with diesel options in this category. The Altroz is the most affordable in this case as well. The i20 is now a costly proposition although it does get several first-in-segment features and cutting-edge technology.

Verdict (Value for Money)

If you talk about value, then probably the i20 feels costlier than its rivals. However, if you see the connectivity features, sunroof, infotainment, and other technologies and safety features, then the i20 is a big step up from almost all of its rivals. It offers several first-in-segment firsts, drives like a dream, and performs neatly on city roads and highways alike. It also looks extremely stylish, while offering oodles of brand value and resale value alike. Hence, it will continue turning heads and churning out sales figures handsomely in the premium hatchback category as per future forecasts.