Hyundai i20 review

The i20’s wide stance and prominent nose really stand out and, as it drives past, you notice the strong character lines on its flanks, which adds to the tautness of the shape. Another standout feature is the large fog lamps housed in prominent blisters on the lower bumper. Perhaps Hyundai’s designers were so caught up with the front that they ran too close to the deadline as far as the rear is concerned.
The end result is a very generic rear, which does gel with the rest of the design, but doesn’t stand out.
The build quality is noticeable the moment you grab the chunky door handles to open and shut the nicely weighted doors. This is indicative of a car that can last well for years on our roads.
The i20 gets a well designed and functional cabin, albeit not one that moves the game forward in any significant way. On the plus side, the Hyundai is certainly spacious, with decent accommodation in the front plus a good range of seat and steering column adjustments. It’s possible to sit one-six footer behind another in reasonable comfort and three abreast at the rear is not a big squeeze either. 
The i20’s mechanical layout follows the absolute supermini standard with MacPherson struts suspending the front end and a torsion beam axle at the back, damped by gas-charged shock absorbers all round. Electric power assistance for steering is about the most radical item on the spec list and makes this the first Hyundai in India to get it. All versions of the i20 ride on 14-inch rims but tyre sizes vary. The base version (Magna) gets steel wheels shod with 175/70 R14 rubber, the higher-end Asta (pictured) gets a 185/65 footprint.A boot capacity of 295 litres is decent for this class of hatchback and the flat load area and wide tailgate aperture and 60:40 split rear seats, makes the most of it. There are lots of cubbyholes, and the cooled glovebox is one of the largest we have encountered on an Indian car.
The Asta version gets six airbags, seatbelt warning lights for all five passengers and electric folding rear view mirrors. The i20’s centre console features electronic climate control and an integrated music system with steering-mounted controls. The Asta also has USB connectivity, in addition to an auxiliary port for your iPod or MP3 device. A multi-information display on the dash tells you the outside temperature, time, day and date, and also journey information.
The shiny plastics look downmarket and the dark brown colour isn’t to everybody’s taste and the vents for the air con are also not in keeping with the overall positioning of this car.Under the i20’s shapely bonnet sits the same 1197cc Kappa engine, which we’ve already seen in the i10. This all-aluminium 16-valve motor which develops 79bhp and 11.4kgm of torque now has to haul around a body that is significantly heavier. Clearly, the i20 is no rocketship and the 0-100kph time of 15.21 seconds is a good two seconds slower than the i10. With its ability to swallow five large passengers and a reasonable amount of luggage, a fully loaded i20 does struggle on the highway, especially when overtaking fast moving traffic. 
For city driving, however, performance is adequate thanks to well judged gear ratios that make the most of the Kappa engine. The redline is closer to 6000rpm, but revving it is pointless as it runs out of breath before that and the soundtrack gets uncomfortably loud.In fact, it is at lower revs that the i20 feels the most relaxed. At idle, the engine is extremely refined with no vibrations filtering into the cabin.
The i20 is a pretty fuel efficient car, with an in-city figure of 11.2kpl and 16kpl on the highway. It is not as frugal as some A-segment cars but given its weight and size, these figures are quite respectable.Under the i20’s shapely bonnet sits the same 1197cc Kappa engine, which we’ve already seen in the i10. This all-aluminium 16-valve motor which develops 79bhp and 11.4kgm of torque now has to haul around a body that is significantly heavier. Clearly, the i20 is no rocketship and the 0-100kph time of 15.21 seconds is a good two seconds slower than the i10. With its ability to swallow five large passengers and a reasonable amount of luggage, a fully loaded i20 does struggle on the highway, especially when overtaking fast moving traffic.
For city driving, however, performance is adequate thanks to well judged gear ratios that make the most of the Kappa engine. The redline is closer to 6000rpm, but revving it is pointless as it runs out of breath before that and the soundtrack gets uncomfortably loud.In fact, it is at lower revs that the i20 feels the most relaxed. At idle, the engine is extremely refined with no vibrations filtering into the cabin.
The i20 is a pretty fuel efficient car, with an in-city figure of 11.2kpl and 16kpl on the highway. It is not as frugal as some A-segment cars but given its weight and size, these figures are quite respectable.The i20 is not a cheap car. At Rs 6.59 lakh, on-road, Mumbai, the big Hyundai is squarely in C-segment territory. But then at this price you get a car that has all the space and features of a saloon minus the boot. It’s spanking new, not just in India, but in the whole world, which means it’s built to the latest safety standards. And safety is one area where the i20 shines — it’s the first hatchback to get six airbags.
The i20’s user-friendly nature makes it a good companion for city use and the comprehensive array of equipment will keep you pampered. It’s reasonably fuel efficient and with Hyundai’s good service back-up, it should be hassle-free to run and own.
But despite impressing us in many areas, the i20’s unexciting cabin and bland driving experience makes this a car that’s to be bought more with the head than the heart.art

What it costs

Warranty

2 yrs/unlimited

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Installation	Front, transverse
Bore/stroke	71/75.6mm
Compression ratio	10.5:1
Valve gear	DOHC, 4 valves per cyl
Power	79bhp at 5200rpm
Torque	11.4kgm at 4000rpm
Power to weight	74.17bhp per tonne
Torque to weight	10.7kgm per tonne

Transmission

Type	Front-wheel drive
Gearbox	5-speed manual

Dimensions

Length	3940mm
Width	1710 mm
Height	1505 mm
Wheel base	2525 mm

Chassis & Body

Weight	1065kg
Tyres	185/65 R14

Suspension

Front	Independent, MacPherson struts
Rear	Non-independent, torsion beam axle

Steering

Type	Power-assisted rack and pinion
Type of power assist	Electric

Brakes

Rear

Drums

Economy

City	11.2kpl
Highway	15.5kpl
Tank size	45 litres

Range at a glance - Engines

Petrol	1.2,1.4 litre
Diesel	1.4 litre

Posted in: hyundai