It’s not without faults, but the latest Hyundai i20 is the company’s most competitive take on the small car market yet
Korea’s largest car brand continues to impress with every new model, and this is the best Hyundai i20 yet. Although the premium design may not be to all tastes and the cabin is let down by mixed materials and lack of colours, the i20 hits the mark in almost every other respect, from its entertaining chassis and three-cylinder rotary engine to its practicality, equipment and running costs thanks to Hyundai’s strong warranty and financing rates. Which was helped by a low deposit. The Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta still aren’t quite the all-rounders and our favorite small car, but they’re getting closer than ever.
Hyundai’s steady march of progress continues, and the latest i20 is one of the best offerings yet of this incremental improvement – it’s the most complete i20 yet, and the closest Hyundai has to building a supermini capable of taking on the class-leading Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.
While Hyundai is based on the same platform as its predecessor, it has improved the car in every area. You will not fail to notice the new, more pronounced design, with a wide grille and aggressive headlights that match those of other models in the range, SEAT-style wings with a slanted cut, a distinctive tail end with its claw-like lights, a light panel that joins the rear clusters, and a contrasting black element. It seems to visually increase the size of the rear window.
There have been similar developments inside, with a more modern design and the noticeable application of a dual-screen setup not unlike that used by Mercedes in the A-Class. The introduction of a fully digital instrument cluster is impressive in this class, while two different infotainment screen options mean There’s plenty of appeal in the showroom, too. This doesn’t quite extend to the interior materials unfortunately, which lag behind those of some rivals, and there’s not much to get excited about.
Trim levels start with SE Connect, Premium, Sporty N Line and Ultimate, while the Element version is no longer available in the price list. Enthusiastic drivers will be attracted to the 201bhp i20 N standalone model, which offers an extra sporty design to go with its powerful performance.
Under the bonnet, there’s just a single 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol unit, powered by mild-hybrid technology, delivering either 99bhp or 118bhp. This lack of choice may deter some, but it’s an absolutely impressive power unit, offering economy in the mid-50s, smooth and strong power delivery and smooth gearboxes. It’s also refined and rides well (at least on the smaller wheel options), while for the first time we’d call the i20 a real Fiesta rival in terms of driver appeal – that’s as much an indicator of how far the i20 has come as anything else.
With plenty of interior space, one of the largest in its class but manageable exterior dimensions, it also retains the practicality of its predecessors. With some good finance offers available too, the i20 should be on your shortlist if you’re looking for a new supermini.
Motor performance in the Hyundai i20
The i20 is more capable than its predecessor and is now a suitable rival to drive the Fiesta. Its smooth engine and efficient mild hybrid system are also impressive.
Previous generations of the Hyundai i20 drove with sufficient precision but were rarely anywhere near the most entertaining cars in its class. Everything changes this time, because the latest i20 is now a really fun little car to drive, and much closer in spirit to the Ford Fiesta that has traditionally led the way in this class.
When you consider that the i20 N sports hatchback will soon be joining the range, it’s clear that Hyundai made sure the base package was up to the task – but it didn’t sacrifice the needs of everyday buyers in the pursuit of a more enjoyable drive. . The ride is a little firmer than previous i20 buyers might have been accustomed to, which has helped reduce body roll in corners and sharpened the Hyundai’s handling, but it still dampens bumps well, at least on the smaller wheel options.
The lack of engine choice could spell disaster if the only unit wasn’t on the verge of breaking down, but fortunately, Hyundai has got things right here, too. The three-cylinder power plant uses 48-volt mild-hybrid technology to recover energy when decelerating, which also allows for a stop-start function when stopped. It’s smooth when stopping and restarting, and doesn’t produce a lot of running vibration either – wind and tire noise are more noticeable at speed.
Both the engine and gearbox are fun to use in their own right, with the engine pulling strongly from relatively few revs and happy to pull higher gears at relatively low speeds, which is great for economy. We’ve only tried the manual gearbox so far, but it’s smooth and easy to use too, while Sport mode improves throttle response if you’re feeling lively.
There is only one engine available in the i20, driving the front wheels through a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The three-cylinder petrol unit comes in 99bhp or 118bhp form, and thanks to a 48v mild-hybrid system, there’s 171Nm of torque on offer from just 1500rpm – or, unusually, 172Nm if you opt for the dual-clutch auto. . The 118bhp DCT version features a further increase in torque to 200Nm.
The quickest model is the 118-hp manual, which takes 10.1 seconds from 0 to 62 mph. Other models in the range are only a tenth or two slower during the same sprint, while the 99bhp DCT version is slightly slower at 11.4 seconds from 0-62mph, with a maximum of 113mph.
Luxuries in the Hyundai i20
It’s let down by some inferior materials and sober design, but the i20s is well equipped and the infotainment system makes sense to use
If the i20’s exterior design is wild, the cabin is closer to temperate. There’s some visual interest in the unusual design of the four-spoke steering wheel, the air vents that seem to flow into the rest of the dashboard design and the 10.25-inch digital display standard for all i20s, but there’s a frustrating lack of color here – strange, when the Kona lets you Hyundai has flashing around the air vents and on the seats. It’s not as good as the Fiesta, and it’s nowhere near the Citroen C3 in terms of imagination.
There’s a bit of a mix of textures too, although to be fair to Hyundai, everything seems to be well screwed together, with no evidence of squeaks or rattles. Equipment levels are also good and make up for the lack of imagination. The Element Special Edition is a more affordable option, coming with smaller 16-inch alloy wheels, and deleting kit like a digital display, cruise control and High Beam Assist technology.
SE Connect gets cruise control, manual air conditioning, and a rearview camera along with parking sensors; Premium and Ultimate models get niceties like heated seats and a heated steering wheel, while there’s ambient lighting in the footwells to make night driving more interesting.
Additionally, the Premium trim adds LED headlights and taillights, power-folding mirrors, automatic wipers and 17-inch alloys, while the Ultimate trim offers a contrasting roof color, keyless entry and ignition, a wireless smartphone charging pad, blind-spot warning, and Bose premium audio. This digital cluster is also neat, available on all models and with a configurable display for keeping track of key functions, as well as an overview of the power flow of the 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Like many competitors, Hyundai has now placed its infotainment screen high on the dashboard, at the level of the driver’s instrument cluster. On the Element and SE Connect models, you get an 8-inch display with handy physical controls on either side of the screen that act as quick links to key system functions and can connect to your smartphone for added utility.
The Premium and Ultimate trim lines get a larger 10.25-inch screen, while the hotkeys move below the screen and now use touch-sensitive technology — it’s not intuitive, though the volume knob thankfully remains a physical control. Hyundai’s systems always make sense to use, and the larger screen has built-in navigation, though smartphone users can still dial in for more functionality just as they could with the smaller screen.
Safety features in the Hyundai i20
Practicality is one of the i20’s strong suits, with good cabin space front and rear and trunk volume near the top of the class.
The Hyundai supermini has seen a growth spurt over the past two generations and the latest model is no exception, growing in every dimension apart from height, with its slightly lower profile combining with greater width to give the car its sporty proportions. Importantly there has been a slight increase in the wheelbase to improve cabin room, and general improvements to the cabin design make it the most accommodating i20 to date.
The usual array of small bins makes it easy to store things around the i20’s cabin, although it’s no better or worse than the class average. The compartment in front of the gearlever is more than suitable for a mobile phone or two, and on Ultimate models the pad inside can be used to charge your device.
The i20 is in the supermini’s ballpark, at just over four meters in length, at 4040mm. It is also 1,775 mm wide excluding mirrors, and 1,450 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,580 mm, i.e. 10 mm larger than its predecessor. For comparison, these figures are within a few centimeters of the Volkswagen Polo in length, marginally wider and close to the same height, while they are identical to the Fiesta in length but a touch wider and lower.
Practicality is one of the i20’s strong suits, with good cabin space front and rear and trunk volume near the top of the class.
The Hyundai supermini has seen a growth spurt over the past two generations and the latest model is no exception, growing in every dimension apart from height, with its slightly lower profile combining with greater width to give the car its sporty proportions. Importantly there has been a slight increase in the wheelbase to improve cabin room, and general improvements to the cabin design make it the most accommodating i20 to date.
The usual array of small bins makes it easy to store things around the i20’s cabin, although it’s no better or worse than the class average. The compartment in front of the gearlever is more than suitable for a mobile phone or two, and on Ultimate models the pad inside can be used to charge your device.
The i20 is in the supermini’s ballpark, at just over four meters in length, at 4040mm. It is also 1,775 mm wide excluding mirrors, and 1,450 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,580 mm, i.e. 10 mm larger than its predecessor. For comparison, these figures are within a few centimeters of the Volkswagen Polo in length, marginally wider and close to the same height, while they are identical to the Fiesta in length but a touch wider and lower.
Take one look at Hyundai’s five-year warranty, and it should give you a good idea of how the brand views its reliability, which in turn reassures the customer. The latest i20 is too new to feature in the Auto Express Driver Power survey, but its 68th place finish out of 75 cars, while not quite up to the level of some rivals, wasn’t bad for an older model nearing the end of production.
The latest i20 has not been tested by Euro NCAP yet. When it is, it should be a significant improvement over its predecessor, last tested in 2015, which already received a four-star rating (out of five) and achieved fairly impressive scores for occupant protection, and impressive pedestrian protection.
The i20 range packs a lot of useful safety tech, from autonomous emergency braking, forward collision assist, lane keep assist and blind-spot collision warning, to the usual stability control, six airbags, and an eCall system that alerts rescue services in case of occurrence
pricing
Hyundai i20 price model 2022 start from $30,690
