Hyundai i20: A review of the Korean premier hatchback

For those who would like to take leave from the choice extremities of the entry level city cars, SUVs, and sedans, the more premier bunch of hatchbacks provide for a perfect alternative. Some might even testify that conveniences of the sedans combined with the upgrade of design and feature on entry level cars, could be a reason the hatchbacks get picked up from the market. Hyundai i20 is one such offering, that has maintained it's own set of fans owing to the modern stylish design, impactful engine, and the brand recall competing as one of the highest in the country.

12 models, 2 fuel options, 2 varieties of transmission 6 color options; that's the kind of options the Hyundai i20 offers, which one can pick within the price band of Rs 4.85 lakhs and Rs 7.88 lakhs.

The exterior

The designing as it currently is, has been inspired from European sources which has given it the elegant aggression in looks. The running lines along the side of the door add that special flavor to the exterior design, which perfectly suits the special slant towards the rear end near the fender. The headlamps, on the front have now been given an extended space on the front of the car, which too plays it's role rather well. The tail lamps have been given a parallelogram shaping with extended ends towards the side the of the body, which makes it aesthetic as well as practical during taking tricky turns. The lights tend to be more visible this way, which is something standing out with the indicator lights on the rear view mirror. The other sporty part of the external features is the set of 5-spoke alloy wheels, which is definitely something to be noticed with the car in motion.

The interior

Effort has been made to ensure that the riders of the Hyundai i20 are pampered with features otherwise noticed in high-end luxury vehicles. The basic feel of the black and beige dual tone interior fabrication, especially on the seats and central dashboard, where there is light brown coloring towards the lower half instrument panel. Under dark, the panel lights up with a cool blue shade, which makes the feel a rather premium one. On a more premium level, you have a rear view parking camera with a display, supervision cluster, auto-temperature control, clean air cluster, and push button start which is a very rare feature in cars of this segment.

In terms of entertainment, buyers can look forward to getting entertained well with the Multi-information display, 2-DIN CD/MP3 audio system with 4 speakers, USB, Aux-in, and bluetooth connectivity, apart from the steering mounted controls. Handy features would include the electrical adjustable rear view mirror from the inside, height adjustable seats, Power Outlet 12V, battery saver, along with rear defogger, luggage lamp, map lamps, power windows, rear wiper, and an adjustable steering column for optimal driver comfort. From the technical point of, the tachometer and the trip meter would be handy to keep an eye on the performance of the engine.

The engine

The engine options in the the Hyundai i20 definitely give it the strength, and the mileage also seems to be fair for a vehicle of this size and segment. There are however, 2 petrol engines and 1 diesel engine on offer, apart from the option of 5-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The 5-speed manual transmission option has been paired with the 1197cc, 1.2-liter Kappa engine which generates 82.9 Bhp of power, and due to the VTVT (Variable Timing Valve Train) allows it generate a fair mileage of around 18.5 kmpl. The weight of the engine has been kept under check with the aluminum alloy designing which in turn affects the engine performance positively. On the other hand, the automatic transmission option is a 4-speed edition which has a 1396cc capacity and gives an output of 98.6 Bhp of power. Though there are 6 different driving modes, the mileage remains limited at 15 kmpl. On the other hand, the 1.4-liter CRDi engine remains to be the people choice because of it's displacement capacity 1396cc and power generating capability of 88.8 Bhp, and the mileage pegged at 21.9 kmpl, which is more value for the money for a cheaper fuel option.