The new Hyundai i20 is a good looking performer with sharp moves and a lusty disposition!
The Indian automotive industry is showing some signs of recovery, the last couple of months have sales graphs climbing steadily north. Make no mistake however, this is not blanket growth. Not every manufacturer is showing a come-back to form; the buoyancy in volume sales is coming from a handful of models that are dominating sales graphs dramatically enough to give overall numbers a getting-well-soon glow. One such car in particular that will make a difference in the next few months is the Hyundai Elite i20. There, I've almost said it. The Elite i20 will be a gleaming success. And that is what I will struggle with for the next few paragraphs. There is a debate raging inside me, on one hand my head says, and that's usually the place we go to whenever money comes into question, the Elite i20 is brilliant. On the other hand, my heart is feeling a bit disappointed because I was looking for something more from the i20. But let me not be vague and instead start from the beginning.
The Exterior
There is no arguing with the fact that the Elite i20 is by far the handsomest car in the hatchback segment. I cannot explain, but where design is concerned, Hyundai have gone straight to the top of the game, there isn't any car in either the hatchback or the sedan segment that looks as good or better. To me, there are three visual standout areas in this Fluidic Design Language version 2.0. The first is the combination of that sensational chrome edged honeycomb grille and the lower bumper which has the driving lamps connected by a slim black plastic mesh grille. It simply looks superb. I also like the way it gives the front end a tapered effect, as if the entire nose end is coming together at a point. On a secondary note, I also loved the headlamps. Count the kinks and you'll see what I'm referring to.
The second area that got my attention and I'm sure will catch yours too is the floating roof effect, thanks to that blacked out chunky C-pillar. It's a superb move to enhance this car's sense of dynamism. Mated with those narrow window areas, the Elite i20 looks like it wants to be athletic, aggressive and always surging across the finish tape with its nose craned forward. The third area that will catch your attention is the tail lamps. Now there are other design highlights as well such as that sculpted hood, the slim plastic cladding on the doors, the sloping roof the chiseled wheel arches all of which complement the overall look of this car.
The Interior
Coming to the interiors, the Elite i20 easily possesses the best Iooking interior among them all. It is impressive enough to be counted among the more luxurious German set of premium hatchbacks. Starting off at the dashboard, the basic idea Hyundai have captured is to try and make this look like a wrap-around dashboard with some of the elements inclined towards the driver. The cut of the aircon vents, the hexagonal-ish housing for the air-con vents and the audio system, the climate control system and even the instrument panel behind the steering wheel are all superbly detailed and styled. It's a very intuitive cabin and very easily you begin to memorise just where your fingers need to reach, to make audio changes or change the interior climate. More than just the way everything inside this cabin is styled, I believe people will be taken aback just as I was with the attention to detail and the way things function. This is a fabulous form and function kind of cabin.
Take for instance the controls for audio and the multi information display on the steering wheel. The buttons and knobs are soft touch and require minimal effort to operate. They are also smartly placed, all audio and phone controls on one side of the wheel and MFD on the other. Otherwise fit and finish is impeccable and can easily set new benchmarks for the segment. And lest I forget, I also loved the small piano finished bezel around the ORVM control button. The multi function display clearly shows the global reach of this car. There is a host of information displayed in it, especially multi region units for speed and temperature which clearly indicate that Hyundai have fabricated this as a single unit for a universal market. The most interesting feature in this MFD is the one which tells you if the steering is centred or locked into one side. So if you have backed up into your parking while having forgotten to straighten out the wheel and come back to start the car in the morning, the MFD will indicate that your wheels need to be straightened out before you ignite the engine and roll out, probably straight out onto your driveway rather than a wall. I also liked the reminder feature which allows you to set the reminder for your service intervals, either in terms of number of days or kilometers to go before the next service.
Room & Equipment
Hyundai have increased the wheelbase of the Elite i20, compared to that of the previous generation car without increasing the length which has in fact decreased by some 10mm compared to the previous generation car. So the Elite i20 stays under the 4-metre umbrella, yet is able to redefine how the interior space needed to be managed. So essentially what you get is a more spacious cabin in terms of knee room and thanks to a slight widening of the body, you also get better shoulder room. Height adjustable seats for the driver means you also get the headroom you want though at the rear taller people will feel a bit claustrophobic because of the sloping roofline. The seats are supportive and on a short drive I felt it had enough strength to keep your back and thighs firmly in place. You do get a rear air-con vent similar to the Grand i1o. It's also got a flat floor, which means a third passenger can fit in comfortably though there is no headrest for that middle seat. There are also enough cubby hole storage areas as well as cup and bottle holders for you to keep things well organised inside the Elite i20. The glovebox is a cooled area and the sunglasses holder is large enough for you to stash a can of Red Bull in it if needed. I did like the twin charging points in the front, alongside the AUX and USB connectivity points. This means more than two people can now simultaneously charge their electronic devices. You also get Bluetooth connectivity to hook up your phone and playback music. Six speakers give out reasonably good audio quality though I think it's time Hyundai did pay a bit more attention to this area. The instrument panel has a white backlit effect which can be dimmed and brightened by a knob next to the headlamp adjuster but interestingly the blue backlight for the rest of the controls on the dashboard and even the display for the audio system can't be dimmed and that can be a sight too distracting after dark. The boot is immense and space can be increased thanks to a 60:40 seat split. It's not very deep but has the width for you to place large bags comfortably within.
Engine & Transmission
The Elite i20 gets the same petrol and diesel powertrain configurations as before though minor tweaks for efficiency and better load management have been employed. I have driven the 1.4-litre 16-valve 4-cylinder CRDI. You get 90PS at 4,000rpm with a superb 222Nm of max torque between 1,500-2,750rpm from this engine. Max engine rpm cuts off at 4,750 rpm. The power and torque ratings in the new i20 diesel are adequate for every situation. The turbocharger kicks in at 1,400rpm and the boost improves acceleration past that point. Dense traffic as a result will see you shifting through first and second gears constantly, moreover since it comes coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission, which is a fuel efficiency enhancer. Hyundai claim an ARAl certified fuel efficiency of 22kmpl for the diesel, with 19kmpl for the petrol. Interestingly, the petrol engine gets a 5-speed manual.
The diesel engine then, as I mentioned, has got a strong mid-range. Acceleration is brisk and makes this an effortless highway cruiser. Having said that, it's no slouch in city traffic either, the responses are sharp and you can get going pretty quickly when the need arises to get past slower moving traffic in urban areas. The diesel is also superbly refined and thanks to immense sound deadening, there is barely any engine clatter audible inside the cabin.
The highlight of this drivetrain though is the slick shift lever which has short precise throws. I do like the way you can just give it a light nudge to slot into the required gear. Reverse gear on this can be found in the same place as first gear but engaging it requires you to raise the lever and then slot it into reverse, which is a safer move. The petrol engine on the other hand is the tried and tested naturally aspirated 1.2-litre Kappa which has already served several cars under the Hyundai fold including the previous generation i20. In the Elite i20, it continues to provide 83PS of max power with 115Nm of max torque. There is no lag and the engine feels a lot more relaxed and quicker to respond. This is also probably down to the 5-speed manual transmission whose ratios are better matched to the power and torque curve of the petrol engine as compared to the 6-speed manual in the diesel. It quickly gets you into the power band. Given a choice, I'd probably pick the petrol over the diesel for its smoother, more luxurious feel as well as linearity and that may come as a surprise to many.
Ride & Handling
The ride quality is good for most urban and highway conditions. The MacPherson setup at the front with a torsion beam axle and coil springs at the rear are adequate dampers for good and bad roads. The assistance is not excessive and like in the Verna or the previous i20, you do not need to be extra cautious when taking the steering wheel off centre.
Compared to the diesel variant, the petrol Elite i20’s steering setup feels lighter, thanks to the lower weight of the petrol engine over the front wheels. I quite easily see the potential this car has to be an incredible handler and I do think the European spec version with its larger and broader tyres and more power combination will be an absolute scorcher. For Indian conditions, the Elite i20 is a smooth, luxurious commuter with refined highway manners that are definitely a much bigger improvement on the car it replaces.
Verdict
Hyundai definitely have a finger on the pulse of the Indian buyer, they very effectively know just what it is the market demands and are responding with highly emotional products. If you want a smooth effortless and feature rich product then the Elite i20 ticks all the right boxes. For the general populace, this is a superb car. Superbly finished, good looking with a great drivetrain and refinement, a list of features to put the competition to shame, the Elite i20 can go on to achieve great things for Hyundai. It's definitely an evolutionary product and one that will either take the competition back to the drawing board or to have them offer massive discounts. Either way, it's arm candy to earn you your neighbour's envy for a long time to come.
Words : Bertrand D'souza
Published: OverDrive
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