i And Mighty

Hyundai's i20 has always been in the limelight for its swanky looks, premium feel and never-ending features list. But does the latest one add to the list of reasons you should be interested in one?

This may simply be the new i20 to most of us, but Hyundai calls it the 'Elite i20'. The 'Elite' moniker is prefixed to tell you that the Elite i20 is more premium than its big-selling predecessors in every which way. The promise is of even better quality, finer detailing, more cabin space and more features. There's also the prospect of a better-driving i20. Hyundai has made steady progress in the dynamics department over the past year, so expectations are high here too. But only a close look and a drive will tell us about the strengths and weaknesses that make the Elite i20. And that brings us to the regal confines of Jodhpur — the venue for the launch drive.

Eye to i

Jodhpur's majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace is the chosen backdrop for our opening photograph. That the Elite i20 isn't lost in the frame says a lot about its design. It has tremendous presence and certainly looks bigger than the one it replaces. That's interesting because this one, built on a new platform, actually isn't much larger. To be more specific, the Elite i20 is wider by 24mm, of identical height and actually 10mm shorter than before. But with the wheels pushed further out towards the extremities to make space for the 45mm-longer wheelbase, the car has a squatter stance, trimmed overhangs and a stronger profile. This apart, what's also easy to see is that the styling on the Elite i20 isn't as flamboyant as on Hyundais of the past few years. Is that a bad thing?

Not in the least, because the design is restrained, mature and sporty in just the right amounts, and in keeping with the evolved look of Hyundai's latest Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. The focal point at the front is the large, low-set hexagonal grille that's outlined by a strip of chrome and flanked by smart fog lamps. The chrome detailing more than does its bit to embellish the attractive sweptback headlights, while the flat bonnet just above makes the Elite i20 look wider than it is.

To be honest, there's little to link the Elite i20 to the old one, at least in terms of design. Sure, this one's got a rising window line too, but its angular glasshouse is very different and even the belt line is less pronounced. What further differentiates the Elite i20 is the blacked-out effect on its chunky C-pillar. It's an interesting touch that adds more character to the design. What also remains to be seen is how successfully the 14-inch steel wheels on lower-spec i20s manage to fill the large wheel arches. Top-spec cars get 16-inch alloys and, it must be said, they do look superb. Further back, the smartly raked rear windscreen, the beautiful spread-out tail-lights and the neat bumper make us agree that the rear end is the Elite i20's best side. Even small details, such as the lip atop the rear windscreen, are well executed. Frequent travelers will be happy to know that the i20's 285-litre boot is spacious enough to hold more than a weekend's luggage with ease.  

Space Case

Spy pics of the Elite i20's interior had been floating around the web for quite some time, so the basic layout of the dashboard isn't much of a surprise. What is, is the sheer amount of space in the cabin. There's a sizeable gap between the front two seats, and there's enough width in the rear to seat three. Rear headroom is very good and legroom is better than some midsize sedans. Rear-seat comfort is also impressive, with good back and leg support on offer. A rear air-con vent and easy ingress-egress courtesy the wide door aperture further make the Elite i20 a hatchback that scores big for its back seat. Outside visibility is very impressive, and the option to adjust the steering for rake and reach and the seat for height makes it easy to find the ideal driving position. From the supportive seat, the standout elements that catch my attention include the chunky column stalks, the tactile-feeling mirror adjust switch, the detailed multi-function display in the instruments cluster and how each and every knob has a dash of chrome fining to it. Even the solidity of the air-con vents leaves an impression. Small as these details are, they help give the Elite i20 its big-car feel.

Also nice are the number of storage spaces. Medium-sized glovebox apart, there's a bottle holder on each of the doors, a box between the front seats, two cupholders near the gear lever and another usable recess with two charging points low down on the dashboard. As for the dashboard itself, it looks suitably upmarket. The two-tone theme, layered effect and excellent fit and finish help this impression. It's well thought-out too and the automatic climate control knobs and audio player controls are positioned within easy reach. Drivers get their own set of controls on the well-finished, three-spoke steering wheel. 

And that brings us to features. Apart from the steering-mounted buttons for the audio and Bluetooth telephone functions, the top-spec Asta trim we are talking about comes with automatic headlamps, push button start, automatic climate control, a rear air-con vent, an audio player with 1 GB of onboard music storage, auto-folding mirrors, a reverse camera with guide lines and Hyundai's safety pedal. The last one overrides the throttle when pressed simultaneously with the brake. It works surprisingly well and is something that could come in handy in panic braking scenarios. 

Cool Customer

Our Elite i20 driving experience starts with the diesel car. For your information, the diesel engine under the hood is the same 1.4-litre, common-rail, turbo unit as on the previous i20. There's no change in power (89bhp at 4,000rpm) or torque figures (22.4kgnt at 1,750- 2,000rpm) either. The six-speed manual gearbox has been carried forward too, albeit with slightly shorter third, fourth and sixth gears to aid drivability. First impressions are positive. Idle is quiet, the clutch is light and gearshifts seem smooth. With the absorbent suspension (front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion bar) going about its business quietly. The light steering also makes it easy to maneuver past cycle-wallahs who seem to think it wise to ride on the right-most lane. It doesn't take too much weight on the throttle pedal to get past them. The initial city portion of the drive has helped establish the Elite i20 diesel as a very relaxing car to move about town in. 

The ride quality over the poor sections of the road is good and we can sense there's a newfound maturity in the way the Elite i20 goes over the rough stuff. On the highway too, there's much less of that floatiness we remember from the earlier i20, there's more weight to the steering and, in general, the car feels a lot more cohesive than before. Straight-line stability also seems to have benefitted from the longer wheelbase. The front end has a lot of bite and turns into corners without excessive under-steer. 

On the long straights of the highway, the Elite i20 acquits itself by being a happy cruiser, mostly thanks to the tall sixth gear. The engine makes a mark for refinement even at higher speeds, and with revs over delivery is also very linear right to the 4900rpm limiter. What's relevant is its in-gear timing, where the Elite i20's shorter gearing makes it faster. It's half a second faster in the 20-80kph in third gear slog, and a full 1.5 seconds quicker from 40-100kph in fourth gear. Time to slip into the petrol car. 

The petrol engine on this car is the same variable valve timing-equipped, 82bhp, 1.2-litre motor as the older car's. While power and torque outputs remain unchanged, Hyundai says it has been re-tuned for better bottom-end responses and possibly also to compensate for the higher weight. As before, the engine comes allied to a five-speed gearbox. Thanks to the changes, the Elite i20 does feel better than before. The Elite i20 petrol builds speed quickly and doesn't leave us wanting for power past 3000rpm. Keeping the throttle pedal pressed has the engine rev quite readily past 6,000rpm. It is possibly the quietest of the 1.2-litre petrol motors. 

All-Rounder

The Elite i20 come together is as an all-rounder. It looks special on the outside and is well-equipped, spacious and comfortable on the inside. Refinement levels are big-car good, and both diesel and petrol engines offer unstressed motoring. They promise to be efficient too, with ARAI-tested fuel economy figures of 22.5kpl and 18.6kpl, respectively. Hyundai's service makes the Elite i20 even easier to recommend. The prices start at Rs 4.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base petrol car and topping out at Rs 7.67 lakh for the top-spec diesel. Given that a premium price tag never came in the way of the older i20's success, this one, which packs a lot of value, is sure to be a big hit.

Words : AutoCar India