FIRST REPORT The new Elite i20 has joined our fleet, and yes, it's as elite as a hatch can get.
It's when I stopped at a traffic light, alongside one of the many Santro cabs that have replaced Mumbai's black-and-yellow Padminis, that the pace of Hyundai's evolution as a carmaker struck me. Sitting in our long-term Elite i20, still fresh from its global launch three months ago, the Santro seemed like a dinosaur. Both these cars may be separated by 17 years, but the differences seem light years apart. It epitomises Hyundai's rapid and relentless transformation from a Korean upstart to a global powerhouse.
It's no surprise then that the new i20 is a big jump over the previous one. Hyundai thinks it's worthy of the 'Elite' prefix, to suggest that it's more premium and upmarket than the competition. Arrogance or just plain confidence from the Korean automaker?
Away from the spotlights of the glitzy launch and the royal settings in Rajasthan for the media drive, it's time for a no-nonsense evaluation of Hyundai's latest, in Mumbai's more down-to-earth surroundings. The truth is that the Elite i20 doesn't stand out in the scrum of traffic like the tall-boy Santro once did. But that's also a reflection of the design maturity Hyundai has reached so very quickly. The toothy and oddly proportioned Santro was a caricature on wheels, a good example of Hyundai's design excess. The Elite i20, in contrast, is more restrained and a fine example of Hyundai design at its best.
Mornings are usually a rush, but before jumping into the i20, I can't help but give it the once-over - it looks that good. I just love the proportions of this new hatch, the way the wheels have been pushed out to each corner, the subtly muscular window line and, for a Hyundai, the simplicity of form. Even the grille is smartly executed and looks brilliant. It's a shame that once you get in the car, you can't see what it looks like because the interiors aren't quite as impressive. It's a very busy cabin, brimming with buttons, especially on the steering wheel; it took me a couple days to figure out all the functions. Pairing my phone and streaming music was pretty straightforward. And with 1GB of storage, you're likely to have a lot of music to sift through.
There's a sense of luxury the Elite i20 exudes, which you quickly get used to and take for granted. It's when you step into another hatch you realise how plush this Hyundai really is. There's a lot of stuff in the Elite i20's cabin which you never thought you would use. You'd think two 12V chargers in the front is an overkill, but with the proliferation of battery-chomping iPhones, there have been enough instances of both sockets being used to juice up. And in this age of Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks, I've used the large cupholder pretty frequently too.
Mumbai roads can bring out the best and worst in any car. There's not a single smooth surface in the city, not around where I live at least, and the 7km drive to work in peak traffic takes around 40 minutes. That's the habitat the Elite i20 has been living in for the past month, so the simple question is, what's it like to drive in traffic and on bad roads?
The clutch, steering and gearshift are fairly light, so you're not tired after a long drive. The 1.4 diesel engine is fairly alert on part throttle and doesn't suffer from the turbo lag of the previous i20 - a big boon in traffic. The performance is more than adequate for daily driving and the good thing is that there's enough torque to restrict gearshifts between 2nd and 3rd gears for most urban duties. Coming off speed breakers, there's no need to slot into 1st. The i20 pulls smartly from a crawl even in 2nd gear. What's the new i20 like to spend time in over long distances? My next drive up to Mahabaleshwar will give all the answers.
Words By: Hormazd Sorabjee
Published by : Auto Car india
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