IT'S BEEN A BUSY month for our Elite i20. Besides the Pune-Mumbai trips and my daily commute, it's been on two back to back cross-country trips.
It all started when four of us set off for the K1000 Rally in Bangalore in a friend's Ertiga, whose gear selector slipped on the outskirts of Pune. At 1 am, the Elite i20 was the only option. Surprisingly, all the rally gear and supplies fit into the hatchback along with all four of us.
I wasn't looking forward to driving almost 900km but the car seemed to run effortlessly, cruising above three-digit speeds, weaving between lorries and buses. Most overtaking maneuvers were dismissed in sixth gear, but when needed, one downshift on the smooth gearbox did the job. The wonderful ride quality allowed the passengers to doze peacefully. The chassis stayed composed and allowed very neutral handling. The Elite i20's seats are comfortable, the driving position first class, and the instrumentation a paragon of clarity and efficiency.
We reached Bangalore in less than ten hours, effortlessly, and at such low cost (almost 20kmpl all the way) even with Byram's flat-out driving. A bigger test was the bumpy stages of the rally, which it did so well that Byram decided to use it for recce in the Coffee Day Rally, Chikmagalur, another journey it came out from with flying colours. Despite going through two back to back recces and driving on some roads affected pretty badly by the monsoons, the car has not developed a single rattle or squeak. This truly is testimony to the much improved build quality on this car.
The Elite i20 is probably the most enjoyable and best looking Hyundai available in India today. Not only has the new i20's exterior design now come of age, but the interior is also far more appealing. There's little reason to argue with the car winning the prestigious ICOTY award.
Word by : Aniruddha Rangnekar
Published by : EVO India
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