For the Active Generation.

The Elite i20 has not only won accolades but also commercial success. Why not build on the success and provide customers with yet another choice using the same platform? Thus starts the story of the new Hyundai i20 Active. 

It is as much common-sense as it is philosophy when someone remarks every coin has two sides. The opinion about creating multiple products leveraging identical platforms is a bit like that. On the one side there are those who don't see the point of 'another version of the same product', while on the other there are those who would argue that 'another version offers more choice to the buyer'. There are, of course, pros and cons of both sides of the argument. Question to ask then is, will the newcomer Hyundai i20 Active be able to take things to a new level?

The i20 Active is very much based on the popular Elite i20. Consequently, the two Hyundai cars look very similar. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking that all that extra cladding you can see is an after-market job. But it isn't. The scuff plate, the roof-rails and the lip spoiler on the hatch are some of the new additions to the car to turn it from Elite to Active. There are new fog-lamps and projector headlamps as well, but what is not immediately apparent but can be seen on closer inspection is the raised stance of the i20 Active. The car, which Hyundai claim is a compact crossover, is actually raised by 20 mm, taking ground clearance from the 170 mm of the Elite to the 190 mm of the Active. While the extra height might make some difference to the driving dynamics of the car, which we would discover (or not) later on, it does have an impact on the vehicle's visual stance and adds to its road presence.

There are some neat touches inside as well. The seats are dual coloured with orange highlights on the bolsters in the brown car, which is a brand-new colour option that we were driving. There are orange inserts in the dashboard and around the a-c vents too along with an orange top for the gear-knob, all of which combine to lend a youthful air to the cabin. There is also an option of blue tints. For those with the thirst for sporty appeal, please note that the car gets aluminum treatment on the pedals. Hyundai have already taken the quality of interior game in this segment to a new level and the i20 Active is no different. Overall quality of plastics, fit-and-finish and premium feel is top-notch.

Under the bonnet of our car was the tried and tested 1.4-litre common-rail direct injection diesel engine that does duty in the Elite i20 as well. Transmission is via a six-speed manual 'box. You would have thought that with such a proven and well accepted power train Hyundai would have plunked it in the i20 Active untouched. But no, the Korean manufacturers, with their thirst for outstripping all competition, have gone ahead and increased the final ratio, thus releasing a claimed 11 per cent extra low-end grunt. While we can't tell you if it is exactly 11 percent, what is definitely noticeable is the extra punchiness of this power train when compared to the Elite i20. Peak power and torque rating, however, continue unchanged at 90 PS and 220 Nm. While the power comes in at 4,000 revs, the torque kicks in at 1,500 RPM and stays till 2,750 RPM. There is still noticeable lag while the turbo is spooling up but thanks to the increase in low-end torque, things are better than in the Elite i20.

Despite the increase in ride height, the ride quality and handling of the i20 Active remain unaffected. Hyundai claim that they have stiffened the suspension a bit, but, honestly speaking, the difference in ride and driving dynamics is not really that significant. The steering is the same as on the Elite i20 and feels much the same. It is much better than the steering units of older Hyundai cars and feels more interactive where feedback and responsiveness are concerned. Of course, things could improve still more but then I am an auto journalist whose thirst for more can never be quenched, aren't I? Coming back to the car itself, it's dynamically able with sound ride quality. Nothing to complain there. There is ABS in the top two variants and twin airbags in the top-of-the-line version that we were in. Besides such safety kit, there are a host of comforts too, including rear-view camera integrated into the rear-view mirror, auto climate control with cluster ionizer, Bluetooth connectivity, one GB of internal memory, and more.

Hyundai have priced the range-topping SX at Rs 8.89 lakh , ex-showroom in Delhi. At that price, with the kit on offer and with the Hyundai reputation supporting the i20 Active it's definitely worth a look if you're in the market for a car that's meant to support your "active" lifestyle.

Published by   : Car India

Words by   : Aninda Sardar