Active Life

The average age of the car buyer is becoming younger. They're becoming more demanding of their vehicles and they're using them for more than just commuting to work and trips to the supermarket. They want their car to do more but retain the attributes that make them such great purchases. The i20 Active does exactly that with the Elite i20. It takes a good hatchback and elevates it into a crossover that the competition cannot beat. 

The i20 Active begins impressing with its first impressions: it looks the part thanks to the wide, aggressive grille that runs into the silver skid plate at the bottom. The low edges of the bumper are black plastic, which show that the i20 Active isn't afraid to get down and dirty should the need arise. Large foglamps add to the aggressive look and the slinky headlamps of the Elite i20 have been moved upmarket, thanks to the projector lenses and the daytime running LEDs. Walk around to the side, and those wheels will take your breath away. Any manufacturer would be proud of wheel design like that, let alone a car from the premium hatchback segment. There is minimal, tasteful black plastic cladding on the doors and the look is completed by roof rails and a military-style fuel lid. The rear of the i20 was always a pleasure to look at with its triple element tail-lamps, but the i20 Active takes it further with the aggressive part-black bumper and the large round reflectors with their embedded fog lamp and reverse lamp. The i20 Active is more than just a pretty face, it sports 20mm more ground clearance than the Elite i20, which means you can venture that much further off the beaten path with it. 

Enter the i20 Active, and you'll be struck by the luxury within. There's a multi-function steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, a multi-function instrument cluster with a new design, and all the usual goodies. Usual, that is, for those used to a Hyundai — who else will offer two charging points, an audio system with all possible connectivity options like USB, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity and a 1GB internal hard drive to boot? Oh, there's also the climate control system, electronic dimming rear-view mirror, external mirrors that fold when you lock the car and unfold as you walk up to the car, a reverse camera with guidelines that show where your i20 Active will go based on the steering wheel's input, automatic headlamps and rain-sensing wipers... and if colours are your thing, you can choose from interior accents in blue or bright orange. These outline the audio head unit, AC vents and are also used for contrasting stitching on the upholstery. Overall, these thoughtful touches make it feel so much brighter and youthful compared to any of the competition. The attention to detail also extends to bits that the normal commuter won't think of much. But if you live an active lifestyle, you're going to go on trips with a lot of luggage — and the i20 Active offers one of the biggest boots in its class. Not only that, it also offers split-folding rear seats, should you need to balance your trip between luggage and occupants.

Even under the skin, the i20 Active gives you reason to live an active lifestyle — you can choose between a 1.2-litre petrol engine (seen herein that tasty red paint) and a 1.4-litre diesel (which sports the sophisticated, worldly-wise metallic brown). Both engines offer a great balance between fuel efficiency and performance. The petrol responds well to throttle inputs even at low revs, and should you choose to let it have its way, it will work up a considerable head of steam on the way to the redline accompanied by one of the sweetest-sounding engine notes this side of ? 10 lakh. Paired with the slick but positive five speed gearshift, driving enthusiasts will enjoy keeping the petrol on the boil. If it is sheer performance you want, though, the diesel is where the action is. At 89bhp, it is one of the most powerful in the segment, but the torque peaks at an astoundingly low 1500rpm and doesn't give up until nearly 3000rpm. The way it zings to the redline along with its refinement has fooled many drivers into believing it is a petrol. And if the enormous torque of 22.4kgm isn't enough, it packs a six-speed gearbox as well, and the ratios have been shortened over the Elite i20 for better drive ability. That means fewer gearshifts, whether you're driving from signal to signal or trying to get past the slow truck on the highway in a hurry. Despite the jaw-dropping performance, the ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figures stand at 17.19 kpl for the petrol and 21.19 kpl for the diesel, which is among the best fuel efficiency figures in the segment. 

Despite the focus on being more capable off-road, the i20 Active is equally at home on city streets and in traffic. The supple suspension and light steering make 'soft' work of bumps and ridges and narrow gaps in traffic. The extra 20mm means that the ground clearance of the i20 Active is 190mm, a figure that some SUVs would be proud of. Big speed breakers and monsoon roads are dispatched with not a worry in the world. Even when the road ends, the i20 Active can keep going, and you don't have to worry about the weight of your luggage lowering the car when you're on a weekend trip, either. Speaking of weekend trips, the i20 Active will cruise comfortably on highways at triple-digit speeds with no trouble whatsoever. The ABS with EBD and twin airbags ensure peace of mind, should something go wrong. The chassis also meets global crash safety standards, which means you're as safe as anyone in the world can be in an i20 Active - an important consideration on our road network.

Some of us want a convenient car that will take us to the office or mall with no complaints. Others, though, we want more from our cars, just like we want more out of life. The i20 Active has proven that it is a cut above at what it does, whether it is looks, quality of the interior, the list of features, the power, torque and fuel efficiency from the engines, the ride and handling from the suspension and steering, and the safety from the chassis. It takes everything a hatchback can do to the next level — and we aren't talking about its ride height!

Published by   : Motoring World