Cross connect

The Hyundai i20 with SUV aspirations 

Hyundai has jumped onto the bandwagon of crossover vehicles with the new i20 Active. The cross vehicles basically have beefed up bodywork and an elevated stance that makes them appear like SUV’s while retaining their hatchback or estate dimensions. 

There are quite a few exterior changes in the i20 Active. Out goes the trapezoidal fog lamp and incomes the big, eye catching round ones. The projector head-lights have daytime running LED lights and also a cornering function. Hyundai has innovatively inverted the i20’s grille on the Active and added chunky lower panel that protrudes into the grille. It also has a faux aluminum skid plate, but no bull bar. On the sides you have the dark grey fender flares and body cladding and the fuel filler cover lid is done in silver finish. The roof rails are also in silver finish, but we feel they stand out too much and take away from the smart sloping profile of the i20. We would have preferred to have the roof rails in dark grey or the body colour to make them less prominent. At the rear too, Hyundai designers have inverted the license plate area in the bumper and added a lower panel with faux aluminum skid plate. On the left you have a big round red reflector and on the right a similar size reverse light. The alloys have a new design too, but look largely similar to the ones on the Elite i20.

Moreover, Hyundai has given the i20 Active new colour schemes to differentiate it from the Elite i20 and we particularly like the brown. The styling changes are subtle and we feel that the i20 Active’s crossover transition has been nicely done. In fact it’s one of the best looking cross vehicles out there in the market. 

While the Elite i20’s dashboard layout has been carried forward, the i20 Active interior is done very smartly and has two tone upholstery. You get either a black and orange or blue or black combination. The Gear lever, gear shifter cover, is all in the contrasting orange colour and looks very smart. The black seats also have prominent orange patches and stitching and the AC vents and central portion of the dash also have orange bezels. Unfortunately they cast a reflection on the door mirrors which can be distracting while driving. The active also has sporty aluminum pedals but the petrol versions do not have many features including a passenger airbag. The Elite i20 was the most spacious car in its segment and the Actives’ boot space remains the same – an impressive 285 litres. 

The Coil spring height has been raised and the ground clearance increased from 170mm to 190mm. But Hyundai engineers have managed to keep body roll in check and though it rolls a bit more than the Elite, it's not at all disconcerting. The steering feel continues to be on the lighter side and we would have preferred more weight. The Active rides on 195/55 R16 tyres and the ride quality and comfort are good with undulation and imperfections in the road being pleasingly suppressed.

 Hyundai has lowered the final drive ratio to improve low and mid range acceleration. They say it's now six per cent better in the petrol and 11 per cent in the diesel. It's difficult to feel the difference in the petrol version and only a full test will reveal just how much of a change has been made to the overall performance. The diesel does show an increased sense of urgency and turbo lag is also less. The second generation U2 1.4 diesel engine makes 90PS and 220Nm while the 1.2 petrol makes 83PS and 114Nm, the former mated to a six-speed while the petrol comes mated to a five-speed manual. Claimed fuel efficiency for the petrol is 17.19kmpl and for the diesel is 21.19kmpl.

The i20 Active is priced between 6.38 lakh and 8.89 lakh, which means you, will pay about a lakh over a corresponding Elite i20 variant. For that money you get rugged styling, a livelier cabin and a little more equipment. But not everyone will find the additions to be enough value for the premium. 

Published by   : Overdrive

Words by   : Bob Rupani