With the imminent demise of Ford’s Fiesta the choice of small hatchbacks continues to diminish in favour of an SUV style. Thankfully there are still manufacturers with tempting offers in the sector and Hyundai is one of them. The diminutive i10 might conceivably be a little small for some, but the larger i20 slots in nicely size-wise for those wanting maximum space in compact form.
A smart looking car, if comments on my test model are anything to judge, the i20 range starts at £19,725 and encompasses the entry level through to the luxury and sporty and finally the very sporting i20N. My Ultimate model sits at the top of the normal tree with a £24,475 price tag and 7-speed automatic transmission.
Standard fare across the line-up is very good with alloy wheels, air conditioning, high beam assist, powered and heated door mirrors, cruise control, rear parking sensors and camera, Apple Car Play and Android Auto. My Ultimate added climate control, heated seats, privacy glass, rain sensing wipers, wireless charging, navigation, keyless entry and start, power fold door mirrors and a Bose sound system.
The range uses a 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol developing 100PS, or 120PS for the N-Line version. The i20N goes much further with a 1.6-litre, 206PS power plant. Manual cars have 6-speeds and automatics a 7-speed double clutch type of automatic. It’s a very effective power delivery aided by a 48v battery to make a mild hybrid that benefits emissions, power and economy.
It’s a practical car too with even the lead-in version having a 60/40 split folding rear seat and good rear legroom when the rear seats are in position. Certainly not a performance model though when 62 mph takes 11.4 seconds, but in normal use the i20 doesn’t feel pedestrian. The manually geared versions fare better being a second quicker to that benchmark speed and arguably allow you a bit more control. That said the automatic isn’t bad and provides a more refined change than many pseudo automatics.
Most i20s will spend their life pottering around towns and cities with the occasional long run. Which is a shame as it handles rather well on cross country roads and especially with the nicely slick manual gearbox that would be my recommendation on the gearbox choice. Overall the i20 is refined, comfortable and very well equipped. It offers rather a lot of car for not a lot of money.
Words by Mark Slack
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