Hyundai i20 review
by David Finlay (8 January 2009)
Hyundai's new naming system is gradually settling down. First there was the C-segment i30, then came the i10 city car, and now here's the i20, which slots in between the other two as the replacement for the Getz and Hyundai's answer to the likes of the Ford Fiesta and the Peugeot 207.
The i20 doesn't have quite the same feeling of quality as the Ford or the Peugeot, but unlike them (and like all other Hyundais sold in the UK) it has a five-year warranty. Despite being considerably more expensive than the Getz was, it's also cheaper than those two mainstream rivals - it's possible to have an i20 for as little as £8195.
That money buys you the three-door version of the 1.2-litre petrol Classic, which is more or less the first car I drove (actually mine was a five-door, costing £500 more) and is a very appealing little car.
The engine - actually of 1.25 litres if you like to be accurate about these things - produces a maximum of 77bhp, and that's quite a lot for something of that size. Not long ago that combination of capacity and output would have implied a need to rev the thing into the middle of next week if you wanted to make any kind of progress, but in fact the 1.2 operates reasonably well from as little as 1000rpm, which removes the need for a lot of gearchanging and makes the driving process a lot simpler and less stressful than it might otherwise have been.
Even in this entry-level form the i20 is quite well-equipped, with six airbags, air-conditioning, an aux-in socket for the audio system, a reach- and height-adjustable steering wheel (why do some manufacturers still forget about the "reach" bit?), a height-adjustable driver's seat, active headrests and a cooled glove box.
The Classic doesn't have rear electric windows, and you have to make do with 15" steel wheels rather than alloys, but for £8195 I wouldn't have a problem with that. If you want more goodies, the i20 Comfort has the alloy wheels and the electric rear windows, plus iPod and USB ports, six loudspeakers, body-coloured exterior trim, and electrically adjustable heated and folding mirrors.
At the top of the range comes the Style, which has 16" alloys, climate control air-conditioning, front foglights, a bit of interior leather and a metal-look facia which does a fine job of sprucing up what is otherwise a less than exciting interior.
If you want a Style, though, you have to forget about that lovely little 1.2-litre engine, which is supplied only in the Classic and Comfort. One alternative is a 99bhp petrol 1.4, and although this gives the i20 better straightline performance I think I'd stick with the 1.2. The 1.4 doesn't feel as quick as I thought it would, especially when you push the accelerator pedal down suddenly. The 1.2 has less to give, but it seems more eager to give it.
The other possibility is the 1.4 CRDi turbo diesel. This is available in 74bhp and 89bhp forms, and although even the more powerful version is slower than the 1.2 (largely because it makes the car around 150kg heavier) it's also a lot more economical. Combined fuel economy is 64.2mpg and CO2 emissions are below 120g/km in each case, making the diesels £85 cheaper to tax each year.
But they are also more expensive to buy. The 74bhp diesel costs either £9995 or £10,445, depending on the number of doors, in Comfort form, while the 89bhp one is available only as a Style and costs £11,845. The 1.4 petrol cars are exactly £1000 cheaper, and even there I don't feel that any i20 really feels as if it's worth a five-figure sum. (There is, however, no way round this if you want or need automatic transmission - the only automatic i20 is a five-door Comfort costing £10,845.)
Interior space is reasonable for a car of this size. At six foot three I couldn't get as far away from the major controls as I would have liked, and I found the rear cramped too, but the i20 will happily carry four adults of more reasonable height.
Luggage volume is 295 litres with the rear seats in place, and that's competitive, being the same as the new Fiesta and greater than you'll find in either the 207 or the Renault Clio.
Hyundai's biggest blooper with the i20 is visibility; the windscreen pillars are awkwardly thick, and in the current fashion there isn't nearly enough glass area at the rear, so reversing involves far more guesswork than it should.
Less importantly (given that few owners are likely to want to go charging round the place), the ride isn't always what it might be. On smooth roads it's good, but despite a suspension development programme that involved test driving in Germany, Sweden and Spain, the i20 can quickly be unsettled on larger bumps, and it also feels noticeably top-heavy during sudden changes of direction.
Still, it's a nice car, it doesn't cost a lot in its more basic forms and it has that monster warranty. Definitely worth a look.
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