If somebody had told us a few years ago that rediscovering a small 100bhp all-rounder would put a smile on our face, we wouldn’t have believed it. And yet… With so many heavy electric cars constantly doing things for you, we ended up being delighted driving a more basic, and above all, petrol cars!
The Hyundai i20 was recently updated and we were delighted to see it again. On the outside, the changes are rather subtle but enough to set it apart from the former one. The new front bumper imbues the car with a more aggressive appearance and there are new wheels too. The rear bumper has was upgraded too, like the Z-shaped LED headlamps. Some new colours are available too, like the Lucid Lime Metallic of our test car.
I like it
The small i20 was upgraded mostly inside. There’s a new a new 4.2-inch LCD instrument cl ;uster, USB-C connectivity, the second-generation eCall safety system uses the 4G network and there are Over-the-Air (OTA) satnav updates too. As such, these changes are not particularly obvious but they improve everyday life, as do the Hyundai Smart Sense safety features that now come as standard. These include automatic anti-collision braking up front and it can identifies cyclists as well as pedestrians. This system also prevents accidents by detecting obstacles in front of the vehicle. The LFA (Lane Following Assist) ensures the car stays in lane.
Quite clever
As we said earlier, it’s now a pleasure to be in a good old petrol car. This little Hyundai is powered by the small 3-cylinder 1.0 T-GDi turbo engine producing 100 bhp mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’s fair to say that this combination proves to be particularly well designed, and enabled us to spend a week on board an all-rounder that’s just as pleasant to drive on the motorway as it is in town, where its turning circle and compactness work wonders. Access to the rear seats is easy, and the boot has a useful 352 litres capacity with the rear seat up. It even goes up to 1,165 litres when it’s folded!
I don’t like it
This car’s main problem is all the driver aid systems, which are too intrusive for our liking. However, having spoken with recent new car buyers, it would seem that many customers just like these systems found on all new cars. It just means a journalist’ judgment is never totally objective… nor shared by everyone.
Why I buyi it
This lovely Korean car starts from €19,999, but you’d have to make do with the small 84 bhp 1.2 CC engine in Twist trim. A small car in this category retailing for less than 20 K € is becoming rare these days, even if it’s probably possible to find a cheaper one in a French maker range. The most exclusive version is € 27,749 with the 1.0 T-GDi 100 bhp and 7-DCT gearbox, in Sky trim. That makes perfect sense at a time when we are being pushed to buy huge, bulky vehicles. Comfortable, easy to live with and technologically advanced, the Hyundai i20 ticks a lot of boxes and it also gets a 5-year comprehensive warranty. Finally, it is easy to achieve a 47 MPG fuel consumption while extending the turbocharged engine from time to time.
Why I don’t buy it
This Korean car doesn’t have many faults. The cabin is a little dark and the materials are rather low-grade ones. There aren(t many different engines available but that’s a current trend aimed at simplifying the range. This particular colour didn’t won us over but it’s just a matter of individual tastes. (Translation : Dimitri Urbain)
