Hyundai i20 Review

Published on 19 November, 2014

Plenty of room and a brand new look for Hyundai's new i20 'mega-mini'

Overview

Provided by Independent.ie

DESPITE the numbers you see driving on their own, people still put a premium on space in a car.

At least that's the sort of feedback Hyundai are getting.

They found it with the heavily revised i10 city car - and now with the new i20 supermini that has just arrived.

The i20 is much bigger, no doubt (I sat front and back), and they have the figures to support it.

Indeed the dimensions suggest it is not far off those of a traditionally larger family car (they compared it against the Toyota Auris to show it is nearly as wide, nearly as long and has almost same wheelbase).

So maybe instead of calling these larger motors 'superminis' we should call them 'megaminis'?

One way or the other, this is much improved in terms of looks, fit, feel and spec.

That was obvious from looking and being in it.

The engines are, however, tweaked carry-overs from the old model.

There is a 1.25-litre petrol (€200 road tax for all versions) and a 1.1-litre diesel (€180, €190 road tax depending on model).

I hope to drive the i20 shortly and see what it is really like on the road.

Competitors for your money include the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Volkswagen Polo etc.

Hyundai claim the i20's wheelbase is 100mm longer than the Polo's.

They also claim it is bigger than rivals in nearly every area in the cabin, including the boot (there's a temporary spare wheel).

Prices start at at €15,995 for the Classic trim with a 75bhp version of the 1.25-litre. But expect the 84bhp Deluxe version (from €17,495 ex-works) to be the main seller. Premium (also 84bhp) costs from €19,495 There is a Deluxe automatic 1.4-litre (100 bhp) from €20,495.

The entry price is €1,000 up on the old one but Hyundai say that reflects a higher level of equipment.

Diesels (on Classic and Deluxe models) cost €1,500 more than petrols.

Among the bits and pieces of technology to catch our fancy was the smartphone docking station (on Deluxe models). It will hold and charge your phone (android and iphone). That means you have sat nav.

Standard equipment includes dual front, side and curtain airbags, Hill Assist Control, temporary spare tyre, fog lamp, electric front windows, NCD audio pack/RDS radio + MP3 and electric/heated mirrors.

Deluxe has 16ins alloys, air con, lane departure warning, that smartphone docking system, cruise control and speed limiter,

reversing sensors, Bluetooth, electric windows, Stop/Start, audio controls on steering wheel, cornering light.

They expect 1,250 people to buy one next year - and say more will if the distributors get enough cars from the factory (the i20 is made in Turkey).

They have also revised their i40 range quite a bit and added a more powerful version (136bhp) of the 1.7-litre diesel to the Executive Plus.