[aamishdhingra]

Hey Everyone!

One of my close relative has been searching for a car to learn driving and should be a decent one as well.
Having said that, I suggested her to go with i20 N Line because of the following reasons:

1. Ease of Maintenance: Somewhere I feel that Hyundai is ruiling the current automotive market and the parts are reliable and the services are well laid out.

2. Cost Of Ownership: She wouldn't have to pay a bomb for the maintenance every year/as per the schedule.

3. Premium Feel: The i20 N has all the features and the interior I believe is well laid out with a premium feel.

She's getting the delivery around Dhanteras!

[Wageabond]

Having lived with the i20 N Line N8 DCT for close to an year with 11,000+ Kms on the odometer, I am penning down a very short review of the car. Of all the hopes and dreams that it lived up to, and also all the frustrations which you encounter as a petrol-head who loves their two and four wheelers.

As a backdrop, I graduated to the i20 N Line from a 2014 Ritz (K12 petrol). The Ritz has been a no-nonsense, no-niggles, great Maruti service product, and I hope to continue to drive it for few more years. The frame of reference of owning and living with a car has thus been Maruti and the Ritz for me.

Back in 2021, we were looking for a second car for my family, zeroed in on the Polo GT TSI, almost bought it, and right in the end, went for the i20 N Line because it was a new, spacious product with good backseat, firm, sorted ride (Ritz spoiled me with mature ride quality) and the combination of a turbo + DCT promised engaging drives. I took multiple long test drives of both the cars, and knew exactly what I was going to get. The Polo had a great engine which seemed to prioritize fun, whereas, the i20 promised 'mildly toned down' fun (for e.g. you cannot rev the engine over 5,000 RPM when the car is stationery or in 'P').

So, with that in mind, got the Namyang + Nurburgring concoction, i.e. the i20 N Line.

Usage - Single driver (I do not like to share my wheels). 50% each for city and highway usage. Two services done (1,000 Kms and 10,000 Kms). I only refuel with Shell (for all my vehicles).

The goods
1. Driving dynamics are absolutely sorted. The car feels fairly confident in carrying speeds into and out of corners. You will absolutely enjoy driving the car in Ghat sections, and mountain twisties. Body roll is minimal (strange it's not lower still considering the low-ish height of the car, but then, much better than the Hyundai sedans and hatches of yore. Steering is very precise, and no drama on turns. Steering has a distinct disconnected feel - shoutout to Maruti and Ritz on that brilliant steering where you would feel the surface and smallest of stone chips. But the steering weighs up very well as the speed increases, and that inspires a lot of confidence. The car is quick to build up speed, and somehow, it does not do anything to mask the speed - you will know that you are driving fast in this car. But at higher speeds, the car feels planted.

2. The suspension and ride quality. Stiff - in one word. The stiffness lends a very mature ride quality in most use cases. For e.g., post rain-pebbly-uneven-tarmac of Bangalore - the same stiffness means a planted and supreme ride quality if you can drive at decent speeds. On the highway and twisties, the same stiff suspension means brilliant ride quality. But the fun ends on roads with 'white-topping' where you can feel the road and noise levels increase as well. However, tar laid roads feel good. One thing is the big THUD noise you will heard and 'feel' while going over small, 'scientific' speed breakers at speeds of 25-30 - but then you learn to live with it or drive slowly over those speed breakers. Overall, no complaints and all grins here.

3. Engine and gearbox.
3.1: The engine is a three cylinder turbo petrol unit, and engine sound or refinement isn't its forte. Nor does it claim to. There is no sound insulation provided under the bonnet, and in my eyes, that's cheap behavior from Hyundai for a flagship, premium hatchback (INR 15 Lacs on-road in BLR when I bought it). Under the hood, the three cylinder idling is an ungainly sight, and so is the engine noise. Four cylinder turbo would have been amazing, but that is wishful thinking on my end. If you do not have great expectations from engines on refinement and engine noise (not that you can hear it inside the cabin with windows rolled up), this isn't a deal-breaker. This three-pot produces 120 BHP and 172 Nm of torque, which is plenty (?) (we always want MOAR POWER, don't we!) for the weight and dimensions of this car. It is also enough on highways for overtakes and some spirited, high speed runs. There always are comparisons with the VW three-pot which just pulls and pulls and pulls (experienced first hand a few times), but then, if we tone down our expectations, and Hyundai wants to prioritize longevity over outright fun, the performance is adequate and quite acceptable. The rev-limiter engages early in D mode. Overall, quite acceptable. Highway mileage is quite good. I have consistently been getting 18.5 Kmpl or thereabouts while driving at 90 Kmph in D7. City mileage is poor, and my last year's average in BLR is ~10 Kmpl.

3.2: The gearbox is a DCT. Not quite the VW DSG in performance (getting it out straight away), but not a slouch either. Gearshifts are smooth and fast. Downshifts are NOT jerky - only D2 to D1 is a bit scruffy - but that is quite bearable. And you get used to it. In D mode, the focus is on good mileage (I guess) - the gears are eager to shift up. You can always take controls with the Paddle Shifters. Use them to shift up or down - the ECU matches your input to car speed and RPM, and if the parameters are right, will take your input on upshift or downshift. And will remain in manual mode for few seconds and will go back to 'D' and auto.
What happens though is that while in city driving in 'D', at RPMs lower than 2,000, you will feel distinct lack of power - especially if you have drive NA manuals in the past. Once you step on the accelerator, it's as if the car takes a second or two (have not timed - based on what I felt), realizes you want to increase speed, downshift, and suddenly you feel some kick and it starts to build speed. Annoyance - yes. Or, one can learn to drive with paddle shifters.
What is an absolute delight is the 'Sport/S' mode. Shift the nice feeling gear stick to 'S' mode - and (again, going by how I feel - this is not tested or timed) the car's behavior changes. Somehow, the accelerator feels much more sensitive, and the fast gear shifts become faster still. Such a response, for mild enthusiasts like me, feels twitchy. Not complaining, but it does make you engage better with the car. You can take control of the car with Paddle Shifters, and the car holds the gears all the way (almost all the way) to the redline, before upshifting. Here too, the ECU matches car speed and RPM before accepting your input to upshift or downshift to protect the gearbox. But Sport mode + Paddle Shifters are the way to drive on Ghats/ Twisties.

Much has been made of the Hyundai DCT and the lukewarm performance, but I will take this any day if it prioritizes longevity and warm performance.

4. Noise. One word - NHYCE. or Lemmy Kilmister. The exhaust makes some good noise within allowable sound limits. More of a feel good factor. No pops and bangs. But will make you smile. Incidentally, if you are puttering at speeds like 25-30 Kmph, you feel a good, throaty sound inside the cabin. Nothing loud, but nice at half speeds. One of my favorite acts is to slow down the car rapidly in Sport mode, and you can hear the engine holding RPMs, but the disengaged clutch lets the exhaust rev still creating a good noise. The exhaust is a dual setup, and looks good and adds a small level of distinctness to the rear. Heat shielding is present for the pipes running underneath the boot and belly, but poorly executed.

5. Brakes are superb. All four disc brakes. The car sheds speed quickly, and while doing so, remains planted. The brakes are nicely set up in the way that the bite does not try to stop the car immediately, rather there is a progression. Front brake calipers are painted red, which I'm told aid in the stopping power - not yet tested the hypothesis. ESP can be turned off. ESP + ABS seem to work well. Overall - no complaints from brakes.

6. Big car feel. This is a wide car. Wider than some (or most(?)) sedans. And the wheelbase is pretty good too for a hatchback. Again, comparable to sedans like Verna and City and Ciaz. And the space is there for occupants to feel and relish. Seats are generous and plush (size-wise). Rear legroom is good too. Too decently sized adults (had a generously sized colleague from Poland share the co-passenger seat) are accommodated easily. Seats are faux-leather, and make you sweat. I do not understand the appeal of faux leather over good, premium fabric seats. But have to live with it. Boot space is good too, and has a lamp which is supremely helpful in darkness.

7. Cabin quality. This is where the i20 shines again. The interior is all black, which I personally absolutely love. Keeping the insides clean is a chore, but that's okay. The steering feels great to hold. It is chunky, three spoked, with perforated faux leather. The gearstick knob is also chunky, perforated faux leather has been used here as well, and feels good to hold. All switchgear and stocks are nice and soft to touch. AC vents have a one click open and shut mechanism, and the closing click is very satisfying (ASMR-ish). Hyundai has again cheapened out by giving only one one-touch power window for driver. The buttons on driver side door panel are not illuminated, sans the driver side power window, which to me is a cheap tactic from the manufacturer. Glass panes are huge (alluding to the overall width and length of the car), and are heavy as well. Along with the sound deadening material, they do a good job of keeping NVH down. You do not hear the three pot engine, or the traffic noise, only the mild sweet throaty exhaust note. At certain speeds, especially on white-topped roads, you hear the tire noise, but that is about it. Mic is of good quality, and together with the good insulation, phone calls are devoid of background noise. There is red ambient lighting, which is useless, and manufacturers should use that money to put red warning lights on the inside of doors (but that's just my opinion). One item which we though is fancy in the beginning was the wireless charger - has turned out to be a good to have feature - now I charge my phone everyday on my office commute (both ways) and take out the wired charger only on weekends. The sun visors are the most malnourished ones I have ever seen in any car - even the Alto 800 has better sun visors.

8. Bose music system. Brilliant. The setup is a 7 speaker system, and sounds absolutely amazing. I wish I was able to afford such a Bose good system to hook to my TV. But this one lets you hear the highs and the lows and does not distort the sound at higher decibels. The bass is also just right - not too heavy. You can hear 'trinkets' which shine through the nicely balanced tweeters. There is sound staging as well which again is a good feature IMHO. Absolutely happy with the sound system.


The not so good
1. Build quality. I would not call it poor, but somehow, the car does not feel like built to last. The GNCAP has rated it at 3 Stars for adult occupant safety, and honestly, I'm glad it at least scored a 3 (was expecting much worse). The body panels feel light - I do understand rigidity requirements re: crash and collisions energy absorption - however, there are small dents here and there which honestly baffle me and point me to only one conclusion - poor build quality. Another example of poor build quality is the right side of boot floor getting warm on long drives. This, I believe is due to poor heat insulation coming from the exhaust pipe, along with the thin gauge of metal used for boot floor. There is visible flex in the hood too. Malnourished sun visors have been identified earlier. There is evident cost cutting with the build quality, and Hyundai seems to have focused on getting the interior build quality right over the exterior build quality - but this is an excuse at best. The i20 is already a decently priced (I would not agree with folks who feel it is overpriced, but then, to each unto his own), and the N Line is sold with an extra premium, but the cost cutting and cheapening is clearly evident by Hyundai. The car has Paddle Shifters, but only ONE (yes, you read it right) trip-meter.

2. Paint quality. Absolutely poor. I have a Vespa, and the painted surface on it are a case study on how to paint a vehicle. Silky smooth. But I digress. Attracts scratches easily. I have the red color, but look at any red Polo from 5-6 years ago, and see how they hold the color. PPF or ceramic coating isn't a solution for poorly painted car.

3. Ceat SecuraDrive tires. Absolutely poor for the overall profile of the car. While I am happy with the alloys, okay with the requirement of 195/55 R16 tire size, the Ceats are a disgrace to the dynamics and capabilities of the car. They are a huge letdown, and while the car can go faster and be even more fun in the twisties, the lack of confidence due to the Ceats is a bummer. Again, this is a premium product from Hyundai, and while they have built it to a price point, another 20K to the overall price could have been digested by enthusiasts. Or, Hyundai should have allowed for 'option/s' at dealer level. Just like they are pushing 3D and 7D mats, they could have put better tires as an option at least (rant over!).

4. Hyundai's service quality. This is subjective, and maybe I have been spoilt by Maruti and Bimal in Bangalore, but my experience with Hyundai and Trident has been sub-par. Folks selling the car are not aware of the features (I don't mean the fancy Bluelink stuff, but rather, the basics). Folks running the service centers are not the best either. Perhaps I should try the Advaith run service centers.

Conclusion: Good drivers car, but build quality leaves a lot to be desired.

Sometimes, I wake up at night, and think that I should have gone for that Polo GT TSI afterall. But then, I drive mine, and instantly feel better.

[sunikkat]

A great unbiased review.
Last year when I was looking for a city car, my selection process and decision making was very similar to yours. But I got an i20 IVT.
I badly wanted a Polo, but decided against it mainly due to lack of space and features, also the availability was minimal - might have still gone for it was easily available.
Never felt i20 is priced more for what it offers (subjective). It is new, I liked the looks, spacious (more spacious than almost all compact SUVs and many sedans), loved the interiors etc. Would have got NLine, if it had come up with TC gearbox. Since the car was only intended for city use, I did not want to risk with DCT. I am not a fan of IMT, which is neither here nor there.
After 10 months of use, I am totally happy with the car. Biggest grouse for me too is the build quality, it doesn’t feel well build. Very clear from the way door closes, it needs some getting used to. And I have observed this in many i20’s including NLine’s. Hope it will age well.
On efficiency front, I think NLine is better than IVT. My 10 months average in Bangalore city is 8.5 kmpl. Never took it outside city.
Still feel at times, I should have got a Polo. But then when I have to ferry my family or get stuck in traffic I feel I have made the right choice.

[throttleflick]

Originally Posted by Wageabond

Having lived with the i20 N Line N8 DCT for close to an year with 11,000+ Kms on the odometer

Great review. I couldn't help draw parallels with my ownership journey of the Taigun.

Originally Posted by Wageabond

Sometimes, I wake up at night, and think that I should have gone for that Polo GT TSI afterall. But then, I drive mine, and instantly feel better.

I wanted to get the Polo as well and ended up with a Taigun, only to relate, word for word, to your posts last statement.

Originally Posted by Wageabond

What happens though is that while in city driving in 'D', at RPMs lower than 2,000, you will feel distinct lack of power - especially if you have drive NA manuals in the past. Once you step on the accelerator, it's as if the car takes a second or two (have not timed - based on what I felt), realizes you want to increase speed, downshift, and suddenly you feel some kick and it starts to build speed. Annoyance - yes. Or, one can learn to drive with paddle shifters.

I always thought this was a characteristic of the VW 1.0 engines, and I'm kinda glad I'm not the only one who faces this.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading it until the end.

[aamishdhingra]

Finally got my Nline DCT at the showroom. Will visit the showroom for PDI this weekend and plan to get the hands on next week (Wednesday/Thursday).

Any quick suggestions to take care w.r.t. the PDI.

[anandmv]

I drive an NLine N6 iMT variant.

Over the past few days, I have observed a strange noise (a laborious and whiny metal on metal hiss) whenever I brake while on 1st or reverse gear. It is very prominent when I start the vehicle for the day and is less noticeable when I keep driving for a while.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[Saif7]

Hello,

This question is for any N line IMT owners out there - How are you guys managing two digit mileage figures in the city? I live in a part of Mumbai where it is mostly congested with plenty of speed breakers. I get an average of 6-7kmpl in city. More, only if if I'm lucky. I have to keep the car in second gear most of the time due to speed breakers else the car asks me to downshift. Even when it comes to the highway, I get around 13kmpl max. Is this normal or is it something which needs to be checked. Or worse, whether i'm I doing something wrong. The car has done it's first free service with 700kms on the odo and everything seems good other than the mileage. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Please note that I'm a relatively new driver and this is my first car.

[akshaysehgal]

Originally Posted by anandmv

I drive an NLine N6 iMT variant.

Over the past few days, I have observed a strange noise (a laborious and whiny metal on metal hiss) whenever I brake while on 1st or reverse gear. It is very prominent when I start the vehicle for the day and is less noticeable when I keep driving for a while.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes, and I thought I was the only one. This usually happens on first time in the day on reverse gear for me. And that too mostly on a rainy or humid day. I checked with the Hyundai service centre and they said it was normal. But now I plan to raise this again! I would suggest you do the same, and let’s connect if we find some more details. The issue goes away soon after you get rolling, but would be good to understand why it happens.

Originally Posted by Saif7

Hello,

This question is for any N line IMT owners out there - How are you guys managing two digit mileage figures in the city? I live in a part of Mumbai where it is mostly congested with plenty of speed breakers. I get an average of 6-7kmpl in city. More, only if if I'm lucky. I have to keep the car in second gear most of the time due to speed breakers else the car asks me to downshift. Even when it comes to the highway, I get around 13kmpl max. Is this normal or is it something which needs to be checked. Or worse, whether i'm I doing something wrong. The car has done it's first free service with 700kms on the odo and everything seems good other than the mileage. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Please note that I'm a relatively new driver and this is my first car.

Hey Saif! City traffic is usually the worst for mileage. Infact, if you use the instantaneous mileage meter on the gauge cluster, you would realise how damn sensitive a turbo charged DCT is to throttle input, when it comes to mileage. It was a bit alarming at first but once start following how the car responds to throttle stimuli, you will be able to immediately build muscle memory that lets you use fuel more efficiently, even in city traffic.

However the biggest difference came for me when I shifted from the normal petrol to xp95. The numbers shifted immediately to 10-13 in city traffic and 18-22 on highways. If you check out the owners manual (or service book), you will find they recommend 95 octane fuel as well, and I have heard a lot of experienced car enthusiasts who own the N line suggest the same. Another thing you will notice is that at lower rpm (pre-turbo) the car has much more umph and eagerness when you switch to a full tank of xp95.

Have been using xp95 from Indian oil primarily for last 6 months here in Gurgaon. I hear there are HP alternatives called Power as well but I have never used that one so I can’t comment. Do let me know if you see a difference after the above two recommendations I gave, if you try them.

Happy driving!

[akshaysehgal]

Originally Posted by aamishdhingra

Finally got my Nline DCT at the showroom. Will visit the showroom for PDI this weekend and plan to get the hands on next week (Wednesday/Thursday).

Any quick suggestions to take care w.r.t. the PDI.

Attachment 2367780

Attachment 2367781

Congratulations!! I have a monotone white one as well and the red accents on it look amazing. Great choice . Can’t take my eyes of the car when I am outside, and can’t stop feeling amazed when I am sitting inside!

Many many miles of fun and spirited driving to you!

[Wageabond]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

A great unbiased review.

Originally Posted by throttleflick

Great review. I couldn't help draw parallels with my ownership journey of the Taigun.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading it until the end.

Thank you, Sunikkat, and Throttleflick. I tried to be as objective as possible with the review.

[Wageabond]

Originally Posted by akshaysehgal

I checked with the Hyundai service centre and they said it was normal. But now I plan to raise this again!

Hey Akshaysehgal - please do ask the Hyundai ASS SA to recreate the behavior on another car. I'd bet that they won't be able to.

Disclaimer - I have a DCT, and not an iMT. I have a similar story (SA behavior wise) when I went for my 10K service. My car, on cold starts, was making a "chi-chi-chi" [apologies] noise, but once warm, would not make this noise. I told the same to the SA while giving the car for service, and his first reaction was "Saar all cars do this on cold start". I asked him to recreate the same noise on another car, while starting cold. He wasn't able to. Escalated to the ASS head. These are complicated machines, and figuring the issues early and fixing them is essential, else, it may become a more expensive problem later on.

Do challenge the SA on your concern. Any machine should NOT make any noise out of the ordinary. If they do, the manufacturer should document them as disclaimers - I follow the simple thumb rule.

[Sportigo]

Originally Posted by Saif7

Hello,

This question is for any N line IMT owners out there - How are you guys managing two digit mileage figures in the city? I live in a part of Mumbai where it is mostly congested with plenty of speed breakers. I get an average of 6-7kmpl in city. More, only if if I'm lucky. I have to keep the car in second gear most of the time due to speed breakers else the car asks me to downshift. Even when it comes to the highway, I get around 13kmpl max. Is this normal or is it something which needs to be checked. Or worse, whether i'm I doing something wrong. The car has done it's first free service with 700kms on the odo and everything seems good other than the mileage. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Please note that I'm a relatively new driver and this is my first car.

I do own the N Line IMT. Here at Hyderabad in the city traffic the worst i got is 8 - 9 kmpl and generally i get around 10 - 11 in continuous flowing traffic. On the highways, i haven't done much but on a 350 km drive I managed to get 18 - 19 kmpl at around 85 - 110 kmph speeds. The major thing to keep in mind is to not drag in the first 2 gears especially. The more you drag the more thirsty it becomes. Whenever possible drive in 3rd and 4th gears in city, it really helps to keep mileage in check. Also you can try maintaining cold tyre pressures around 35 psi which i do and it somewhat increases the rolling resistance without compromising on the traction. One more thing you can try is more coasting rather than just braking and accelerating whenever possible. I am attaching a mileage log for last month driving.

Cheers mate. Keep Driving

[johy]

Hey guys, is anyone using Petrol additives like STP octane booster in their Nlines? I am looking for feedback and if we should use them. I almost always use XP95 fuel.

[rayjaycleoful]

Just test drove the car and it felt great! Much much peppier than Slavia 1.0 auto, City CVT, etc.

But wanted to ask the owners here two questions:

• Is extended warranty available on the i20 N line? According to the salesperson (and the dealership price lists) it isn't available on the N lines.
  
• Also, what are the major misses between the regular Asta (O) and the N except disc brakes?

[Guna]

Originally Posted by rayjaycleoful

Also, what are the major misses between the regular Asta (O) and the N except disc brakes?

I think it is just the different steering wheel with paddle-shift (and differently tuned suspension and steering).