[sidindica]

Mod Note : GTO's comprehensive Hyundai i20 review has been uploaded at this link.

List Price: Ex showroom, Delhi (in rupees)

1.2 Kappa D-CVVT 5 MT

• Era: 4,73,400
• Magna: 4,97,310
• Magna (o): 5,27,278
• Sportz: 5,75,247 (ABS/ Driver airbag)
• Asta: 6,21,082 (ABS/ Dual front airbags)
• Asta (o): 6,65,894 (ABS/ Dual, side and curtain airbags/ sunroof)

1.4 Gamma CVVT 4 AT

• Sportz: 7,67,405 (ABS/ Driver airbag/ all wheel discs)

1.4 U2 CRDi 6 MT

• Era: 5,96,334
• Magna: 6,20,243
• Magna (o): 6,50,213
• Sportz: 6,98,183 (ABS/ Driver airbag/ all whel discs)
• Asta: 7,44,013 (ABS/ Dual front airbags/ all wheel discs)

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[sidindica]

Hyundai i20 2012

What you'll like:

• A thoroughly premium feeling supermini inside and out
• Improved Air conditioning and marginally stiffer suspension
• packed with gizmos and equipment akin to high end luxury sedans
• Best in class diesel engine refinement and straight line acceleration
• wide variety of engine, transmission options and variants catering to all target groups
• Hyundai's wide spread after sales service network

What you won't:

• facelifted design divides opinions
• artificial steering feel and clunky rear suspension
• petrol motor feels sluggish and underpowered on open road
• driveability in diesel just about average
• costly mid and high end diesel variants
• Hyundai's expensive maintenance costs and dwindling after sales service quality

[sidindica]

GEN-I=UBER COOL?

There is Gen X. And then there is Gen Y. There is Gen NXT and now, its time for Gen I....er..I-gen. Sounds gimmicky?

Its Hyundai's latest attempt at capturing the hearts and minds of youth alike. With the facelifted and improved version of the best selling supermini in the country, the I20. Packed with equipment two levels up, availabile with a wide variety of engine and transmission options, with no less than 12 variants to cater to each spectrum of the upper B supermini segment, Hyundai has all its bases covered.

Of late, competition in the upper B segment has risen all of a sudden. During the tenure of the past three years, the swift has been redesigned, the jazz saw a massive price cut and the polo is sellng strongly. Hyundai's supermini is under serious threat. The only way to counter it-give it a new look, upgrade to the latest tech and add more features than ever provided by the competitors, and keep the momentum going at the latter stage of the product life cycle.

The car you see in pictures is Hyundai's facelifted i20 which has been given exactly what is mentioned above. Not only that, Hyundai went ahead and stuffed it with features, mostly taken from the fluidic verna and many of which are a firsts for a hatchback, akin to high end luxury sedans.
Originally launched in December 2008 in 1.2 petrol followed by 1.4D and 1.4 AT in July 2009 and later by cut price variants and upgraded BS 4 spec engines in April 2010, the car has been a surprise succss for Hyundai, after its first attempt at cracking the upper B segment, with the segment buster getz, busted left, right and center swift-ly by the youth oriented Maruti hatchback with many buntys, their bablis and babloos rushing in hordes to get a glimpse and own the hatchback which took the entire nation by storm and made other manufacturers sit up and take notice.

Launches followed in the form of an expensive jazz-y hatchback, Fiat with its punto and VW playing polo by marketing it heavily. Hyundai's value oriented, feature laden hatch kept on outselling all the aforementioned hatches and always kept on playing a second fiddle to the swift, which kept on creating records by striking the right chords with the Indian car buyer.
The swift was always seen a car for all types of species, primarily targeted at youth, whereas the i20 more for matured and grown up types of species, despite Hyundai marketing it as the "uber cool" car. The car was a testimony to Hyundai's target to achieve global quality levels by manufacturing the same car in its plant at chennai, both for domestic and exports to global markets. Rising demand and increased focus for the domestic market also meant that part of i20 production was shifted to Europe, at Hungary alongside the i30 family.

In its latest attempt, Hyundai has given its i20 its first major upgrade in 3 and a half years since its first showcase. A new face, upgraded engines and addition of features with a variant rejig is Hyunai's latest attempt at keeping on with the game and tms, especially when the Indian car market has the potential to show some decline, thanks to rising "vehicle food" prices and ownership costs, insurance and loans.

While the vehicle does hav a fair amount of success, it wasnt a product wthout its fair share of flaws. Owners in majority, many of them at this form itself reported poor AC cooling, noisy and clunky suspension, rattly steering mechanism and poor handling thanks to overlight steeing and soft suspension, not to forget Hyunda's high cost of maintenance, especially on tier 1 cities. In its latest press release, Hyundai also mentions that there have been many changes to the car's underpinnings and "significant improvements" to the car's overall feel inside and out.
But are these uber changes cool enough?

[sidindica]

Hyundai's I20 has been designed and engineered keeping European markets as core strategy base, that is, a car dsigned to have universal appeal without being to offensive. The earlier restrained and softer end now makes way for a much more feline and agressive stance, part of Hyundai's "fluidic sculpture" design family. The front is a straight life from the 2012 I30, which in my books is the best proportioned Hyundai to date. The bonnet is more simplified and straight, in line with EU pedestrian safety regulations, thgrill is simpler gloss black vee shape with the huge "H" logo dominating the front and the bumper also gets a bigger airdam with L shaped fog lamps; the eagle eyed headlamps completing the agressive stance. Its a known fact that mating agressiveness with conservatism isnt going to yield any dividends and the same is a result of the i20. Somwhow while the front looks great, the conservative side looks plain jane and the mating of the old and new design cues surely divides opinion. Restyled at Hyundai's design studios at Russelsheim, Germany, the front is in line with the new family identity and face. The overhang appears lower and longer and this increases the car's length compared to before, but still thankfully its under the 4 metre mark (the ghosts of taxation, of course).

The side gets a new fender and new alloy designs and both the sportz and asta gets 14" alloys as standard. In this age, 15" should have been standard, especially it would have made the car looked more grown up rather than meek and low slung. Moreover, cars like the jazz, punto and polo all get 15" as standard on their tp end variants. Thankfully the tacky LED DRLs, which are present on the export models, has been eliminated in the Indian version.

The rear changes are jus limited to the new taillight design and bumper, inspired from the i10 with dual reflectors. Magna, Sportz and Asta all get reverse sonars as standard whereas Hyundai went a step ahead and also equipped the sportz and asta with reverse camera, a first for any hatchback on sale in our country. in what has been a step backward, though is that the earlier car had dual reverse lamps and ALSO dual rear fog lamps, the new one just has a single of each. That explains the difference in the lens colour of the whitish portion of both the tail lamps.

Hyundai equips its top end asta with key features like keyless go and push button start-stop, segment first auto headlamps and rain sensing wipers, ABS, dual arbags, radio with CD/MP3/USB/Aux-in with bluetooth and a different digital instrment cluster called a "supervision cluster", a straight life from the new verna.

In addition, the sportz model also gains the much needed safety features like fog lamps and ABS, in additon to standard driver airbag.

A sunroof plus side and curtain airbags opton is also available, albeit only with the 1.2 petrol. Full marks to Hyundai in providing a proper euro spec variant for the domestic market.
The 1.4 automatic is now available in just the lower level sportz trim, in order to keep the price in check. Any asta gadgetry is sure to push the price by over a lakh, something Hyundai wants to avoid at any costs. Probably loosing the passenger airbag and rear wiper should not bother any potential buyers compared to the old variant. ABS and rear disc, however, is standard.

The 1.4 CRDI also sees the variant rejig and equipment enhancement, ABS and rear disc brakes have been made standard on sportz and 6 speed transmission is back, thankfully.

Not only the design, there have been changes under the skin also, says Hyundai. he steering mechanism has been redesigned, AC compressor beefed up and suspension improved.
The 1.2 Kappa gains variable valve tech in both intake and exhaust side, aimed at improving driveability (first in class in comparison to VVT and I-VTEC), and also to address the criticism of being underpowered. Power goes up from 78 hp to 82 hp and the engine also feels more smoother.

The 1.4 CRDI also has improved EGR system, turbo caliberation and a retuned exhaust system aimed at minimising emissions. In fact, the export markets also get a 3 cylinder version of the very same motor which Hyundai claims has the least amount of CO2 emissions of any regular fuel fed internal combustion engine on earth. Quite an achievement in this era of efficiency oriented world.

Front end looks very aggressive, in line with Hyundai's new family face.


Triangular fog lamps bigger, more effective at night.


Buldged out eagle eye headlamps look stunning. Typical Hyundai weak headlights, bulb upgrade recommended.


Aggressive front end with conservative side looks quite odd and divides opinion.


Looks great in this shade of maharaja red. Lowered stance due to 14" wheels, chrome handles on Asta only.


rear taillights look bigger due to lens design combination. In actual, the size is the same. This is 1.4 CRDI sportz which does not get a rear wiper.


Closer view of the taillamps. The one on the right has a rear fog lamp, left a reverse.


Tasteful rear spoiler, standard on asta.


Asta gets chrome handles with a request sensor for opening the doors as part of keyless go system...


...while sportz gets body coloured handles with nomal remote keyless entry.


OSRVM with turn indicators look classy, standard on magna (o), sportz and asta


A close up view of the reverse camera, neatly tucked under the Hyundai logo at the tailgate. Standard on both sportz and asta.


Back sonar and dual reflectors of the new rear bumper








185/65 R14 apollo aceleres standard on sportz and asta. era and magna get narrower and high profile rubber.


Rear Disc brakes standard on CRDI aportz and asta variants with ABS.

[sidindica]

Compared to the changes in exteriors, the changes to the interior are minimalistic, save for the new instrument cluster on the asta, new upholstery and new lighter colour combination.
Step inside and the familiar no nonsense dashboard greets you. The overall ambience inside is much better, thanks to a lighter shade of greyish brown being used throughout the interiors, the same colour scheme as the eon and the verna. The audio interface is familiar but button colours have been changed from silver to black. Also, the whole audio is now integrated within the centre console panel.

Though the overall build quality, precision and finish is top rate as expected from a Hyundai, it still lacks that tactile, solid and luxurious feel of, say a skoda fabia, which, in my books retains as the supermini with the best interior feel and ambience.
The Asta gets a new instrument cluster termed as "supervision" cluster which shows digital temp, fuel gauges and even speed indicator, a-la Honda Civic. The usual MID is displayed on the console in the middle but even in this facelift, Hyundai has skipped on vital feature-distance to empty and fuel consumption displays. The MT variants also come with gearshift indicator (both 1.2 and 1.4D) which indicates the best range to shift gears to attain maximum fuel efficiency. Newbie drivers will welcome this feature.

The glovebox is also adequately sized and can hold a small laptop plus some kinck knacks and in the higher models, it comes with an inbuilt AC vent to keep your beverages cool during hot summers. The storage space on the door pads are restricted to manazines only and cannot hold bottles.

The front seats are unchanged as before, so comfort levels are above average. The seats feel firm and cushioning is somewhat good, but you don't expect lateral support like, say the seats of a swift or punto give you. Underthigh support is a bit better but lower back support can be termed as above average. Its more to do with the shape and contour design which needs improvement. Legroom at front is in aplenty and the seats have good travel range to ensure that drivers of all sizes can fit. The steering gets both tilt and telescopic functions (in sportz and asta only) and the driver's seat also gets an armrest for comfortable driving plus height adjustment to make finding a comfortable driving position. However, to get the same, you have to stretch a fair bit as they only come in asta variant. Being a low slung car, finding a driving position is easy and short drivers should not have a tough time in peeking over the dashboard as the sill is placed lower for optimum vision.

Both the driver and front passenger have access to sufficient width (the jazz and vista have more as a result of packaging) so they can travel comfortably without having any trouble.

The rear, like the front has sufficient longitudnal width and three average sized passengers are welcome. The rear seat base is much improved and now more comfortable, but only for two. Middle passenger gets a flat bottomed cushion but it aint that bad as it is perceived to be. Cars like the fabis and vista are still very much comfortable, though. Legroom is above average (jazz, vista and fabia feel more spacious) but underthigh support is just above average. Long distance travel should not be a problem with two on board.
The i20 has sufficient interior volume as a result of 2525 mm wheelbase. Though interior packaging isnt as innovative as a jazz, still the boot is deep and sufficient enough for a family outing. Sportz and asta get 60:40 split rear seat which increases the flexibility and utility quotient of the big Hyundai.

The i20 asta also comes with a couple of segment firsts:

• Automatic headlamps, which can be activated from the headlamp control stock and they turn in automatically when the light outside goes dim.

• Rain sensing wipers. A sensor is located on top of the windscreen next to the EC IRVM which activates the wipers when rainfall is detected. Not only that, even the wiper speed varies according to the speed of the rainfall for a safer driving.

Air Conditioning:

Many, many people have asked the big question. Has Hyundai improved the i20's AC with the facelift? The answer is both yes and no.
Truth be told, the earlier car had poor cooling prowess as a result of a pint sized 90 cc compressor. While I am not familiar with the new compressor size, cooling in both petrol and diesel felt a couple of notches up. In hot saturday afternoon followed by windy and dry weather, the AC worked very impressively, though still not impressive as the one I found in the 2012 Punto, which I drove just a month back. The cool air flow is there, but the REAL air throw is still lacking. The main culprit for this-the silly dated centre AC vent design. The vertical vent looks old fashioned and just cannot throw proper air at the rear seat. It does get cooled eventually, but it takes its own sweet time. Hyundai urgently needs to redesign the centre cabin vents and provide it with traditional horizontal design to improve the air flow. The rear seats get their AC ducts mainly aimed at throwing air at lower level with vents located under the front seats. But still, a bigger central air vent is the need of the hour.

Higher end i20 models get a "clean air ionizer" which us claimed to be first in segment. This is Hyundai's speak for clean air filtering through an in built plasma filter, a straight lift from the verna.

The stereo system:

The i20 comes with an inbuilt stereo with CD/ MP3, USB, aux-in, IPOD support and bluetooth connectivity. Higher end models also get steering mounted audio and bluetooth controls and the audio display (radio station, track, folder) all can be seen on the centre display fascia. SOund quality is just about average with decent mid, weak bass and average treble. For my type of old music, its sufficient, at least for an OEM audio, its more than enough. From my standards, I rate on the basis of clarity and it gets a 7. In my books, the OEM audio in the jazz still strikes the best balance for my type of music followed by swift Z.

Familiar dashboard design gets better overall colour combination and ambience. Middle AC airflow still inadequate.


The asta gets a supervision cluster with digital temp, fuel gauge and digital speedometer...


whereas the sportz model has to do with the old traditional dials.


Integrated audio sounds above average, clean air ionizer only on asta. ACC cooling now improved compared to earlier model.


Cooled glove compartment adequately sized.


Door pads can only hold magazines.


Steering adjusts for both tilt and telescopic.


Asta gets keyless go-push button start/stop for the engine...


whereas the sportz continues with the traditional key with remote keyless entry. Flip top key standard.


Pedal space adequate to rest your foot, dead pedal standard.


Electro chromic mirror a segment first. Not properly adjusted but coverage pretty wide. The additional sensor on the left is for the rain sensing wipers, standard only on asta. Equipped with an integrated reverse camera.


Cabin light for driver and passenger.


Audio gets a USB/aux-in jack as standard, 12V power outlet on higher models.


Boot space more than sufficient, 60:40 split seats enhance flexibility.


A view of front legroom, very spacious. Asta gets driver's side armrests as well for enhanced diving comfort.


Driver side gets a covered vanity mirror, in addition to passenger side.


Only driver's side window gets auto down/ up. Electric adjust OSRVM/ retract standard on sportz and asta.


centre room light provides ample cabin illumination


View of dashboard from passenger side

[sidindica]

1.2 Kappa D-CVVT 5 M/T



The new I20 continues to be powered by the venerable 1197 cc kappa engine with a rated power of 84PS@6000 rpm (up from 80) and 11.6 kg-m of torque@4000 rpm. Refinement has been upped, and in order to keep with the times, Hyundai has also equipped its engine with dual VTVT tech (Dual Continuous Variable valve timing overseas), that is the implication of varianle timing of opening and closing of valves in both intake and exhaust side, aimed at improving city driveability, refinement and reduction of CO2 emissions.
Overseas models get a higher displacement spec motor (1248 cc) but the country's taxation structure meant that the capacity had to be reduced by reducing the cylinder bore. On paper, the specs of this all aluminum 16V DOHC motor look impressive as compared to the current best gasoline motor-the Honda 1.2 SOHC I-VTEC, but how does that translate it on the road?



Start the motor by pressing the clutch (the car has a clutch lock mechanism) and pressing the engine start button, and the idle is much more silent compared to the previous iteration. Throttle response, however is a bit hesitent.
While the refinement and smoothness are first rate, the engine lacks that urgency and power delivery of both the K12M and the 1.2 I-VTEC, both of which are a joy to respond to the throttle despite their peak power coming at 6000 plus rpm. The uprated AC compressor also does put a load on the engine, and overtaking needs a proper planning on the highway. The only solution? Downshift. While pickup is decent on first and second gears, making city driving effortless, the car feels laboured on the highway and speedo needle climbs slowly. Even the tuned-for-efficiency swift K12M VVT is much more joy to drive, though the jazz remains in a different league altogether.
The gearshift indicator cuts in early at 2700-3200 rpm suggesting to upshift in the interests of fuel economy, but performance still remains sluggish. Tighter emission and economy regulations have taken a toll on the gasoline engines being tuned more for mileage rather than outright performance, but on one hand where dual VTVT was supposed to improve performance, in contrast, the engine feels less eager even than the old kappa. Probably it would help in better AC performance and bottom end response, but the 1.2 is srtictly not a highway car. If the usage is more for the highway, look elsewhere. Even Hyundai's own i10 with the same engine feels more lively and stress free compared to the i20.
Its still more of a family hatch which takes you from point A to B in adequate refinement and comfort, a hot hatch it aint.



The gear ratios have also been altered for wringing out the maximum out of the puny motor, which has to be whipped to get it to perform. First and second gears are shorter, but both the 4th and 5th gears are a bit taller, tuned more for efficiency which makes the engine run at lower rpm. The box is slick and smooth shifting, but the jazz's and fabia's box still feel much better shifting.

1.4 U2 CRDI 6 M/T



Compared to the inadequate yet refined petrol, the diesel is brutal. Drive the CRDI and you will never want to touch the petrol ever again. Powered by 1396 CC U2 CRDI engine with 90 PS@4000 rpm and a rated torque of 22.4 kg-m@1500-2750 rpm, it promises to provide its owners with best in class combination of refinement, straight line acceleration and torque. The higher spec of the same motor is also used in the 1.6 variants of the verna with 128 PS spec. Hyundai claims that this motor is capable of 5 injections per cycle, same as the Indian spec multijet from Fiat.



Refinement at idle is fantastic, even though Hyundai has shockingly skimped on the underbonnet sound deadening material layer, not what you expect after paying a high sum for a diesel hatch with an engine imported from Ulsan plant, Korea. Hyundai has done some work to make the engine driver friendly by (thankfully) providing it with 6 gears and more closer ratios that are evenly spread.
Turbo lag is present, but not to that extent that plagued many hyundais earlier. Since the motor is eager, smooth and free revving, its a fun to drive motor in terms of straight line acceleration. In city driving, downshift at 1700 rpm is required but the turbo spools from 1600 rpm and after 2000 rpm, the typical Hyundai response is felt once the slight force of gravity pushes you back on the seat, somewhat like the old verna. Acceleration is strong and the engine feels strong throughout its power band, all the way upto 5500 rpm when the rev limiter cuts in in order to protect the overrevving and wear and tear of the motor. For city friendly driving, the K9K and TDCI still remain friendly power plants, though. But when it comes to driveability, the 2012 Punto also does feel much more user friendly, even though straight line acceleration is very slow. To get the maximum of the U2 motor, correct use of the box is required and it does have the capability to accelerate to 100 kmph in a shade around the 13 second mark, making it even faster than the swift and the punto 90. Perhaps currently its the fastest straight line accelerating diesel hatchback in the country, though not the best when it comes to acceleration through the gears, where the micra/ pulse and the 2012 punto with its more driveability oriented engine beat it.



The 6 speed gearbox complements the motor very well, with the 4th gear being a strong highway overtaking tool. 5th and 6th gears are more efficiency oriented, though. The box is one of the better shifting in the class but those in the swift and the polo feel more slicker.

[sidindica]

Compared to the earlier model, the new i20 rides more supple and quietly, but Hyundai still needs to do more work in the art of fine tuning the suspension.

Low speed ride has improved, despite Hyundai stiffening up the suspension a fair bit to eliminate the bottoming out. The car now rides more confidently with less jostling felt to the passengers. Some road areas at the service lane of Badarpur road had big potholes, so did the roads around Kalindi Kunj. The car rode pretty decently but the rear suspension made a peculiar thud noise from the left side, every time the car went in a big pothole at a fairly moderate speed (say 40 kmph). Coule be due to stiffness on the springs.

Ride at medium and high speeds continues to be still about average. Though a wee bit better than the jazz (yep) it still lacks the cushionness that is provided by the class best hatches-the punto and fabia which devour craters as if they were made for them. The sportz and asta models with their low pro tyres ride stiff but the models with higher profile 70 tyres should ride better, though.

Another big question-has Hyundai succeeded in eliminating the persistent steering rattle that plagued many owners?

On driving over big potholes, I didn't feel any noise from the steering rake and it was more to do with the front suspension which felt noisy due to low pro tyres. I tried many times, but the steering mechanism remained firm. I still CANNOT comment on the same, its only when owners put in their miles more and more, can we comment on the same. Hyundai does say that the facelift has addressed the issue by a new design steering rack and column but, its better to play safe and wait for the real ownership reviews that comment on the handling of this aspect.

Which now brings us to handling. Its marginally improved, but still a classic Hyundai, light and pretty unresponsive. The EPS caliberation still needs cohesiveness as compared to the segment benchmark-the EPS systems of the jazz and swift, both of which feel responsive and communicated to the chassis which make them great handlers, though cars like the brio and swift K12M are still fun to drive. The petrol vehicle's steering feels disconnected to the chassis. At parking speeds, there is inconsistency in the lightness and it feels overlight and sometimes, a bit stiff. At moderate to high speeds, the steering feel continues to be artificial and one has to drive the car sedately and not like a sportscar. Body roll is well controlled, thanks to low stance and large wheelbase but handling at curves isn't the car's forte, which is a playground for the punto and swift.

The diesel model's steering is a wee bit better caliberated than the petrol considering the power the chassis is capable of handling but compared to the punto 90HP, its prime competitor, the steering just fails to inspire confidence at both medium and high speeds. One needs to be very careful while driving this car on the highway as stability cannot match the euros, though compared to the k9k twins, its more stabler. Body control is still significantly better in swift, figo and punto and their delightful steering and chassis caliberation make these 3 cars so much fun to drive. Like I said, at the end og the day, the i20 still remains more of a luxurious loaded commuter hatch rather than an outright enthusiast's car. In my books, if I had to buy a powerful diesel hatch which gives a perfect blend of ride, handling, feel and control, there's just one option-the 2012 Punto 90. Its so much a delight to drive. The swift is also good in handling and strikes a fine balance between the punto and the next best alternative, the humble figo.

Braking in petrol models is satisfactory and pedal feel is top class, much better than the brakes experianced in the swift. The diesel again is the better braking of the two since it has all wheel discs and the car comes to a stop without any fuss, though pedal feel can be a wee bit better. ABS activates at the right time and feedback from the brake pedal is satisfactory, compared to subpar brakes of the micra, pulse and the swift L and V variants.

[sidindica]

Owning a Hyundai product earlier guarenteed peace of mind and thats still present considering the company's large network of sales and service outlets, which at present are third in number. But still, nowadays the company has its fair share of hits and misses.

Most of the dealers are still providing decent service but many dealers are known to give below average service to their customers, especially those in tier 2 cities. The main root cause-manufacturer interaction and support with both the dealer and the customer, sadly, has just gone down and it shows in many ownership reports.
Its a known fact that Hyundai's new gen cars do have some design flaws, though not issues with quality and reliability per se but flaws that detract from a pleasent ownership experiance and customer dissatisfaction, needs to be addressed and the company needs to be more customer centric and inclined towards improving its engineering finesse rather than adding gadgets and hiking prices.
Even companies like maruti, tata and fiat work hard to improve their products mechanically based on customer feedback, something which still plagues Hyundai owners, especially those of i10 and i20.

Secondly, the ownership costs of Hyundais have shot up considerably on tier 1 cities. Tier 2 and 3 cities still have old labour rates, but maintaining a car like an i20 will surely be expensive, even more so compared to maruti and fiat. Since many components are imported, critical parts are frighteningly expensive and it makes sense to opt for extended warranty coverage.

Hyundai's frequent initiative of free service camps is well appreciated and problem sourcing parts is not an issue but its manpower working at workshops need proper training and need to be more customer friendly, rather than earning a reputation for being money makers.

[sidindica]

It's pretty hard not to like or recommend the new i20. The company has worked hard to iron out the reported flaws and make the car more easier to live with. Not only that, they have loaded the car to the fills with never before seen features on hatchbacks which will surely make other manufacturers sit up and take notice. But, with the addition of the features, the prices have also jacked up considerably, especially that of the diesel. The top end asta costs approx 8.5 lakh on road delhi and is dangerously close to some C segment sedans like, say a sunny or etios. While not still premium feeling, image does count and the diesel i20's pricing suddenly makes a swift ZDI or punto emotion 75/90 with discounts seem so much VFM.

Hyundai's i20 diesel will remain a rich boy's toy as always and will appeal to those who want all the creature comforts of high end sedans but at a compact size and average price, though the masses will continue to favour the swift and figo, which provide fantastic well rounded VFM packages.

The petrol, again is well priced considering the features it has and thats the only USP. Cars like the swift K12 and jazz still impress with their depth of engineering finesse and talent, which the i20 has to do catching to.

But what Hyundai has succeeded is in creating a car that appeals to what the Indian market wants. Good looks, packed with features, adequate blend of power and mileage and decent after sales service with top class fit and finish and premium feeling inside and out. No matter that all the rounded package feels more improved amd will continue to see improved sales, even though there are some better options out there.

Because the Indian car market is driven by a combination of needs and wants, both of which this hatch provides.

Like I said, for the I-gen janta.

[sidindica]

Reverse camera neatly tucked under the hyundai logo works as a huge convinience feature.


The range at tight parking spots is just fantastic. great for many women and newbie drivers.


Display shown on the electro chromic mirror, coupled with parktronic, makes the hatch effortless to park.


Exact door open indication shown. Clarity of supervision cluster is fantastic even at sunlight.


Remote keyless entry has keys for lock, unlock and boot release. High quality. Doors auto lock while driving.


Audio interface user friendly and easy to operate, lighter colours and contrast buttons make it look more balanced. Bluetooth is a boon. Clean air ionizer on the AC makes for a great in cabin environment as impurities and dust are kept away.


OSRVM provides wide vision coverage and can fold forwards to prevent high repair bills from those bikers at narrow lanes.

[sidindica]

And to top it off, some random exterior shots






















--CURTAINS--

[suhaas307]

Note From Team-BHP Support Team: Thread moved from Assembly Line to Test Drives and Initial Ownership Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

[el lobo 6061]

Sid that's a very excellent review of the new i20. Each and every point has been significantly detailed.

Hyundai has worked up the fluidic design very well and with new features, many of them segment first, makes new i20 a very desirable hatch with Hyundai very good after sales.

This thread if I would suggest should me moved to the "Official New Car Reviews", it certainly deserves it. Rated it 5 stars.

[srinath34]

Amazing review Sidindica!!! Take a bow!! Rated 5 stars.

I was just waiting for something like this to appear on t-bhp.

Brilliant. A million thanks.

[ramneek009]

Excellent review Sid. All the points covered, only if you could have put a couple of pictures of the rear legroom after sliding the front seats completely forward and backward. Other than that, thanks for putting the picture of camera display on IRVM.

Any idea how much are the waiting periods for i20 D ASTA in Delhi?

Rated 5 stars. Thanks