[Nitrous Power]

Originally Posted by Ranjimso

Nitrous - I did check with the SA at Advaith motors and he claims that the battery of the smart key is like a Duracell bunny (never runs out). he said both the original key and the duplicate are smart keys - so you can only use the skeleton key to enter the car and use the other one to start whenever the bunny runs out

I am kind of shocked on SA's claim. If SA claims that there is no slot in steering column to start the car with key, does it mean that Hyundai modified the steering column and housing design only for Asta variant?

Mods: Since you tested the car, can you throw some light on this?

[racer_ash]

I had test driven the Diesel i20 in 2011 during my hunt for a new car. I found the clutch throw to be quite long and great effort was required to depress it. The engine was quite unresponsive below the turbo zone. This became a pain within a few minutes of driving in city conditions. Not sure whether this was only with the test drive vehicle. However, I recently drove my friends new i-Gen i20 diesel and surprisingly, the clutch throw as well as effort has reduced quite a bit. Also the engine is little more responsive below the turbo-zone. City driving characteristics have also improved quite a lot.

[A350XWB]

In one of the pictures (http://www.team-bhp.com/carpics/Hyun...dai-i20-20.jpg) it seems like the middle seat belt on the i20 is a 3-point one. Can anyone confirm the same? Is it only available in a specific trim?

[SrikantDora]

Originally Posted by A350XWB

In one of the pictures (http://www.team-bhp.com/carpics/Hyun...dai-i20-20.jpg) it seems like the middle seat belt on the i20 is a 3-point one. Can anyone confirm the same? Is it only available in a specific trim?

Yes, it is a 3-Point one, Even my 2009 Model has the similar middle seat belts. I own a i20 Magna which was the base model when purchased.

[A350XWB]

Originally Posted by SrikantDora

Yes, it is a 3-Point one, Even my 2009 Model has the similar middle seat belts. I own a i20 Magna which was the base model when purchased.

Thank you for the clarification. This leads me to another question. Even though it might be a trivial thing for many, why this small detail is missed in the review especially when this is one of the very few cars which actually offers a 3 point seat belt for all 5 passengers?

Following are the quotes from other official reviews.

Maruti Ertiga (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...al-review.html)
"Even 3rd row passengers get 3-point seat belts. Nice:"

Skoda Yeti (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...-pictures.html)
"The middle passenger gets a proper 3-point seatbelt. It has two buckles, one on either side. Also note the recline levers placed on the seat hinges."

Toyota Fortuner (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ve-review.html)
"Toyota equips the Fortuner with two airbags (driver + front passenger) and 3 point seatbelts for 6 passengers (Lap belt for the 7th person). "

When even the 25+L Fortuner (almost thrice the price of the i20) does away with a proper 3 pointer for the middle passenger, shouldn't we give credit to Hyundai for equipping their car with a 3 pointer for all the 5?

[S@ndy]

Originally Posted by A350XWB

When even the 25+L Fortuner (almost thrice the price of the i20) does away with a proper 3 pointer for the middle passenger, shouldn't we give credit to Hyundai for equipping their car with a 3 pointer for all the 5?

Yes, This is a fact that Hyundai provide safety gadgets in all their vehicles across the globe (consider EON sportz variant). This is the reason that they are till date the only manufacturer in India to have full concern for safety. I remember reading an interview with HW Park who said that, Hyundai can cancel their whole project if it sacrifices safety! This is one of the core values of hyundai." They have always insisted that they would provide all equipment which is sold in international markets, that is why, they usually flood their vehicles with gadgets!

S@ndy

[myavu]

Originally Posted by S@ndy

They have always insisted that they would provide all equipment which is sold in international markets, that is why, they usually flood their vehicles with gadgets!

No, you missed it. If that was the case then, the bare minimum features like Distance to emty, Realtime mileage, etc. should be there as default. Many cars priced few lakhs down the line provides those as standard

Cheers!

Vinu

[kalpeshc]

Originally Posted by SrikantDora

Yes, it is a 3-Point one, Even my 2009 Model has the similar middle seat belts. I own a i20 Magna which was the base model when purchased.

I have a 2010 Sportz and mine's just a 2 point belt.

[A350XWB]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

I have a 2010 Sportz and mine's just a 2 point belt.

I remember that the older versions had the 3 point middle seat belt as standard. Maybe they removed it in the later versions and that's why I specifically had the question.
But if it is there in any of the versions now also, it indeed needs a mention in the test drive report, especially when reviews of other cars emphatically mention the same, if present.

Originally Posted by myavu

No, you missed it. If that was the case then, the bare minimum features like Distance to emty, Realtime mileage, etc. should be there as default. Many cars priced few lakhs down the line provides those as standard

For each, his own. For me, DTE or real time mileage takes a back seat and safety is paramount. Given a budget, I prefer a 3-point seat belt, ABS and airbags than DTE or mileage indication.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by Nitrous Power

I am kind of shocked on SA's claim. If SA claims that there is no slot in steering column to start the car with key, does it mean that Hyundai modified the steering column and housing design only for Asta variant?

Mods: Since you tested the car, can you throw some light on this?

IIRC, i20 Asta does not have a key slot in the steering column. This is also the same in the Fluidic Verna's SX(O).

[S@ndy]

Originally Posted by myavu

No, you missed it. If that was the case then, the bare minimum features like Distance to emty, Realtime mileage, etc. should be there as default. Many cars priced few lakhs down the line provides those as standard

Cheers!

Vinu

As said by A350XWB, Safety is the most important aspect and I was talking of the safety features of cars offered by Hyundai and I would never sacrifice safety for some add-on's like mileage informators etc etc. If a car is offered with all important aspects one would need except safety add-on's, that car is and will always be on my No-list and it would be never recommended by me!

S@ndy

[Ranjimso]

Originally Posted by MAS

IIRC, i20 Asta does not have a key slot in the steering column. This is also the same in the Fluidic Verna's SX(O).

So coming back to my question, what is the life span of the smart key? Is there a battery within so that we can replace it when it goes low?

Also, the SA confirmed the start and stop button is built for 10 lac starts.

[racer_ash]

Originally Posted by A350XWB

I remember that the older versions had the 3 point middle seat belt as standard. Maybe they removed it in the later versions and that's why I specifically had the question.
But if it is there in any of the versions now also, it indeed needs a mention in the test drive report, especially when reviews of other cars emphatically mention the same, if present.

Even my 2011 Sportz (P) doesnt have a 3 point seat belt for the middle occupant. But I remember seeing the same in the new i20 sportz (D) version. Maybe Hyundai stopped offerring the 3 point harness temporarily like it did for the 6 speed transmission in case of its Diesel versions.

[MAS]

Originally Posted by Ranjimso

So coming back to my question, what is the life span of the smart key? Is there a battery within so that we can replace it when it goes low?

Also, the SA confirmed the start and stop button is built for 10 lac starts.

The life span of the battery is between 3 to 5 years. It is safe to change the battery of the smart key once it in operation for 3 years.

According to Toyota Service Bulletin, "Some customers may experience limited battery life in their Smart Keys. The Smart Key “wakes up” by receiving a “ping” or electronic noise. many electronic devices emit a “ping”, therefore a Smart Key(s) could wake up and as a result, battery life could be reduced.

If the Smart Keys are stored near any of the following components, battery life may be reduced. Keep Smart keys at least 1 meter (40 inches) from these electronic devices.

TVs or computer monitors
DVD or VCR units
Desktop PCs or notebooks
Cordless phones or cell phones
[etc.]"

So, anyone buying a car with a smart key may keep the keys away from the "pinging" devices for enhanced battery life.

[GForce1980]

Could anyone please tell me the colour of the car that was tested?

Originally Posted by GTO

NOTE: Click any picture to open a larger higher-resolution version in a new window

Its really surprising that a lot of the 'Cool' colours have gone missing from the options now. Bright Blue & Black are both unavailable at the moment in India.

BTW, I have booked a Sportz CRDI model here in Bangalore. I wish it was available in blue. It looks so awesome.