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Old 30th December 2014, 09:11   #1
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Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

"Do they have good horses in Spain?" little Lucius asks the great man behind bars.

"Yes, some of the best" replies Maximus Decimus Meridius. "They were my horses, Argento and Scarto. They were taken from me".

In case you skipped physics classes in school and didn't know "Argent" is the heraldic tincture of silver, I've just given you a filmy beginning to define the origin of the name. Of course it has nothing to do with the car in question except the color. So lets get directly to the topic. Welcome, my Silver colored Elite i20 CRDI Asta. Another Hyundai in the family.

The pre-math

In the beginning, when we moved to Delhi, there was only the Verna. Then wifey dearest got a full time job, and different job timings and office locations meant we needed another car. We thought a small petrol should suffice, since the Verna is the main workhorse and wifey would anyway use the second car for her (much shorter) office commute. So in August 2013 we bought a used i10. It was a 2011 car, 1.1 iRDE engine with only 24K kms on the clock.

But soon we realized something. the concept of "second car" is relative, and in cases irrelevant. Especially when the primary user is 6'2", weighs 100 kilos, and has been spoiled by his other car which is a 110bhp CRDI. The i10 just wasn't enough for my needs. Even with the driver's seat pushed to the farthest, the odd height meant I would sit with my knees up in the air and the centre console fouling with my knees. In January 2014 we took the i10 on a tour to Rajasthan. On the return journey that cramped-up seating posture hurt my lower body so bad, I spent the next 2 days in discomfort. Wifey didn't have these posture problems. But she too agreed with me that the engine was anaemic on highways, and gave below-average city mileage.

Secondly, this particular car was damn unreliable. To start with, the weedy 155 B250 tyres were noisy and had no grip. On the Rajasthan trip the car skid twice under panic braking, and we were saved by the driver's anticipation rather than the car. Even with the low mileage (it was genuine, we obtained the full service records before buying) the clutch started feeling hard within a few months of purchase and the car would slip on inclines. We needed to change the clutch plate and a front wheel bearing which had started groaning. Then one day the digital fuel meter started acting up (it would show empty even with a full tank) and there would be a strange "dhak-dhak" noise (not the Madhuri Dixit type) from the rear upon sharp turns. Both these were diagnosed to be a plastic piece from the fuel pump assembly which had fallen off and sitting on the fuel gauge lever (hence the erratic reading). It got fixed. Another day the passenger seatbelt came off its mounting, to give us a heart-in-the-mouth moment. Just a loose screw, but who's ever heard of seatbelts coming off? Finally in July 2014 the car refused to start one morning, and we discovered the battery was dead. New battery.

While all the above were niggles rather than long standing issues, by July I had made up my mind that the car should go. On 7th August I sold off the i10, 7 days short of a year of buying it.

Choices, choices

I had a budget of 7L. Requirement was of a petrol car, and I was split between 2 mind-sets. One wanted to go for a new B-Segment hatchback (which obviously would give me more space, more features and a big car feel) and enjoy the reliability of the new car. The other wanted to buy a pre-owned luxury car within my budget. Why have big car "feel" when you can have a big car?

In NCR, the second mindset throws up plenty of interesting options. I had a good, longing look at many a car. The 3 I shortlisted were all certified, non-accidental cars at reputed dealers:

1. 2011 Skoda Laura TSI (57K kms on the clock, asking price 6.75L) - Beautiful car this was, totally unspoilt, and I was mighty impressed with the engine and handling. But someone told me horror stories about single digit mileage, check-engine light coming on for unknown reasons, and the omnipresent Skoda service horror stories. Did not muster the courage to buy after that.

2. 2007 Honda Accord (89K kms on the clock, asking price 4.2L) - The engine felt like butter, and I've always been a fan of the Concorde shape accords. But a 7 year old car is a 7 year old car. And given the mileage I thought the asking price is a bit too much. The dealer wasn't willing to bargain at all.

3. 2006 Sonata Embera (43k kms on the clock, asking price 3.75L) - I almost, almost bought this car! It was registered in the name of an IT Major and was used by one of their directors. It was serviced in HASS till the last day, and the quality of the exteriors and interiors seemed to indicate it had seen more tender care than actual usage.

When I found the car it was unsold at the dealer for over 2 months. Took a TD, it felt like a new car. Did see a lot of cheap bits from lesser Hyundai cars (like the climate control system was the same as my 2008 Verna) but overall the car felt like a plush cruise liner. It was also half of my budget, so I could spend the other half on spare parts. Or accessories!

Went home, wasted another 10 days trying out many options. Then went to the dealer again, took a TD (this time with wifey). The dealer asked me to pay a notional booking amount, which I refused (who cares, I thought. Anyway the car has not sold in the last 75 days). Had a good long discussion that night.

Next morning, I called up the dealer to confirm purchase. Heard that someone had come that very morning, paid cash down and taken delivery!

Anyway, that sad episode paid rest to my barge-buying plans. Upset wifey opined that we've wasted enough time looking for quality barges, and we should get back to looking for a new hatch.

We shortlisted the following cars:

1. Maruti Ritz - I've been a fan of the Ritz for some time now. Its quite spacious, styled differently from its contemporaries, and I love the combination of the K series engine and the high-mounted, short gearshift. If I was the sole decision-maker, I'd probably have bought it. But I'm not, and home minister immediately rejected the "ungainly car with a caved-in butt" (her words).

2. Chevrolet Sail UVA - Very spacious, but thats about it. The interiors feel cheap, the engine labored. Ride is good, handling ordinary. Nothing outstanding to recommend it above the mainstream brands.

3. Maruti Swift - The Swift has won many admirers for its engine and ride and handling package. But I always thought it had some serious handicaps. Like dull black interiors which look like a funeral parlor. Like a cramped rear seat, the effect highlighted by the small windows. And the fact that (not the car's fault) in our society, the 50 year old Uncle owns a Swift. So does his 25 year old yuppie son. So does the 40 year old mother-of-two next door.

But seriously, if you drive the next 2 contenders and the Swift back-to-back, you'll realize that the Swift is now a generation old and getting long in the tooth.

4. VW Polo - The Polo feels a matured, grown-up hatchback when you drive it. Interior plastics are probably the best in class. Steering is well-weighted, and ride and handling is amazing. The new 1.5 Diesel felt a hoot to drive, much better than its petrol brother. But I had 2 serious issues. Firstly, the rear legroom is seriously limited. They have scooped out the front seat-backs to liberate space. Secondly, none of the lower variants seemed to be kitted out well. It was simply a lot of money for not much kit. Still, the Polo remained our front-runner choice, to deliberate on and come back.

5. Fiat Punto Evo - In 1998, our family went new car shopping. I had just attained legal driving age, and was bowled over by the Fiat Uno. No amount of hardselling (from my side) could convince dad and he ended up buying a Maruti 800.

In 2005 we went looking for a bigger, diesel hatchback. Again I fell in love with a Fiat (this time the Palio D) but couldn't convince dad and he ended up buying a Tata Indica. Biggest mistake, but that's another story.

So I was full of anticipation when we TDd a Punto Evo. The car looked awesome, and ride was so good. But the rest of the car is a disappointing experience. It uses the national engine, which is their own product, but they have tuned it the worst of the lot. There's noticeable turbo lag, and even the 92bhp sport felt laborious and inconsistent to drive. The rear seat was short on headroom, and every time I sat there I had to bend my neck. The driving position felt awkward, as if the pedals and steering had not been aligned and placed separately. Even the interiors, which look good from a distance, come across to be of varying plastic quality when you touch them. Maybe these quirks are acceptable to Fiat loyalists, but I'm not one.

6. Elite i20 - Ironically, when we sold the i10, I had decided to buy any car but the i20. The erstwhile i20 looked good, but handled like a cloud and felt mediocre to drive.

But then the Elite i20 got launched, and Missus forced me to visit the showroom to check out the car. To put it mildly, I was bowled at first sight. And the impression only deepened when we got into the car. The interiors were spacious, there wasn't an inch of low quality plastic in sight, the stock ICE was the best I had heard among factory fitted ICE systems, and the car came with every conceivable feature. So we asked for a Test Drive the next day and came back. Missus was visibly elated and kept saying this is the car we should buy. I kept quiet. But truth be told, first time in my life I had decided to buy a car without waiting for a test drive.

The Buying Experience

I had checked out the car at the Dwarka dealer. They called up next day and said there's no petrol TD car. I could TD the diesel, but only if I visit them. They wouldn't bring the car to my home. Which is silly, considering I live just 3 kms away.

Enough of attitude. That evening I had some work in Janakpuri, and visited Samara Hyundai. An enthusiastic young Sardar gave me a TD of both the petrol and diesel cars. It was severely crowded and getting dark, and I could only manage a short TD in both. So I asked him if he could come to my house in Dwarka that Saturday with the petrol car for a longer TD.

He did. Kids in the society milled around the car asking "Uncle, yeh kaunsi car hai?". I took a looong TD with the petrol and came away disappointed. While the gearing was smart enough to ensure quick acceleration, there was no doubt the engine was just adequate for the car's size. On highways it would definitely feel shortchanged.

That evening the conversation at home went something like this:

Me: "Honey, I've decided to drop the Elite i20. It looks gorgeous, but the petrol engine is anaemic. And the diesel is too expensive".

Wifey: Why don't we buy the diesel? Why can't you stretch your budget?

Me: Even if I could, what'll we do with 2 diesels? My car travels 20K kms a year, yours does about 5K!

Wifey (sounding surprisingly mature): Look, the Verna is 6 years and 1 lakh kms old. Why don't you give it some rest? We need another diesel workhorse if and when it goes.

Me (evil grin): So I'm buying the i20 for myself?

Wifey (desperate): Err, no no. But we can alternate the cars every day.

Me: Hmm. (in deep thought, trying to not let my own fondness of the Elite i20 take over). Ok, let's take a long TD of the diesel tomorrow.

So the next day we did a looong TD of the diesel. This time I came away very very impressed. Even with no engine bay cladding, the diesel felt silent and refined. I couldn't feel any turbo lag, and the engine accelerated in a smooth manner. At the top end it wasn't as exciting as the Polo 1.5, but I would happily trade in this for the engine's regular driveability. Diesel it was to be. Variant? Not even a question, given the fabulous alloys and the twin airbags you get with the Asta model.

On 7th October we booked a Platinum Blue Asta CRDI with Samara Hyundai. I was made to sign an undertaking which specified a minimum wait of 2 months. They said white and silver were more in demand, so an odd color like Platinum Blue or Red might take longer. Also the first car I've bought with no discounts whatsoever. Not even loyalty discount, for a man who's buying his 4th Hyundai in 6 years. Sob sob.

Then started a period of desperate waiting. First a close friend got a CRDI (same color and model) and came to show off. He had booked from HMP who gave delivery in 35 days. Got a scolding from wifey as to why I didn't book from HMP. I had just figured that since the Samara Salesman had taken all the trouble, he should get my business.

Next, a cursory visit to Samara revealed the waiting period had increased to 4.5 months! "We're out of options sir, everyone just wants to buy an Elite i20". I came home dejected and informed wifey we'll probably not get the car before 2015.

Then on 9th November my phone rang. "Sir, I'm xxx from Samara Hyundai. We have a Silver Asta CRDI coming in. It was booked in August, but the buyer just cancelled his booking. If you are willing to switch colors, we can allot the car to you". It took a few hours of deliberation before I accepted the compromise and said yes.

So on 15th November, we took delivery of Argento, our Sleek Silver Elite i20 CRDI Asta.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-img20141117wa012.jpg

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-img20141117wa009.jpg

The buying process was smooth without any hiccups. Documentation was handled well, and Samara stuck to the time of 45 minutes.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03277edit.jpg

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03278edit.jpg

Initial Ownership Experience

The car has been with us for about 45 days, 2400 kms and one service. Initial experience has been very positive. Allow me to deliberate:

Engine and Drivetrain: Speaking from experience, Hyundai CRDIs have always been powerful allrounders. Easy driveability in the city thanks to all that torque, awesome power on highway drives. The Elite i20's engine is extremely refined, so much that at idle there's merely a burble from the bonnet. There's no noticeable turbo lag, so I don't get the "wham" the Verna gives me if I floor the throttle at 2000 rpm. Instead it builds up power in a buzzy, addictive manner. The gearing is quite good, so one doesn't need to constantly shift as long as one keeps the engine on the boil. Even the sixth gear, which I used to regard as an unnecessary gimmick, has proven its use when highway cruising.

A photo of the engine.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03295edit.jpg


How boring is it to own 2 cars, both of whose engines read "CRDI 16V"? A picture of the Verna's engine.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-engine.jpg

Styling: Not ashamed to say that styling was the primary reason I bought the car. Hyundai's design language comes best in one car out of the lot. For example, their Fluidic design looked so much better on the Elantra's proportions than the Verna. Similarly, I feel the new design language seems striking in the Elite i20, compared to the Grand i10 or Xcent.

Even today I can't take my eyes off some cues, like the well styled tail lamps:

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03282edit.jpg

The sleek headlamp design

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03284edit.jpg

The subtly raised body line just over the door handles

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03281edit.jpg

Or the blacked out C pillar (though a paint job would have been much nicer than black plastic).

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03283edit.jpg

The smart ORVMs with turn indicators.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03312edit.jpg

The awesome alloy design

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03280edit.jpg

Wearing 195/55 R16 Goodyear Assurance tyres.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03290edit.jpg

Interiors and comfort: Firstly, I spend an inordinate amount of time inside my cars, whether I'm travelling within the city on work or out on a highway drive. Secondly, I hate rattles. 2 reasons why I absolutely want quality interiors when buying a car. And in this regard the i20 doesn't disappoint. There is no bad quality plastic you'll find anywhere, even when you poke around below and beyond the obvious.

Welcome to a very well designed dashboard.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03286edit.jpg

A chunky steering wheel, adjustable for rake and reach. Also with a lot of buttons and very professionally wrapped leather. No seriously. I got the Verna's steering wheel wrapped with Stanley Progrip original leather 6 years back. I had thought the Stanley guys did a good job with fit, but it doesn't even come close to the fit standards of this leather.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03298edit.jpg

Dunno why everyone goes gaga over steering mounted audio controls. On a particular drive wifey commented how "convenient" it had become to change volume on the drive. I pointed out that the actual volume control (on the stereo face) was just a palms (and 2 fingures) length away from that on the steering. How much did she really have to stretch? Needless to say, didn't help my popularity .

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03299edit.jpg

The best styled gear lever in the segment. Short, chunky, delightful to use.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03294edit.jpg

Comfy, broad and well designed seats. A welcome break from the i10's thin perch. The driver's seat comes with height adjust. You would have noticed the seat covers I got, a perfect match with the black and beige interior colors.

My only grudge with the seats is the thin lower back cushioning, something that troubles you when you spend 3 (or more) hours behind the wheel. A design defect?

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03292edit.jpg

Well styled front door. Comes with controls for power windows, IRVM rotation and IRVM fold. Also a decent enough door pocket with space for a 1 ltr bottle. Holds a component speaker set (midbass and tweeter).

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03305edit.jpg

Well styled rear door. Comes with stupid door pockets that can't hold anything. Incredibly, each of the rear doors too hold a component speaker set.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03304edit.jpg

Quite spacious rear seats. Only the Asta comes with adjustable head rests.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03309edit.jpg

I do feel a car this premium should have come with a foldable hand rest, like in my Verna.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03307edit.jpg

If it can incorporate AC vents for the rear seats, why not the hand rest?

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03287edit.jpg

Quite a spacious boot. I like the little boot light.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03288edit.jpg

The amazing rear view camera. Unlike aftermarket systems, it not only presents a line view of the cars dimensions in a straight line..

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03313edit.jpg

..But also turns when you turn the steering

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03314edit.jpg

I can go on about the other features, but tbhp has already done that for me. Go read the official review!

Ride & Handling: Its not a natural handler. A fellow tbhpian from Kolkata described the power steering to be "Dead as a Dodo". I refrain from such an extreme comment, though I agree the steering is too light to give feel at highway speeds. The ride is very good. The handling is neutral at speeds, but would have been better with a feelsome steering.

However if you compare the Elite with the earlier i20, I would say Hyundai has done a pretty good job. And look at it this way. On weekends my wife takes it into crowded West Delhi markets for shopping. She loves the light steering, allows her to park into tight spots without working up a sweat!

Fuel efficiency: Verna gave me 13kmpl in the city and 18 on the highway. This baby gives me 18 in the city. I did a short trip to Karnal and back, and the combined FE on that trip was close to 20!

Is there something I don't like? (plenty, actually)

1. No Distance-to-empty meter - Everytime the low fuel light goes on, you drive in to the petrol pump to discover only 38 ltrs (out of 45 ltr capacity) have been used. Without a DTE, there's no way you'll stretch those precious 7 litres.

2. Just dump all the buttons! - I believe Hyundai appointed separate teams while designing the car. One for modulating the start/stop button operation, one for the stereo, one for the lights, one for designing auto-unlocking etc. They never spoke to each other. And the team responsible for auto-locking went on un-announced leave.

Confused? Here's what happens actually. You get into the car, press the start button to start the car, press the lock button to lock all doors, press the stereo power button to start music, and drive off. The first signal has a waiting of over a minute. Like a responsible citizen you stop the car. Immediately the doors unlock, lights come on, music stops. So you press the start button again to activate accessories mode (stereo starts), lock button again to lock the doors and (when the signal turns green) the start/stop button. If you've already started the car, the doors don't autolock anyway, so no escape from button pushing.

The next signal again has waiting of over a minute. So you press 3 buttons to get things to work! And so on.

This particular routine got so infuriating that I stopped turning off the car totally at the lights! Then I discovered auto-unlocking can be turned off. One less button to press! I'm not saying features are bad, just that they should coordinate well with each other.

3. stupid exclusions? - My other Hyundai has vanity mirrors on both driver/passenger side sunshades. Both mirrors come with a sliding plastic cover. Makes it look and feel upmarket.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03306edit.jpg

A friend's car has lights beside the sunshade mirrors. Helps his missus when she adjusts her makeup before an evening party.

The Elite i20 has a cheap mirror on the passenger side, and none on the driver's side. No sir, drivers should not have vanity!

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03300edit.jpg

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03301edit.jpg

It doesn't come with a hook in the sunglass holder. So if you wear thin rimmed glasses, they'll get tossed about. Again I'm not nitpicking. I do wear expensive sunglasses, and hate it when they get scratches.

While the rear passengers have access to their own AC, they'll have to keep bothering the driver for bottles of water. The rear doors cannot hold bottles.

Also, why couldn't they fit a smaller antenna? Horrendous, thin stemmed and long thing just spoils the profile.

Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta-dsc03297edit.jpg

Accessoried I've fitted.

1. Art leather seat covers.
2. Autocop Trackpro TP2000 (GPS tracker).
3. HMP original car cover. Very good material, like the Dupont Tyvek thing.
4. The normal mats/perfume kit from dealer.
5. Extended warranty for the 3rd year.

That's all for now. Tomorrow I leave for a 2000 km road trip. Keep reading!

Last edited by Eddy : 18th January 2015 at 23:46. Reason: As requested
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Old 3rd January 2015, 12:20   #2
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 3rd January 2015, 21:44   #3
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Great stuff, Predator
I dissed the i20 petrol for the same reason and got myself the GT TSI. To be honest I do miss the loads of features that the i20 fondles you with.
A question, how was this fitted "Autocop Trackpro TP2000 (GPS tracker)" and some details about its functioning would be appreciated.

Hope you have a great trip ahead.
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Old 3rd January 2015, 22:41   #4
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

It is hard to resist the new i20 if you are in the market for a diesel hatchback. That being said, I am not too fond of the interiors as everyone else seems to be. They arent as stylish as the exteriors and the surface details are borderline boring.
Also was Polo eliminated only due to rear legroom because as I see it, both you and your wife will be occupying the front seats?
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Old 4th January 2015, 09:26   #5
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Congrats Aniket da on purchase of this new beauty. The Elite i20 is much more matured compared to its competitors. The steering feefback and handling is better than the Xcent. The 1.4 L mill is great to drive around in city and being a diesel it is easy on the pocket.
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Old 4th January 2015, 13:34   #6
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Nice review with great pictures to top it off. Wish you many wonderful miles ahead on your gorgeous Argento!
Do tell me the secret of your alarmingly good FE.
Seeing that you extended your budget, did you at any point consider the Ecosport or maybe a used Civic?
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Old 4th January 2015, 21:37   #7
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Great review! Good you got the Silver color instead of the Platinum Blue, else we would have missed the etymology of Argent and would have never met Argento
BTW the snap of the gear lever is so very tempting to hold & shift.
Wish you thousands of happy miles on your Argento
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Old 4th January 2015, 22:18   #8
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Congratulations Aniket on acquiring the Elite.

Your number plate reads "DL 3CCD" - like Cafe Coffee day. Eh?

The silver is a very neutral colour that gels well with any car and any design be it 90's car or 2015 model.

Keep the mile crunching on. Congrats once again.
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Old 4th January 2015, 22:40   #9
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Many Congratulations PredatorWheels !!!

The elite is surely an eye turner and very rightly said, a beautiful rendition of the fluidic design philosophy of Hyundai.
A very neat review and looking forward for an ownership report as you crunch more miles on the Elite.

Enjoy and have fun with it.
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Old 5th January 2015, 00:06   #10
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Hi there and congrats on your new Hyundai!!
I own a Grand i10 Asta and as you said the start stop button is a pain to use on the lights. I still am on three buttons phase (I'm a bit technologically challenged ) so please tell me how did you turn off the auto unlocking.
Thank You!
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Old 5th January 2015, 10:54   #11
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

The steering mounted buttons are considered more of a safety feature than a luxury feature.

Holding the steering with both hands at all times is considered much safer way to drive a car- there is more control and it also prevents distraction.
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Old 5th January 2015, 11:03   #12
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Quote:
Originally Posted by predatorwheelz View Post
Accessoried I've fitted.

1. Art leather seat covers.
2. Autocop Trackpro TP2000 (GPS tracker).
3. HMP original seat cover. Very good material, like the Dupont Tyvek thing.
4. The normal mats/perfume kit from dealer.
5. Extended warranty for the 3rd year.

That's all for now. Tomorrow I leave for a 2000 km road trip. Keep reading!
Hi Aniket,

I was wondering whether you are the same person after seeing your pics, 7 years is a long time!.

i20 elite owner here as well Keep revving.

Shailesh
GIM08
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Old 5th January 2015, 11:08   #13
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Congrats Predatorwheelz. Happy Miles ahead. Drive safe.

When I saw the elite on road for the first time, I thought Wow!!! what a car.

By the way, how is the quality of plastics used on the C pillar. Does it tend to discolor over time due to excess sun light and stuffs like that?
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Old 5th January 2015, 11:59   #14
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Congratulations for your purchase. The new Elite i20 is one of the best cars in its segment. If I had to buy a B-Segment hatchback, it'd definitely be an Elite i20. Have already recommended this car over the Xcent to a few people I know. This car exudes quality inside-out and looks very attractive on the road. These days I have been spotting a lot of these on the streets and with those 16" wheels and its wide stance, this car looks like a stunner.

A few things which I wished that the Elite i20 had was a sunroof, rear disc brakes and an optional automatic. That plus the super smooth, silent, punchy yet frugal diesel motor would make it, the perfect hatchback. Period!

I sooo agree with you regarding the annoying plethora of buttons and the auto-door locking/unlocking feature. In my Ritz, I used to happily switch off the car on signals and save fuel whereas in my Grand i10 (just like the Elite i20), each time I switch off the car, the doors unlock and the lights go on and the music goes off. It is so ANNOYING! I wonder if the service centre can disable this feature.

How do you find the armrest position? I love the Verna's armrest but I found the one on the Elite i20 to be positioned far too behind. So for a short driver, it is pretty much useless and even when I was driving (I'm 5.10) I did not find myself using it much. Maybe resting my elbow there but it isn't the best position according to me.

Last edited by S2!!! : 5th January 2015 at 12:01.
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Old 5th January 2015, 13:52   #15
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Re: Argento - Hyundai Elite i20 CRDI Asta

Congratulations ! Very good looking car. I personally love it. Yet to drive one though. Maybe Harry will oblige someday

"2. Autocop Trackpro TP2000 (GPS tracker)" - How much does this cost? And where did you buy it?
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