[Bigzero]

Well, this is not going to be a detailed, structured review or initial ownership report - I will keep it as a collection of thoughts & observations about owning an i20 CRDi. Hope this helps!

• I Purchased this car in the last week of April, and since then have run around 4000+ km till date.
• First Service done at around 1500 Km. No issues to report during first service, so it was a smooth affair.
• The car is an i20 CRDi Magna with ABS, Silver Colour. Somehow I tend to lean towards Silver, this is my second silver coloured car! I think the ease of maintaining and its overall muted looks helped.

I tried to hold back during the break-in period, and was more or less successful in doing that, except for one or two occasions where i pushed her a bit.

Now the observations ( a lot of these could be overlaps with the i20 CRDi threads already in existence, and I am also avoiding some of the well known details here. Basically I am listing some top-of-the mind observations thats all ), in no particular order:

• I liked the feel of the car once I was in the drivers seat. For me, this was very important - I pay a lot of attention to my heart while selecting a car. The dash was good overall, the integrated music system was easy to operate, and the dials were easy to read as well.
• The engine has some clatter durinng cold starts, but once the temperature picks up, it goes down considerably. Overall, good noise deadening, fairly silent cabin.
• The gearshift is ok, not so great, but tad better than my Santro.
• The clutch and accelerator pedals are quite soft and easy on the foot.
• The car is quite wide, in fact wider than the Verna, and I guess rear seat width in this class is second only to the Indica vista. That means there is generous amount of shoulder space.
• I havent traveled in the rear seat, my wife did, and she gave an average rating. While the shoulder space is quite good, legroom is average, and the angle is a little upright. Add that to the slightly stiff ride for the diesel, she prefers the front passenger seat.
• The kids however are enjoying the rear seat as all three of them can sit comfortably and still have room for more.
• The boot space is good , in fact we got to test the boot space on a recent long drive ( while returning from Kerala with family)- two big bags, one small bag, one bag of coconuts(!), bananas, some 2-3 other smaller bags etc. Big improvement from my Santro.

As you have already seen from the point above, i did take her to Kerala and back - primarily to bring my family back after the vacation. So I did a solo run Hyd - Calicut, and did a full load run from Calicut to Hyderabad.

• I did the Hyd-Calicut trip at one stretch - started at 3 am, and reached at 7.30 pm, with decent breaks in between. It speaks volumes about the fatigue-free nature of driving this car. I could maintain good speeds, and have come to realize that this car is meant for the highway. She really comes alive on the highway. 100kph in 5th gear has the engine at around 2000 rpm, which is just about the beginning of the max torque range ( and of course the turbo sweet spot ). This means that I have a lot of extra power left to accelerate/overtake as required.
• The return trip as I mentioned was in full load, and that didnt seem to affect the car at all.
• Very stable at high speeds. A lot has been discussed about the light steerting, but while I agree that the steering is light, I didnt find any issues at high speeds. In fact I found it to have the right amount of steadiness. Maybe the first batch had really light steerings, or maybe the petrols, I dont know. For me this was quite ok.
• On handling. I am not a racer, so my opinion may not amount to much, but I found no issues with handling. In fact I found the car to be quite nimble and in control while doing some of those unavoidable slalom manouevers at high speeds.

I guess over a period of a few days and some long distance + city driving, one comes to a higher level of understanding about what the car can do and what it cant, and adjust ones driving accordingly. I for one have become quite conscious of the cars sweet spots and weak spots and have tuned my driving accordingly.

• To start with, there is a fair bit of turbolag and this can become an issue if you are used to keeping the car at higher gears and lower rpms while driving around in the City. I have realized that its perfectly possible to keep getting good response from the car if you stay at lower gears a little longer in the City. This could negatively impact fuel economy in the city, but I am ok with that.
• Overtaking ability is terrific, if you know how to keep the engine at the right rpm ( around 2k) and accelerate from there.
• My office is around 25 km away and its a mix of city + highway run, and thats a boon as I am able to explore the behaviour of the car in both environments.
• I am getting a mixed mileage of around 18 kpl which I guess is ok. While in Kerala, on one particular fill ( from a trusted, good pump ( going by folks who fill from there regularly ) ), I got 23 kpl which included most of driving at around 70-90 kph. with AC.
• Interestingly i got only around 18kpl on some of the long distance runs as I was maintaining speeds of around 120+. I need to get some more data to understand its sweet spots as far as FE is concerned.
• The braking is quite good, and completely in control even from high speeds. Had to do near sudden braking once or twice in the highway, and the car responded very very well.
• Good storage spaces, though I would have liked a bottle holder in the door as well.

Now, there are some things I dont like about the car.

• I have to be extra careful on those humps, as I have bottomed out my front suspension a few times already. I am sure my Santro would have had no issues at the speeds I was going over the humps, but this car needs a bit more care.
• I guess Hyundai has kept the suspension a bit stiff for the diesel to improve the handling, which means that the ride over bad roads is not all that good. A bit Ford-like I guess?
• Rear visibility is a bit iffy, especially while reversing. The rear glass is a bit high , which means that you dont get a good view.
• The A Pillar can be a challenge while taking curves, and when some idiot jumps in from a side lane.
• The wiper's intermittent mode interval is too long, and the next option is too fast. I miss an in-between mode, as most rains in Hyderabad will fit in there.
• no DTE, no avg fuel consumption. Cut a few corners, Hyundai?

Hope these observations help prospective buyers. Overall I am very very happy with the car though I know its one of the more expensive options around. But the joy of driving the car especially in highways counters that very nicely.

And I forgot to add - my 70+K Santro has given be excellent trouble free service for the past seven years, and the Service support from Hyundai has been quite nice too. That also played a role in my choice.

I will jot in a few more if I recollect any. I havent taken any photos yet, will post later in the thread.

[extreme_torque]

Very nice and honest review my friend! The fuel average you are getting is really good.
Is your i20 BS III or BS IV? And how effective do you find the A/C to be? This is the single biggest reason that is keeping me away from keeping the i20 in my "would buy" list.

[Bigzero]

Ah, I missed mentioning about the AC!! I knew I had missed something. Thanks for reminding, extreme torque.

Well, I chose the Magna version and it didnt have the Automatic Climate Control. Which helped a bit, I guess. I understand most of the AC issues are for the ones with FATC.

For the manual AC I have, its been quite ok. You should understand that I have used the car through the peak of Hyderabad Summer, where ambient temp went upto 44-45 degrees.

Well, it used to take some time to cool the cabin especially when the car was parked in the sun, but once cool, it was quite ok.

Overall I am ok with the AC, though I wont call it outstanding. I havent got any bad feedback from the rearseat folks as well.

On hot days, I usually keep the AC in recirc mode for most of the time, and keep the blower on 2. That seemed to be quite effective.

Hope this helps!

Oh and btw mine is a BSIII car. I guess in the BSIV versions, Magna doesnt have ABS. correct me If am wrong here..

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Bigzero

[*]I guess Hyundai has kept the suspension a bit stiff for the diesel to improve the handling, which means that the ride over bad roads is not all that good. A bit Ford-like I guess?

To which Ford are you comaring it to? The Figo?

Well, during the elimination rounds while plonking for the Figo, we felt that the 120 ride is slightly inferior to the Figo. It was also deficient in rear leg room space.

[vc.vinay]

Very Nice review Big Zero,but please let us know about the Aircon's effectiveness.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,



To which Ford are you comaring it to? The Figo?

Well, during the elimination rounds while plonking for the Figo, we felt that the 120 ride is slightly inferior to the Figo. It was also deficient in rear leg room space.

Not specifically to Figo, but this has been my observation from some of the ford test drives I had done ( i have test driven fiesta, fusion and figo over the last two years ) I didnt mention it as a bad thing, its just the priority the manufacturer had in my opinion. And when I mentioned the ride its mostly the low-speed ride.

As for rear leg room , while its not great, I have realised that the lack of leg room is to some extent created by the excessive travel the front seat has. I keep the front seat at mid-way position and that gives decent legroom at the rear. Of course its a different matter if you pull it all the way back.

In any case, 90% of the time I have kids in the backseat, so they wont complain at least for another 5-6 years

[2cents]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

Well, this is not going to be a detailed, structured review or initial ownership report -....

• The car is an i20 CRDi Magna with ABS, Silver Colour

Is this the new version!? I thought the new Magna CRDi did not have the ABS and rear Disc brakes. Can you confirm.

Pls. add some pics too.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by vc.vinay

Very Nice review Big Zero,but please let us know about the Aircon's effectiveness.

Thanks! I have mentioned about AC effectiveness in post#3. Sorry for missing it out in the initial post.

Originally Posted by 2cents

Is this the new version!? I thought the new Magna CRDi did not have the ABS and rear Disc brakes. Can you confirm.

Pls. add some pics too.

Well BSIII models have Magna with ABS with rear discs. I picked this during the transition period - when the "all new i20" with BSIV models were announced, but both BSIII and BSIV models were available.
`

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Bigzero

And when I mentioned the ride its mostly the low-speed ride.

Me too!

Originally Posted by Bigzero

As for rear leg room , while its not great, I have realised that the lack of leg room is to some extent created by the excessive travel the front seat has.

Hmm. That is a point. That is exactly why I sit in the front seat, adjust it to the position that I would be using and then go and sit in the back. By this method, the Figo was better than i20.

[classicselva]

Good comments Bigzero.

I have booked the i20 Sportz CRDi and below are the information i have now
Comes in BSIV (Chennai)
CRDi version has disc in rear too.

Please post some pictures

[jkdas]

I am going to TD the i20 Asta soon ( 1.2). I was interested in the 1.4 but they said they don't sell Magna with ABS !

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

Thanks! I have mentioned about AC effectiveness in post#3. Sorry for missing it out in the initial post.



Well BSIII models have Magna with ABS with rear discs. I picked this during the transition period - when the "all new i20" with BSIV models were announced, but both BSIII and BSIV models were available.
`

Lucky you!

Originally Posted by classicselva

Good comments Bigzero.

I have booked the i20 Sportz CRDi and below are the information i have now
Comes in BSIV (Chennai)
CRDi version has disc in rear too.

Please post some pictures

Sportz CRDi gets ABS? Can you confirm? I was told not an hour ago!

Originally Posted by jkdas

I am going to TD the i20 Asta soon ( 1.2). I was interested in the 1.4 but they said they don't sell Magna with ABS !

Drove it. Will add info in an i20 petrol thread.

Asta 1.2 will cost 6.3Lac OTR at TRV.

[nkrishnap]

Congrats on the i20. Do post the pictures of the car. Heard the same thing about the AC from one of my friends who has a magna version.

Enjoy many more miles with the car.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Lucky you!

heh heh, thanks! Well I had decided that I will only take a model with ABS, and this worked well.

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

Congrats on the i20. Do post the pictures of the car. Heard the same thing about the AC from one of my friends who has a magna version.

Enjoy many more miles with the car.

Originally Posted by classicselva

Good comments Bigzero.

I have booked the i20 Sportz CRDi and below are the information i have now
Comes in BSIV (Chennai)
CRDi version has disc in rear too.

Please post some pictures

Thanks folks! Yeah I havent clicked any pictures yet, will do soon!

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

• The wiper's intermittent mode interval is too long, and the next option is too fast. I miss an in-between mode, as most rains in Hyderabad will fit in there.

Good read..

IIRC these is a adjustment for the frequency of intermittent mode. There is a ring type of thing on the wiper stalk, you rotate the ring to increase/decrease the frequency....

Also... get reversing sensors for the car, they make life a whole lot easier.