Road test: Hyundai on a new high with i20

SMALL cars are becoming ever more cosmopolitan. Take this one, Hyundai’s i20. A clean sheet of paper design that’s built in India, designed and engineered in Germany and brought to us by a Korean car company, it’s a clear sign of how the motor industry is changing.

This supermini sells at the budget end of the sector but, even so, offers a standard of quality unheard of until quite recently. Plus it’s as good as a Vauxhall, a Ford or a Peugeot, something else you’d have got long odds on a few years back. As its name suggests, the i20 slots neatly in between Hyundai’s i10 citycar and i30 family hatchback, both impressive if rather overlooked cars in their sectors. This one deserves to do better, an aspiration that will be boosted by the revised, more frugal and more smartly styled model on test here.

A safe bet for popular appeal

The driving experience is aided by nicely weighted steering, a lack of body roll and a compliant gearbox. The tyres could offer up a little more grip and the clutch is a bit light, but that’s about it on the debit side.

None of the engines on offer is especially fast but all will probably be adequate for their intended market. The 1.2-litre petrol unit now offers 85PS and the ability to launch the car to 60mph in 12.7s before proceeding to a 104mph top speed, just under a second quicker than the rather noisy 90PS 1.4-litre diesel. There’s also a 75PS 1.1-litre diesel unit if you’re frugally focused. The petrol 1.2 is the best selling i20 in the UK and justifiably so seeing as the larger 99PS 1.4 isn’t much faster to 60mph.

It’s worth pointing out that both petrol engines have above-average in-gear acceleration, the 50-70mph increment being dispatched a full four seconds quicker than a comparable Fiesta – good to know when you’re about to pull out from behind that swaying artic.

What we like most about this car’s driving dynamics, however, is the standard fitment across its range of the ESP stability control system. This uses brake and throttle inputs to automatically steady the car if you’re about to lose control, ensuring you should never get to see the six airbags (front, side and curtain) or use the car’s anti-whiplash head restraints.

Only when you’ve experienced the difference ESP can make between having and avoiding an accident will you share our conviction that car makers have no business in offering it as an extra cost option on most sub-£12,000 small cars. Hyundai have taken a lead here which should be rewarded.

Smart makeover, nice touches

Hyundai played it pretty safe with the looks of the original version of this car and it was clear something a little more avant garde would be required for the facelift. Hence an attractive exterior makeover with smarter wheel designs plus a hexagonal front grille in keeping with Hyundai’s fluidic sculpture design.

Further design changes to the front end include sleeker rounded front wings, while the reshaped bonnet and headlights continue the theme along with neat fog light clusters and daytime running lights. The i20 also gets a redesigned rear bumper and tail-lights.

There are minor changes inside too, with extra soft-touch plastics, a revised and classier centre console and updated seat trims. With a height-adjustable driver’s seat and a steering column that adjusts for both rake (up and down) and reach (in and out), the i20 should accommodate drivers of most shapes and sizes. While the 295-litre boot is the same size as a Fiesta’s, fold down the 60:40 split rear seats and a flat load floor can bear much bigger cargos.

And what about the extras?

Hyundai i20 prices lie mainly in the £10,000 to £13,500 bracket for the range of three and five-door hatchback models on offer, making this car more affordable than obvious rivals like Ford’s Fiesta, Vauxhall’s Corsa, Peugeot’s 208 or Renault’s Clio.

There are three main trim levels, beginning with Classic, moving up to Active and followed by Style. Starting with Classic, each model comes with a reasonably generous list of standard specification including remote central locking, six air bags, air conditioning, ESP and, for the first time on the i20, Vehicle Stability Management.

The Active trim gets 15-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth with voice recognition, electric/heated door mirrors, front fog lights, a leather steering wheel and gear knob and electric rear windows with the five-door bodystyle. At the top of the range, the Style model is equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, rain sensing front wipers, climate control, and an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Guaranteed to please

Hyundai’s exemplary five-year unlimited-mileage Triple Care warranty package will be a major draw and is one reason why this car should hold its value so well. Used car market and motor industry analysts CAP say an entry-level i20 will still be worth 47 per cent of what you paid for it after three years and 30,000 miles.

Nor do the engines let the side down when it comes to economy and emissions. The i20’s ‘Blue’ variant emits a mere 84g/km – making it the lowest-emitting diesel engine in the UK – and returns 88.3mpg on the combined cycle. A ‘Blue Drive’ version of the pokier 90PS 1.4-litre CRDi manages 96g/km.

For petrol people, the popular 1.2-litre petrol engine is now cleaner, more efficient and more powerful than before, managing 57.7mpg on the combined cycle and putting out a very competitive 114g/km of CO2.

Up there with Europe’s best

Though you can’t help wishing the designers had given the i20 an extra edge in driving dynamics, this much improved model has no serious drawbacks and is nicely built, brilliantly equipped and carefully priced. Put aside badge prejudice and it’s hard to escape the conclusion the Koreans really have achieved their objective to compete on equal terms with Europe’s best.

VITAL STATS

CAR Hyundai i20 range

PRICE £9,895-£13,895

PERFORMANCE Max speed 101-112mph; 0-62mph 11.6-16.0sec

FUEL CONSUMPTION (combined) 48.7-88.3mpg

CO2 EMISSIONS 84-140g/km