Hyundai Elite i20 Review & Pictures: Fashionably Elite

Hyundai Elite i20 Review Synopsis: Hyundai Elite i20 price tag is between Rs.4.89 7.66 Lakh (Ex.showroom, Delhi). It launched in India on 11th August 2014.

If theres a car that easily qualifies for being among the major cash cows for Hyundai Motor India, then unquestionably its the i20. Straight from the time when it debuted in 2008 with uber-cool tagline, Hyundai has consistently marketed this car as a premium product over more established rivals vis--vis Maruti Suzuki Swift. As luck would have it, this premiumness

reflected just equally in the price tag too. Back then, it was a serious gamble in a segment which

was still in budding phase. But terrific response proved that the Koreans put their money where

their mouth is. Hyundai ultimately had found the right mix which was capable to make up for the

loss incurred by the Getz. The i20 managed to remain a decent performer for long run without

demanding a major overhaul.

The next generation model arrives bang on time when outgoing i20 was almost on verge of

losing its charm in plethora of fresh options available. Labeled as i20 Elite, the car has been

extensively reworked at Hyundai Design Center in Rsselsheim (Germany) where the entire

concept of i20 first originated. Standing true to its name, i20 bears unmistakably elite elements in

form of European-influenced design that Hyundai classifies as Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 philosophy.

Of late, Hyundais new cars have observed a perceptible trend of toned-down fluidic styling and new i20 is no exception.

The intention behind Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design is to develop an automotive styling which is

inspired by and coexisting with nature. In an attempt to keep the looks up market, Hyundai has

also adopted front European hexagonal grille design from high-end models like next generation

Sonata LF and Genesis. However, whats prominently skipped are daylight running lamps which serve as a fashion statement for Indians more than anything else. Until now, Hyundais Chennai Plant was the global base for production of i20, however, now since i20 will also be

manufactured in Europe, the company did not consider it important to exclusively offer DRLs

for the Indian market.

From outside, Elite i20 looks a size bigger than it is. As a matter of fact, its length has been

chopped off by 10 mm which was formerly 3995 mm although the wheelbase is extended by

generous 45 mm allowing relatively more room on the inside. This also makes it a car with

maximum wheelbase in segment. Likewise, ground clearance also observes a slight rise from

165 mm to 170 mm, so does the width by 24 mm. Height, on the other hand, remains same at

1505 mm. Elite i20 never fails to please the eyes regardless of whichever angle its viewed. Let's

admit, this car has dramatically evolved from a discreet family-mover to one of the sportiest

looking hatches.

For once, the long hood complemented by sweptback headlamps offers an impression in ORVM

as if the car behind is a sedan. Its only until the Elite i20 zoom pasts away when a first time spectator would realize that its simply a full-grown hatchback. Theres apparently no compromise on exterior design and Hyundai has also thrown conspicuous 16 alloys on top-variants that give side view a fuller stance (lower variants receive 14 inchers though). These set

of diamond cut alloys exclude striking dual-tone shade present on that of Grand i10. Thick black

C-Pillars are another element that further visually enhances its sporty characteristics. The rear

design is a massive redesign over the i-Gen i20, thanks to horizontal tail lamp cluster, i20 now

looks so much more intimidating.

Hyundai Elite i20: Interiors and Comfort

The USP of Hyundai cars in their respective segment has always been the amount of features

they come equipped with. The launch of first generation i20 had set entirely new standards in

India and this model carries the torch but thats with a pinch of salt. While there are certain noteworthy inclusions such as automatic headlamps, smart pedal (allows brakes to override

accelerator input in emergency braking), rear air-con vents etc., at the same time Hyundai has

also silently performed cost-cutting by discontinuing Asta (O) trim, offering only two airbags in

place of six. Additionally, features like rain sensing wipers, speed sensing door lock, rear disc

brakes etc have also been disappointingly done away with.

Nonetheless, i20s interiors continue to be welcoming as always. They have received a full overhaul too and the revised new dashboard and a spacious cabin greets the moment you step

inside. Front seats are sufficiently large and provide an ample of under thigh support. Drivers seat can also be height-adjusted but I really didnt have to fiddle much around since driving position is just perfect. If required, steering can be adjusted for reach and rake. Front armrest is a

surprisingly pleasant addition. It is broad enough, meaning there will be no arm-wars between the front occupants and it can open up to serve as another utility compartment to gulp a regular

600ml water bottle. Overall there are ample of practical cubbyholes here and there throughout

the front cabin.

The now-minimalistic dashboard echoes an ambience of an upmarket car in terms of both, the

design as well as quality. Albeit not exactly comparable to Europeans but the smooth-to-touch

plastic feels significantly superior. The dashboard fascia is layered with beige shade that

sometimes becomes problematic when reflects on the windshield under direct sunlight, yet it

greatly helps in enhancing the interior design appeal. Built-in head unit sounds incredibly well

and doesnt have a lot of buttons to perplex a first time user. It is CD, USB, Aux-in, Bluetooth compatible and capable of storing audio upto 1GB in the default internal memory, similar to

Grand i10.

Gladly, Elite i20s air conditioner lived upto our expectations once we got back inside after shooting continuously for hours in 40 degree Celsius temperature of Jodhpur. The automatic

climate control assists in swift cooling of the cabin until desired temperature and maintains it

forever. In fact, the rear air conditioner vents serve well and are practically almost as much

usable as those equipped in front. Note that rear vents dont have a separate compressor. The rear bench is most comfortable when it seats two. Not that the third person couldnt be accommodated. But by nature, the seat is contoured such that its best for two occupants. Furthermore, rear air conditioner unit occupies a fair amount of mid-passenger legroom too.

What, however, turns out to be in favor is the nearly flat transmission tunnel. Under normal

situations, 285 liters of boot space will more than suffice but to accommodate the luggage of

virtually any shape, rear seats provide handy 60:40 split functionality. All said and done, the

amount of features, space and flexibility on offer undisputedly makes the Elite i20 one of the

most practical hatchbacks on sale in India right now.

Hyundai Elite i20: Performance and Fuel Efficiency

Hyundai has passed on the same set of engine options on the Elite i20 as earlier. Petrol Kappa

1.2L Dual VTVT motor generates 83 PS @ 6000 RPM and a torque of 114 Nm @ 4000 RPM

similar to Maruti Suzuki Swift. On the other hand, the 1.4L U2 Diesel engine churns out

considerably higher figures on paper than the Swift with 90 PS @ 4000 RPM and 219 Nm torque

@ 1500 2750 RPM. The Petrol is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission while Diesel receives a 6 speed manual. Automatic variants have been phased out for the time being but

Hyundai intends to reintroduce them soon. There are no major tweaks on either of the engines

apart from slight re-tuning of Petrol motor to help it perform relatively better in the low-range.

That said, theres absolutely no denying that both the engines are very refined for their standards.

We picked Petrol first. This silky-smooth motor comes alive on a gentle tap of the start-stop

button, which is somewhat out of sight as its situated right behind the steering and wiper stalk on left. High amount of attention to detail will make the first-impression for anyone far more

impressive. The instrument cluster gracefully illuminates. MID first welcomes with Hyundai

logo and then suggests depressing the clutch in order to switch on the vehicle. The seatbelt

reminder (only for driver seat) sounds straight away before moving if the driver doesnt buckles up. Its small yet practical features like these which make a car feel more intuitive, complete and

also newbie proof. Youll immediately sense two things within the first few seconds itself of driving Petrol model. First, extremely well-suppressed NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) levels

and second, the slick-shift gear lever that literally operates like a hot knife slicing through the

butter. Similarly the clutch pedal too is soft and comfortable to operate in slow-moving traffic.

However, whats bothersome is that one constantly needs to accelerate and keep the car in mid range to allow smooth going. Elite i20 picks up the pace and continues building the momentum

once it arrives at normal driving speeds. Not that its any rocket but the Kappa prefers to be revved and willingly does over three digit mark without losing its stability. Switching to Diesel

after thoroughly driving the Petrol motor was almost a wicked experience. This 1.4L motor

packs the desired punch which was missing in the Petrol. The turbo lag has been nicely disguised

under 1800 RPM and the car delivers enough consistent amount of power from early on. Save

for the slight clatter, NVH levels are remarkably concealed inside the cabin for a Diesel car. You

bet, ask a co-passenger next time and they cannot distinguish without checking out that badge.

Obviously, engine becomes nosier and growls at higher RPMs but one will seldom need to tap

upto that point.

An extra gear on Diesel makes it the choice for long hauls and a fuel efficient one at that. It does

80 Kmph @ 1500 RPM in sixth gear while 100 Kmph is achieved at a relaxed 2000 RPM.

Gearshifts are, to some extent, rougher than the one on Petrol. Moreover, the clutch is slightly

stiffer in this model yet convenient enough for bumper to bumper traffic commute. Koreans are

also working hard to stamp out the image of vague steering wheel thats attached to them for long and Elite i20 has an improvement thats noticeable. However, the steering is still no where as fun as some of the competitors. I admit, i20 is not expected to be an enthusiasts car, but the sense of lifelessness in the steering, making it feel detached to front wheels when positioned at

center, does no good even when driving sedately.

The McPherson suspension setup is well-sorted and travels comfortably over potholes but drive

any faster over a large bump and its bound to create a loud thump on the inside. Keeping steering issue aside, handling nevertheless feels acceptable for emergency maneuvers but theres a fair amount of body roll. I found the braking confidence inspiring (Especially after

experiencing that of Grand i10). Unfortunately, the company has now got rid of the rear disc

brakes which were not only segment first but also reflected a manufacturers concern towards safety in India. Ironically, six air bags are also not available anymore. Hyundai Elite i20 includes

driver and passenger airbags, ABS, clutch lock, seatbelt pre-tensioners etc only from Sportz

variant onward in terms of safety features.

While we didnt get a chance to check out real-time fuel efficiency but if ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) figures are to be believed, Hyundai Elite i20 claims to be almost

as promising as its chief rival, Swift. Petrol version delivers 18.6 Kmpl where as the Diesel is

said to return 22.54 Kmpl. If not the same, one can easily expect to extract pocket-friendly

numbers if driven in the right manner. It has happened for the first time ever in the history of

Hyundai Motor India that a car has fetched over 12,000+ bookings within 15 days of launch!

And why not. Elite i20 after all does not only passes but also qualifies with distinction in every

aspect which a traditional Indian car buyer considers. Like always, Hyundai India has again

found a product to keep its dealers awfully busy this festive season.

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