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      Hyundai Elite i20 Review

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Opening

      Hyundai Elite i20 Review: The Elite One

      The only company who dared to challenge the dominance of India’s largest car manufacturer has to be Hyundai. They made an entry with the Santro and till date it’s sold in decent numbers to be still in production.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 28

      The trend of premium hatchbacks which started with the Swift also saw Hyundai’s participation with the i20. It was a hatch that offered more space more features and better performance.

      Now that i20 has carved its own space, Hyundai has launched its next generation version to make sure it competes with all in the best way possible. Ravishing looks, tweaked interiors and improved riding dynamics, the Elite i20 seems fully ready to take all head on. Our first impression report is here.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 27 

      Appearance Exterior

      They have always pioneered new innovations in design. With their Fluidic Design philosophy, the gap between regular cars and premium offerings has reduced. Designed at Hyundai Motor’s Design Centre Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new Elite i20 is based on the second chapter of their iconic Fluidic Sculpture. The new design has got many characteristic features.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 22

      Now that we know it has been designed in Germany, the aggressive stance suddenly starts making sense. Moving on from bubble shaped headlamps, the Elite i20 gets wrap around headlamps and their positioning gives a wider stance. It gets a sketch line on top giving an impression of DRLs as seen on the flagship Santa Fe. There is a slim profile between the bonnet lip and the front bumper.

      On the front profile, there is a straight cut hexagonal grille with a chrome surround. It does not gel with the overall fluidic character but it does not look a misfit in the front facia. It gets chunky large fog lamps neatly tucked beside the hexagonal radiator grille. The lower section of the front bumper has a chiselled edge.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 19

      Move to the side and you notice a segment first 16 inch diamond cut alloys. These alloys look really impressive as they occupy the wheel arch sufficiently. Door handles are finished in chrome. It gets a linear shoulder line which flows from the headlights to the tail lamps. This also accentuates the length of the car.

      The most interesting part on the side profile is the blackened C-Pillar which gives it a floating roof look. External mirrors have LED turn indicators for better visibility and are auto retractable. It has the longest wheelbase compared in its segment. At 2570mm, it is greater compared to that of Maruti Suzuki Swift, Volkswagen Polo and Nissan Micra. It is also longer and wider than these cars.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 15

      The front and side look impressive but one can’t stop raving about the gorgeously sleep tail lamps. It is very similar to the ones shown in the concept. These have to the best looking rear lights compared to any other hatch in India. Its three part design with a slender wing profile flowing on the rear makes it look amazing. At night, it almost looks like LEDs until one takes a closer look. The rear also gets a wider rear windshield. Rear bumpers have been revised with a two tone design. It now sports petite reflectors.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 13

       

      Appearance Interior

      The interiors of the i20 have been revamped too to make it feel more premium and plush than the previous generation. The increase in dimensions especially by elongating the wheelbase has also increased the roominess inside the cabin.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Images 29

      It has a new instrumental panel with better scaling and a brighter blue and white display. The tilt and telescopic steering wheel gets multiple controls to control audio and Bluetooth functions. It also helps operate the information display on the central console. We just wished the display showed distance to empty and average fuel consumption in addition to the other information displayed.

      The front dashboard reminded me particularly of the Grandi10 because of the similar overall design and general layout of different buttons and knobs. New AC vents design for the extreme sides while the one on central console gets a minor update. The small display screen mounted on the console feels too basic for a modern car like this. It fits in the space suitably but is not very high on options.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Images 27

      Indians needs features in everything they buy and Hyundai knows how to pamper such customers. There is a 2 DIN Audio with 1GB on board memory which also happens to be a segment first. Giving an onboard memory is an impressive feature especially if you are like me who loves hearing music on the move. It offers AUX and USB ports. The 8 speaker music system sadly doesn’t score much when it comes to music output. The speakers lack the finesse of a high end music system.

      Shooting in Jodhpur is scenic and troublesome at the same time. Beautiful deserts and amazing roads benefit us with exotic locations but then extreme temperatures become unbearable at times. Thus, immediately after getting exteriors shots we sheltered inside the elite cabin as it gets a fully automatic climate control with cluster ionizer which cools the cabin instantly. Thankfully, the rear passengers don’t have to wait for the front section to cool down as they get rear AC vents. The cluster ionizer makes sure the cabin is odourless.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Images 46

      It feels spacious in the front section. Since the steering wheel has both tilt and telescopic adjustments, it creates generous knee room for the driver. Only the driver seat is height adjustable while the front passenger seat can be arranged horizontally. Dual tone beige and black seats are finished in good quality fabric. Front seats offer lumbar support in addition to the under thigh support. Rear passenger seats offer decent levels of support. They score higher in terms of offering knee room for the rear passengers.

      Smart storage options like the storage area under the central armrest is of great help. There are twin cup holder on the central area and a console tray to keep mobile phones, IPods and other small utility items. It gets a glove box with an inbuilt cooler. All the doors have beverage holder pockets. There is a map pocket behind the front passenger seat only and not behind that of the driver’s seat for reasons unknown. The luggage area can take bags and other items worth 285 litres.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Images 42 

      Performance Drive

      The i20 was always a well accepted product for its design and interiors but the only area where it faced criticism was in ride and handling. Hyundai took this feedback seriously the same in the new version to make it feel more engaging.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 24

      We chose the diesel Asta version over the petrol for our first impression report. The 1.4L U2 CRDi engine has been tweaked to improve power and torque delivery and bring down the vibrations. This 1396cc diesel engine produces 90Hp of power and 22.4kgm of torque between 1500 to 2750rpm. The torque delivery in this vast gap ensures a strong and meaty band for a longer time.

      Once the engine crosses the 2200rpm mark, the torque kicks in effectively without any lag. At lower engine speeds, the diesel feels quicker and swifter than before. The lazy response and the drab feel of the engine have completely vanished.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Images 43

      It feels responsive at low engine speeds and the torque delivery remains at its best till the time it exits the mid range gap. The advantage of this can be felt in city traffic as well as on the highways especially during overtaking where there are occasions of sudden need of power. The diesel gets a 6 speed manual transmission whereas the petrol has to make do with a 5 speed manual transmission.

      The six speed manual transmission also feels smoother than before. It shifts without any effort and even on shifting abruptly; the transmission box exudes enough confidence to maintain the high momentum. In fact, the impressive torque nature of the diesel engine also cuts down on the need to shift often at lower speeds.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 6

      Ride quality has improved as the vehicle feels more planted on the road than before. The steering bit still needs improvement as at higher speeds, the accuracy of the steering wheel drops a bit. It feels vague but this happens only at higher speeds. At lower speeds while manoeuvring the car in city traffic, the steering weighs in a balanced manner.

      Handling potential has gone up. Normally, with increase in dimensions the handling of a vehicle takes severe beating but not in the new i20 as the weight distribution has been improved drastically. Around the corners, the 195/55 R16 tyres held on to the tarmac with great ease. These tyres come as a standard fitment only in Sportz (O) and Asta while the other variants namely Era, Magna and Sportz get 185/70 R14 tyres.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 29

       

      Tech Specs

      Technical Specifications
       Make Hyundai
       Model Elite i20
      Variant 1.4L U2 CRDi 6-Speed Manual Asta
      Price Rs. 804,052
      Fuel Disel
      Engine Capacity 1396
      Power in PS / RPM 90 / 4,000
      Torque in kg-m / RPM 22.4 / 1,500 - 2,750
      Gears 6 Speed Manual
      Length mm 3985
      Width mm 1734
      Height mm 1505
      Wheel base mm 2570
      Fuel tank capacity L 45
      Tyre Spec 195/55 R16

      Features

      Features Era Magna Sportz Sportz (O) Asta
      Engine Immobilizer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Anti-lock braking system (ABS) No No Yes Yes Yes
      Headlamp Escort Function No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Turn Indicators on Outside Mirrors No No Yes Yes Yes
      Chrome Outside Door Handles No No No Yes Yes
      Dual tone rear bumper Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Waistline moulding  (Black) No No Yes Yes Yes
      Full Wheel Covers Yes Yes Yes No No
      2-Tone Beige & Black Interior Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Front & Rear Door Map Pockets Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Front Passenger Seat Back Pocket Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Rear Parcel Tray No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Blue interior illumination Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Dual tripmeter Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Tachometer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Digital Clock Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      2-DIN Integrated Radio+MP3 Player No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      CD player on audio No No Yes Yes Yes
      1GB internal memory No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Tweeters No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Front & Rear Speakers No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Aux & USB Ports No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Bluetooth Connectivity No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Rear AC vents No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Theater dimming central room lamp Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Front map lamp No Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Intermittent variable front wiper Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
      Lane change indicator Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

      Competition All Specs

      Specifications
      Hyundai
      Elite i20
      Maruti Suzuki
      Swift
      Nissan
      Micra
      Variant Asta 1.4 CRDI ZDi XV P Diesel
      Price (Ex Showroom Delhi) Rs. 766,900 Rs. 670,874 Rs. 703,763
      Fuel Diesel Diesel Diesel
      Engine Capacity 1396 1248 1461
      Power in PS/RPM 90 / 4000 74 / 4000 65 / 4000
      Torque in Nm/RPM 220 / 1500 190 / 2000 160 / 2000
      Gears 6 MT 5 MT 5 MT
      Length mm 3985 3850 3825
      Width mm 1734 1695 1665
      Height mm 1505 1530 1525
      Wheel base mm 2570 2430 2450
      Ground Clearence 170 170 150
      Fuel tank capacity L 45 42 41
      Kerb Weight (Kgs) - 1080 978
      Tyre Spec  195 / 55 R16 185 / 65 R15 175 / 60 R15
      Mileage (kmpl) 22.54 22.9 23.08

      Conclusion

      The highlights of the design are large flowing headlamps, profile lines on the hood, diamond cut 16” alloys, blackened C-Pillar design and edgy rear tail lamps. The Fluidic 2.0 Design might not click for some at the very first look but then it is one of those designs which grows on you with time. With its modern and futuristic design, the Elite i20 leaves a positive impact.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 17

      In terms of features, Hyundai has loaded the i20 sufficiently. It features a segment first Smart Pedal where the sensors override braking once it senses abrupt pressing of the accelerator and brake pedals. Excluding base variants Era and Magna, other variants get ABS and airbags. With increasing focus on safety, it would have been nice for them to feature airbags on the lower variant as well.

      Factors that make the Elite i20 work? Compared to its primary competition, the Swift, the Elite i20 feels far more a superior product in terms on overall design and packaging. Looking beyond the Maruti Suzuki tag, the Swift does not stand at par with the Elite i20. Its other rival, the Volkswagen Polo is an impressive product but then it loses in terms of daily running, maintenance costs and effeciency where Hyundai scores heavily. Thus, the Elite i20 will attract consumers from both ends of the bracket.

      Hyundai Elite i20 Photos 1

       

      Hyundai | Elite i20 | Hyundai Elite i20 Elite i20 | Hyundai Elite i20