Can the 2020 Hyundai i20 take on the likes of the Ford Fiesta?
When it comes to making small cars you have to say that the boffins at Hyundai really know their stuff. Drive the Hyundai i10 and you can’t help but be impressed by it. Now Hyundai have set their sights firmly on the supermini class in the form of the 2020 i20. In this article we’re going to tell you all you need to know about it.
The third generation of the brand’s supermini will have its work cut out if it wants to challenge for class honours against the Ford Fiesta, the Volkswagen Polo and the very impressive Renault Clio. However, Hyundai claim it will put up a good fight thanks to strong equipment levels, class leading safety kit and mild hybrid powertrains.
It’s fair to say that the last i20 played it pretty safe when it came to design but it’s all changed with the 2020 model. You only have to look at the front end as testament to this. The lights are much sharper and longer than before while blending fully into the grille. There are also creases over the bonnet and the entire nose is lower too giving it a much sportier look. All in all it looks way more distinctive than before. The 2020 i20 rides on a heavily updated version of the car’s old platform and the sportier shape is helped by a lower and wider body than before. It’s all change at the rear too where the most noticeable change is the red strip that runs the full width of the car. There’s also a diffuser which is finished off in a gloss black at the bottom.
The interior is completely different than the i20’s predecessor. The change starts with a brand new 4-spoke steering wheel design and funky air vents that blend into the dash. The top spec models get a Mercedes A Class style brace of 10 inch digital displays, one for driving functions and the other for the infotainment system. Practicality has been improved on the last car too with increased rear leg room and a boot that has grown and impressive 25 litres to 351 litres in total.
Under the bonnet the i20 gets an all petrol line-up. While a lot of the engines have been carried over from the last model the big news this time around is that there’s a 48 volt mild hybrid unit available. The hybrid setup recovers energy when the car slows down and uses it under acceleration to take load off of the engine. In the UK we’re only going to be offered the 99 brake horse power (bhp) 1.0 litre engine whereas international car buyers will also get a 118 bhp version of the same unit. They’ll also get a 1.2 litre petrol with 83 bhp too. Even though the 1.2 litre unit isn’t a hybrid this also gets a few tweaks to make it more efficient than the version in the old car. The mild hybrids come with a choice of 7-speed duel-clutch automatic or 6-speed manual gearboxes. The manual gearbox is all-new and uses an electronic clutch which allows the gearbox to disconnect from the engine when coasting to save more fuel. The efficiency gains don’t stop there as the new i20 is roughly 4% lighter than the old car mainly thanks to a lighter fuel tank and front seats that each weigh three kilos less. When you combine all these measures plus the active grille flaps at the front of the car Hyundai engineers reckon that this car is 3% - 4% more efficient than the old one. Hyundai also claim that the i20 will lead the class when it comes to safety tech. For example, cruise control works with the sat-nav system to adjust changing speed limits and there’s a lane-keeping system that can steer the car for short periods.
So what do we make of the 2020 Hyundai i20? Well, it’s certainly a worthy supermini that majors on ease of use and the design is a lot more stylish too. There’s no doubt that Hyundai have designed this car to be a volume seller. Thanks is their strong reputation for reliability we think it will do very well. It’s a car that has the ability to take the fight to big players in the market such as the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and the Peugeot 208. Interested? Then take a look at the used Hyundai i20 cars for sale we have available right now on the DesperateSeller.co.uk website.
