Comprehensive mid-term ownership report of i20.
It is more than a year since we bought our first car after a lot of research and a good time to review the ride so far.
Lady in Red
I really regret not going for the CRDi/1.4 AT engine now. It was too much power for a newbie to handle then but sorely missed now.
Specs:
Engine displacement – 1197 cc (1.2 L)
Ground clearance – 165 mm (feels a lot less though)
Fuel tank capacity – 45 L.
Max Power – 80@4500 rpm.
Torque – 11.4 Kgm/4000 rpm.
Brakes – 14″ disc (F) and 8 “ drum (R).
Tyre – 185/65 R14 (Apollo Accelere).
Wheel base – 2525 mm (wider than Verna and Honda City)
Length – 3940 mm
Boot capacity – 295 L.
Stock ICE – 4 speakers + 2 tweeters with built in AUX, steering mounted controls and USB with MID.
City driving:
90% of the driving is within Bangalore city limits in very congested roads and that is the i20′s forte. The engine is super silent and you will be hard pressed to tell that the ignition is on on most of the times. The steering is light and very responsive and the Asta trim’s electronic retractable ORVMs are an essential tool in avoiding brusing against unreasonable 2/4 wheelers trying to squeeze in. The engine has enough power to pull ahead in 3rd gear but 2nd gear range is very narrow. So pickup off the block is on the slower side. Ground clearance is yet another weak point and the perpendicular structures in the guise of humps do scrape the bottom when it is fully occupied. Mileage is decent with 13/14 KM/L with average usage of Air conditioning. Braking is excellent. Visibility is a bit of a problem due to thick A pillars and the low seating more suited to European and Western roads than India. This despite having rake and reach. Cooling is sufficient but the puny 1.2 L engine’s constraint shows up.
Highway ride:
On the highway, it is a completely different story. The acceleration is linear with absolutely no turbo lag and with the right shifting of gears, one can touch 120 KM/h at just 2500-3000 rpms but fooled into believing that you are at 80 KM/h! The engine is silent and the NV insulation levels are unmatched. There is very little outside noise that manages to get in. The volume controls on the steering are very convenient. Surprisingly, the Apollo Accelere tires have excellent grip and the ABS coupled with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and ESP (Electronic Stability Program) result in very predictive and short braking distance. The fuel economy is very good with light foot - 15-16 KM/L with A/C on. Without A/C, one can expect another KM to be added/L. The dead pedal is a boon on highways.
Straight line driving is good but Punto is the benchmark. I haven’t experienced the supposed lack of feedback from the steering at high speeds. The suspension’s limitations shows up in in-existent roads. Again Punto felt better during the TD. On average roads under normal conditions, suspension is sufficient. Stock horn is meek and have replaced it. Headlights are as per RTO recommended standards and hence don’t try to blind the guy coming in opposite direction! Thankfully, the dash rattling reported in some of the earlier deliveries is absent from mine.
Make no mistake the engine is not suited to climb up to Ooty through the Masinagudi route with an overloaded car. That is where I regreted not going for the 1.4 AT or the 1.4 CRDi. I am planning to try the route with a more typical load and see if the test is cleared.
The car feels very solidly built and with all the safety features like Air bags, ABS with EBD & ESP and its 5 star NCAP rating (6 air bag and traction control version), gives a new boost of confidence that takes driving on a highway to a new level.
Best effort – Bangalore – Sivakasi – 512 KMs – 6.5 hrs including 45 minute lunch break. After that drive felt like I could drive for another 1000 Kms without tiring!
Comfort and Interiors:
The vehicle is comfortable with good ergonomics. The quality of the interiors and the finish is excellent. Panel gaps are even, there is no ugly jutting out of parts and the stock fabric on the seat is of excellent quality. The rear seating position is slightly low giving the occupants a claustrophobic feeling and poor outside visibility. The seat belt is not height adjustable!!! Minimum lumbar support is provided and seats are height adjustable. The electronic mirror and ORVM controls are very convenient and functional.
The quality of parts and the finish gives a premium feel and definitely lot better than what we get in 10-15 Lakh priced cars in India!
Maintenance:
The car is niggle free but repairs are costly. It is electronic everything and that is a bit of a pain in Indian conditions. Once the door closure sensor got clogged and then a street vendor knocked off the ORVM mirror from the case. Scratches and dents too cost a bomb to repair.
However, the Hyundai service guys are excellent. The fact that insurance costs are very low is an indication on the build quality and durability.
Verdict:
Pro’s:
- Premium interiors.
- Responsive steering.
- Acceptable mileage (Honda’s IVTEC is the standard).
- Comfort.
- Loaded with awesome features.
- Stock ICE is more than sufficient in most cases.
- Excellent Braking.
- Safety features.
- Build quality.
- Looks.
- Priced well compared to Jazz and Fabia. Can’t comment on Polo though.
- Dead pedal.
- Outstanding after sales servicing.
- Outstanding NV and good Handing.
- Good MID including intuitive controls and useful information.
Con’s:
- 2nd gear range.
- visibility
- Poor suspension
- rear seat glass house.
- Boot space
- Electronics for even simple functions.
- Low ground clearance.
- Air conditioning takes time to cool interiors due to puny engine – substandard for Indian conditions.
Good car for a first time owner and driver. We have traveled quite a bit and the photo album is filling up fast! We are highly impressed with Hyundai as a whole and plan to buy an i35 if it is priced properly. All foreign automakers – more so Skoda, Honda and Toyota, take Indian car owners for granted and continue with their ridiculous pricing strategy. If Hyundai and VW continue to produce more vehicles like i10, i20 and Polo & Vento, they have a good chance of busting the premium segment market leaders.
