Hyundai i20 review car review

Looks

Audi’s former design chief now oversees Hyundai, and this Korean brand is making some seriously stylish cars including the i20. The bold grill, sweeping headlights with LED features and sharp lines down the side give the i20 a Germanic feeling and premium look. Sadly the interior doesn’t have the same style, although it’s functional and built to withstand the rigours of family driving. It looks dated and lacks the touchscreen or smartphonefriendly interface of rivals although some drivers may like its traditional approach.



Practicality

This is a big supermini – still small enough to be manageable to drive, but with lots of space for the family on board and a really usable boot. Hyundai has thought hard about how you’d use a supermini, so there are handy USB sockets to play music through and the boot has a false floor that can sit at different levels. It helps when the rear seats are folded to make the extended space long and flat.

Driving

The new i20 is comfortable and refined – riding over bumps nicely, but without being too soft and floaty, although we found the steering too light and would have like more feel for the car. But it’s quiet on the motorway, where it feels like a larger, more expensive car.



Safety

There are six airbags on board and ISOFIX mountings for child seats, while the car is clever enough to flash the rear lights if the car does an emergency stop. However, some of the latest safety technology of its rivals isn’t yet available on the i20.

Running Costs

While most of the i20 is new, the engines aren’t, which means the petrol engines are less efficient than its rivals. There is a frugal diesel engine which Hyndai claims will give up to 69 mpg, but you have to consider its higher price against the savings you’ll make on fuel. Hyundais come with an unlimited mileage warranty that lasts for five years.



GH Verdict

The i20 is a stylish, high quality and spacious supermini, but it’s let down by its lack of more efficient engines.