If a man opens the car door for his wife, either it's a new car or he's newly wed! - Prince Philip

Four wheels move the body. Two moves the soul. Hmm.... Quite the saying indeed. But then, if you'd only pause for a moment and think; certain things in life are best enjoyed with one which moves around with four wheels on it. A fun trip with your family and friends, watching your loved one fall asleep on a long ride, driving around in the middle of the night trying to put your little one to sleep, seeing your kids fight it out at the back, driving them to their school audition or a fancy dress competition, a trip to your hometown on the eve of festivities, driving around with your pet with its head out the window and especially the pride of owing your first car (particularly in India). These are just some of the things that the humble car fills our life with and more..... Got myself carried away there. Over to essential part..! THE NEED: It was the summer of 2018 and i turned a new page in my life. I got married. A bike was all that mattered till then. But as the days passed, the car made a strong case for itself and why it should be a part of my life. So, i began with the groundwork and drew myself a problem statement. what did i need actually - "A mid sized family car high on features and with uncompromising safety within a budget of 10 Lakh rupees". Being in a metro it made great sense to buy a small car but should the need arise it should also be suitable for long distance ferrying as my parents were living far off. THE CHOICES: Initially i didn't want to ignore any of the logos. The choices being, Baleno (Maruti Suzuki), Elite i20 (Hyundai), Punto (Fiat), Jazz (Honda), Figo (Ford) and the Swift (Maruti Suzuki). I went to all of the showrooms to find out the one which would be the best solution to my problem statement. More importantly, i took a test ride of them as well. THE DECISION: It was tough to zero in on one and it was a tight race between the Baleno, i20, Jazz and the Polo. But, back then it was only the i20 which had 6 airbags. It also had all the essential features and fit my bill. The choice was easy. It's no wonder that this car had sowed the seeds for India's premium hatchback segment. Looks (Exterior): It's definitely a looker with the 16 inch alloys it comes with (top end Asta (O) variant). The design is simplistic and not in your face. The cascading grill along with front elements like the daytime running DRLs, cornering lamps add flair to an otherwise simple design. The projector headlamps have decent illumination and will help you on the visibility front especially at the night. The rear of the vehicle has a grown up feel to it and looks mature. If only the tail lamps had been LEDs it would have increased the wow factor. The side profile of the vehicle is similar to that of the outgoing one and blacked out 'C' pillar provides a youthful look. Looks (Interior): The cabin gets a two tone (beige+black) treatment on all the variants except the dual tone ones. The fit, finish and quality levels are closer to its German rival the VW Polo. All panels are tightly screwed together and gives you confidence. The dash is easy on the eye and is neatly laid out. The seats are contoured to an extent and the seat base is decent enough. Features & Build: The infotainment system is quite decent but isn't quick enough to record your inputs (during navigation). It offers Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Connecting with the Bluetooth is an easy affair too. You'll be able to view your driving stats (limited ones) on the Hyundai AutoLink app upon linking. The Arkamys audio system does justice to your beloved MP3 tracks. The steering wheel and the gear knob come wrapped in good quality leather and has a nice feel to it. The usual steering controls are mounted here (going through lists, volume up/down). The steering wheel can be adjusted to suit one's preference. The car sadly misses out on cruise control. The odometer comes with a small MID (Multi Information Display) which provides useful information like distance to empty, your mileage etc. Towards the right of the steering wheel, on the dashboard are the illumination controls. Another useful feature which doesn't see the light of the day is the auto dimming IRVM. The older version had this. The glove box is cooled and is of a decent size. There's also a sun glass holder with soft lining material at the top near the IRVM. The reading lights are also positioned here. The front central arm rest contains a storage compartment and is a sliding one and it can be adjusted to suit your need. The front door pockets are quite large and can house a 1 litre bottle. The window mirrors operate electrically and fold as you lock the vehicle. Parking is made easier thanks to the reverse parking camera that comes with dynamic guidelines and warning sound. Rear wipers and de-fogger is a welcome addition. The rear seats are quite comfortable and have a good recline and under thigh support. Legroom might be a problem for 6 footers. The top end comes with adjustable headrests and there's also a pair of rear AC vents. Seating 5 might be tight squeeze but since the rear seats are usually reserved for the children it won't be a problem. Boot space isn't a strong area for the i20. It's quite small and has a loading lip as well. Beneath this, is the space saver spare wheel. The rear parcel shelf is made of plastic and is extremely light. The top end variant comes loaded with 6 air bags. Thereby offering best in class cabin safety. ABS and EBD come standard as well. Only the front wheels come with disc brakes and braking is one department where Hyundai could focus on. Not that it's bad, but it could be better. The vehicle is sturdily built and the sheet metal thickness is quite high compared to that of the Maruti's. The doors shut with a re-assutring thud. Once, a 2-wheeler rammed at 30 kmph perpendicularly onto the driver side of my vehicle and i didn't feel a thing. Performance: The 1.2 liter 3 cylinder engine on the i20 petrol isn't gonna win any races for you (note that the vehicle is 150-200 kgs heavier than Baleno. This brings down the power to weight ratio.). But as a city commuter and an occasional highway ride, it's more than what you need. There's no noticeable noise from the engine and it's quite refined. The sweet spot whilst riding on the highways is 80-90 kmph and the vehicle returns a respectable 17-18 kmph. The suggested rpm will be between 2000 to 3500. The vehicle is stable at speeds of 140 kmph too. City mileage is a pain area here; between 10-12 kmph is what i can muster here. But the gear ratios are perfect and the lever just slots in like a rifle. It has short throws and gives you loads of confidence. The steering is quite light in low speeds, out on the highway, as you gather speed it weighs up nicely. The vehicle's suspension is setup soaks in the bumps quite nicely. Ohh.. About the title. Anybody who has newly bought a car can understand this. No scratches on it please and handle it gently.