Choice due to Lack of it !

After a 3 month long search and being shocked by the attitude of Maruti showrooms on swift desire, I finaly decided to shell out 5.7 Lacs for i 20 magna in Hyderabad( ex showroom:4.9L). I have been driving it for a month and 600 Km now. Considering the strange limitation on the number of words, let me try to keep this review short and straight.

Exterior  Looks : This is the strongest card in the "ubercool" image which Hyundai advertises for this car. It is really a head turner specialy in darker colors. LArge teardrop Head light assemby, front grille, neat rear taillights, side trims and the huge bonnet all help to make it one of the sexiest looking cars on the indian roads now( Swift is miles behind even though it is finaly a matter of personal taste).The Hyundai design team in Rosselheim ,Germany must be commended on this matrepiece of design.
Safety: Even though i 20 advertises "5 star" on safety ratings( as is stickered on the rear windshield of i 20), I doubt if the lower versions like Magna and Asta can boast of safety.On the other hand, the Asta (O) is the only car in this segment which sports 6 airbags and can therefore claim the 5 star. Apart from the airbags, i 20 body panels are made of thicker gauge galvannealed steel ( not the regular cold rolled variety used by its competitors) and hence may claim to be more corrosion resistant and impact proof. ABS should have been offered as a standard feature in all versions.

Powertrain : The tweaked i 10 1.2 L Kappa petrol engine produces 80 bhp in i 20 and for a car which is 150Kg heavier than i10, this may not be enough!Definitely u will need to change gears frequently in order to get the peppy "Swift" feeling. Not recommended for those who also have a "sporty" side to their driving personality. I am yet to test high speed overtaking performance(quite afraid to do so, actualy)

Interior Comfort :Seating comfort is definitely sedan class and 3 people can seat comfortabely in the rear.Due to the higher ground clearance, getting in and out is not a issue.The two tone interiors again give a classy feel to the hatch.AC vent in the glove box is a unique feature which may not be used frequently(unless u want to keep surprise chocolates for ur girlfriend in the glove box!)Boot space is 280L and again class leading. Guys who consider the swift desire only for boot space(400L) should see this car once.Here, i also have to admit the very accurate and easy electric power steering.My Swift owner friends were pleasantly surprised with the EPS. The suspension is not very good and the thud is heard and felt in the notorious Indian potholes and bumps. Otherwise, sound insulation in the cabin is excellent and your own horn seems to be low powered if all the windows are up!

Airconditioning and Audio: The AC definitely is designed for Europian climates and any MAruti car scores miles over the i 20 AC. At present with temperatures soaring over 40 degrees in HYd, I sweat in i20 even in the 3rd point on the AC blower. The Audio is realy good and the 4 speakers with 2 tweaters do a decent job. Good thing about i 20 is that even the base model(magna) comes factory fitted with a good audio as this. Auxilary i pod port is available in magna  while additional USB port is in Asta and above.
Milage : My car is yet to go for first service and it is too early to talk about milage. Just for ref: my first full tank( 43L) lasted 450 Km( hence about 10-11Kmpl with 100% AC in city)

Verdict: I am not a big Hyundai fan but I think they have got it right this time in adressing the gap of a global standard hatch in Indian market. Having said that, I also have to admit that the pricing is also Global with no discounts whatsoever. Would have been rightly priced if it was around 30-40K cheaper.

Looks, Interior, Audio, SafetyAirconditioning, Suspension, power, price