Hyundai i20 [2012-2014] User Reviews

I just returned from oversees (after a gap of 7 years) and had decided to replace my Santro which was more than 8 years old and had performed well.

After collecting various inputs from the dealers, reading thru reviews and opinion from friends I did some elimination before selecting i20.

Many people get confused easily between Petrol and Diesel. Unless you are driving more than 2500 KMs per month diesel car does not make economic sense as it is around 80K to 100K expensive, cost of maintenance is atleast 20% more and the intangible factor of driving comfort.

I then eliminated a sedan considering the city traffic and parking issues at home. Also I do not require a large boot (again a misconception among people to go for a large boot which they hardly use) and hence prefered for a hatch back, Since i was driving a santro I wanted to go for a premium hatch back. They were

Honda jazz - Eliminated since it is not a successfull model in India and also globally. The design is not stylish and lacks the appeal of a premium hatchback

VW Polo - Never buy the very first car introduced by any mfg, it is still to prove on Indian roads. I am sure there are other good models to follow, need to wait and watch for another year. Also there are no service outlets except for 1 or 2 in just metros. Spares availability and cost is higher.

Suzuki - Am afraid there are no premium hatch backs. Swift VXi comes closer but the exterior styling and interiors sucks, but its worth the money. I avoided this as it will be another swift on the road.

Skoda Fabia - Again, no large service networks and unknown maintenance costs.

Fiat Punto - Helpless Fiat guys by placing their cars alongside Tatas in their showrooms, No one to care to sell and the support sucks (right from Palio days). They are good cars (shame that they supply engines to all but still unsuccessfull) but support is a major? Hyundai i20 - I then looked at i20 finally and test drove. I was floored by the features and hence wanted to pursue it closer and finally decided to buy.

 

Exterior

Definitely a head turning car, great styling when viewed from front and side.

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

Probably the best among all available cars. Very soothing interiors, feature rich and ergonomically and aesthetically designed controls (AC controls, ORVM adjustments, adjustable steerings etc).

 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

Hv driven for 1000Km, very good performance overall. But slightly sluggish at 2 and 3 rd gears. Understood the engine tuning was done to improve fuel efficiency but definitely manageable. Once it reaches 60km and 4 - 5 gears it is very good and responsive, Easy and smooth gear shifts, initial fuel economy indicates around 15 to 18km on long drive with ACs ON.

 

Ride Quality & Handling

The wheel base is the longest among all cars and is slightly larger than verna, Handling is easier thru EPS and feels very sturdy on the curves and long strech.

 

Final Words

This car is for people who have driven for a while, knows the nuances of driving and who prefers feature rich and riding comfort with a bit of compromise on the initial response. This is definitely the best of the premium hatch back.

 

Areas of improvement  

I would be happy if Hyundai is coming out with a 1.4 L petrol a min for people who prefer a perrier response but of course the mileage has to be compromised.

Styling, Interiors and feature richA bit expensive

I have taken the test drive of this car. Presently i drive a aveo uva. First thing that strikes as you see it from outside is aggressive yet cool looks. Its got a bold presense. Enter inside from the key onwards oh its hitech. Tilt - telescopic steering, electric mirrors, fully automatic climate control ac, usb-i pod music system ,ABS with EBD , Airbags , So many displays etc etc... Interiors are very well laid and appointed. Big boot and spacious interiors. High quality plastic and great design.

Turn it on engine is silent and responsive. What i liked the most is steering with all controls. Its impressively light making cutting cornering and handling very precise . The motion is spiritted with smooth gear shifts slick and short.

What i can conclude is that it may not be correct to draw it to competition with swift, uva getz . Infact it does matches with fabia and would compete with Honda jazz etc.

Inshort if we are planning for a sedan then it points us wait you want a car with a 400 litre boot or a compact yet spacious car like me with tech specs , safety kit and sedan like build quality. In other words for 6-6.5 lakhs you go for a booted car or a car which is hatch but similar to sedan build and technically superior and safe. Much better value for money.

Does makes sense in today's congested cities where road space, safety , parking etc is a big concern.

Only thing that was definetly expected was the 1.4 deisel unit that Hyundai offers in other markets.

  

 

Interiors, Looks, Technology and above all its steering butter smooth.cant comment now.

I recently got my i20, asta model and color:crystal white. Before I bought this car, I checked different reviews of various hatchbacks. And before I checked the reviews, I had the swift VDI in my mind, as I travel about >2000 kms a month. With this in my mind I was comparing swift with the new upcoming diesel cars(Ritz, punto and i20). I also considered Skoda Fabia. But Skoda's poor servicing changed my mind. I chose an i20 for it's exterior design, brilliant interiors and it's features. Even Fabia has it's looks and various features, but again their service is really bad. And when compared to Ritz/Swift, the interiors feel very cheap. The i20 also comes with a large boot space(I think it has the biggest in it's class). And features like airbags, passenger airbags on/off option, inbuilt mp3 player with USB input, the automatic climate control, rear wiper and defogger and a lot more features not found in swift. Features like leather seats and distance detection system(for reversing the car), if added, would make the car THE BEST in it's class(which it already is, but these features would make it better). I travelled about 250 kms now, which included Ghat Road and a 4 lane Highway. I found the engine to be really silent and it's performance was brilliant both in plains and ghat. I'm unsure of the mileage though.Looks, mileage and performanceNo leather seats

This car has got lots of features, and is surely a value for money. The Asta version is the best choice to go for. ABS prevents wheel lock-up during panic braking on slippery surface along with EBD control brake pressure on all the four wheels. All of which ensures stable braking thus making the system highly-effective on slippery surface, preventing skidding and in retaining car stability and steer ability. i20 is the first car in its segment to come up with 6 airbags - Dual Front, Side and Curtain. In the event of an accident, dual front airbags along with side and curtain airbags prevent head and side injuries. Thus, ensuring maximum safety for occupants. The front airbags also come with PAB (Passenger Air Bag) cut-off switch to switch off passenger airbag in case the front passenger seat is unoccupiExcellent Features with stylish European ExteriorsLess Interior space

It was most eagerly awaited car. But the biggest disappointment is 1.2 engine. Not clear as to why people would switch over to i 20 from i10 when engine is same and price difference is more than one lac minimum. Things would have been different with 1.4 engine.

It does not compete swift. If price tag is considered then you would find that fight is between 1 20 ans Dzire VXi. And Dzire should be a better choice being more elegant.

Asta version is too expensive that people might go for Fabia instead.

Interior is undoubtedly topclass. But class has to co exist with economy,

Think twice before purchasing i 20. Just like me.

Manoj

Top class front cabin. Beats any top end sedan.very expensive. same old engine. less ground clearance. Made as per european environment not with in

Hi All, My driving experience - I own a Maruti Zen. I have owned the 800 earleir and have driven many Indian and foreign cars abroad. I have driven the swift and i20, both on the Golden Quadrilateral for distances upto 150 kms +. I have also driven the cars in the city bumper to bumper conditions. The pros I found in the car were - lots of features, integrated audio, uber cool and a plush interior and good steering response. The gear box is also very smooth with good clutching and excellent braking. The downsides are some people may face stiff neck while sitting for long distances, as I found the seats and head rests too hard. Also the head rests are too far protruding forward to give the neck a real bad ache. In terms of drive I found the car to lag in power in low band as well as in high. To be frank I found it marginally better than my Zen. The swift beats it down in "power at the wheels". The AC puts a read drag on the engine - I found this problem in my Zen but not in the swift. All said, it is a good car in terms of features but is little expensive and low on power. Rahul

Latest update on this -
We had taken a recent trip to the Konkan area.
While coming back in the ghats, there were places where the car literally was begging for power. We had minimal luggage and 4 persons in the car (all my friends). I have driven in that area before, but the car was asking for 1st gear where some others could have made it in the 2nd. Also coming back on the Mumbai Pune Exprssway, we had floored the accelerator to the ground (AC off) and it was struggling to go past 130 and after a long time it managed to reach 140. So guys who are in need of power this would be a bad option, but people looking for features this is good, but at a high price. So make your choice
Good Style, Features, Pleasurable upholsteryLow Power, Uncomfortable seating, Expensive, Low Mileage

Hi folks.....

          I used to read all these reviews across the net to take a decision before I finaly brough my magna last month. Hence its a payback from my side to share my experience with you folks.My car has clocked 1800 km(drove790km single stretch from Tvm to chennai).Shall brief my experience.

1. M comfy with the 1.2 litre engine("was driving a santro xing for the past 4 yrs"). The second gear initial pick up is a bit lull..All the remaining gears are well torqued.

2. Got an overall mileage of 16.4 kmpl till date(shall update after the first service).

3. Front end ground clearence is a bit low...but hyundai has foreseen that and provided FLEXIBLE rubber guards. The vehicle was fully loaded( four adults + luggage loaded to the max) during my trip to chennai from Tvm. Except a minor under chasis hit on a construction stretch, we manged to drive the car with out any damages. In a nutshell "YOU CAN AVOID UNDERCHASIS HITS IF YOU ARE A GOOD DRIVER"

4. I have not regrets in my decision to choose i 20 over swift vdi..Realy enjoy the admiration I get from swifties who tag me when ever they c my car.

5. The interior space, utilities and gizmos are truly comparable to honda city.....

  Go ahead and buy the car....u'll make a lot of people envious of you.

cheers

SALIL

Style, Service network,contemporary release wrold wide ...ground clearence..

Finally I got the delivery of I20 Magna (Petrol) Color Crystal White on January 13, 2010. And after paying Rs 11,000 to RTO got the number of my choice i.e. 4444. I have selected this car over Swift Vxi, Punto Active and Aveo UVA. As I wanted a Car which looks different from the crowd and also VFM, me and my family finally decided to go for I20 after couple of Test Drives. I have driven this car about 400 kms and here I laydown my point of view regarding this car :

 

1. Looks, Design, Exteriors : No doubt it is amongst the best in this segment in looks and exteriors. Hyundai has fully used the 4000 mm bracket for tax saving benefits and keeping down the price (but still it is costly). It looks a big hatchback with smart curves and designers have applied a lots of mind in designing this car. There are not many I20s on the road but surely they are head turner.

 

2. Interiors : Every thing inside the cabin seems well positioned. First of all it gives a look of truly luxurious car with lots of space in driver's section. Tilt and adjustable steering and driving seat gives extra facility to driver of any height for optimum comfort. Front screen monitor showing the outside temperature, trip meter (km/mile), clock and date, all 4 power windows etc., gives it a comfy look. Inbuilt MP3 player produces very good quality music. EPS is really so smooth and speaks itself that what a power steering should be.  There is slightly less space in rear seats when driver adjusts the seat, but it is not a big issue, rear seats are comfortable enough. USB port is missing in this variant and company should think about this.  

 

3. Performance : Lots of things have been said about its performance like it is underpowered, sluggish, slow in pickup, highway driving is not good. But my experience is that any one who go for this car knows that it is equipped with 1200 cc engine and knows its limitation. So I was also well aware about this fact that same engine is fitted in I10, then how will it give the optimum performance. But my confusion was cleared when I first time had a test drive of this car. There is nothing unde power issue if you drive in the appropriate gear and pick is really too good in first gear considering the 1200cc engine, and then you can change the gears accordingly to the speed. But it is not possible to drive the car at the speed of 20 at forth gear. Engine is well refined and truly noise free. In the cabin, with all the windows closed, you can hardly hear any sound. Only on rough and uneven roads, some humming sound comes from the tires, which is a normal thing for all cars. On highways, you can easily go upto the speed of 100 with good stability and control. Over 100, EPS stops working and seems that engine is doing extra effort to pull the car. And at the speed over 120, overtaking is bit annoying, so better to change gear before overtaking at this speed.

 

Fuel Economy : Presently i am getting 13.5 in very congested city driving and about 18 on highways. (It is a rough estimate, actual mileasge can tell you after 1000 kms.)

4. Conclusion : It is a car for the people who don’t want to follow the crowd. Though highly priced, but looking to features, size, space and comfort, it is worth paying the extra cost. In the cost of this car, you can easily get a sedan but not the luxurious feeling. Also the sales show that people are really going for this car. I am fully satisfied with this car and highly recommend this car to the people of same thinking as mine.

Exterior, noice free engine, super smooth gears and EPS, spacious, boot, music system, monitor.USB port missing, slighly noisy on uneven roads

Exterior On the outside its got a standard hyundai fluidic style... depends on indivisual likes but i like the style got more agressive looks than the previous one, decent looking alloys and decent build qality too.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Got a good combination of greyish brown and beige, quality of plastic used is good, seats are comfortable( comfotable for 3 average sized adults in the back row and also good leg room), got the best features in the segment(rain sensing vipers, bluetooth, rev cam..etc. sportz variant is on par or even better than top end swift), good enough boot for a hatch, good cabin quiteness. But the ac is not something to boast of. 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox A powerful engine for a hatch a 90hp,220nm one... but the engine has a turbo lag till about 1700-1800rpm but after that it picks up really well. coming to fe getting about 13-14 in city with full time ac and about 18 in highway, this comparatively less than other hatchbacks like swift but its worth it for that kind of engine and got a smooth gearbox too.

Ride Quality & Handling Suspensions are not that good and the handling takes some time to get used to as it is a little light for my liking. But still manages to take speeds in execess of 150+ very well without any fuss at all.

Final Words Finally I would definitely suggest you to go for i20 even though it is little costlier than switft and punto but its worth paying for especially if one is looking for a good family car then no reason to look beyond i20 

Areas of improvement  turbolag, suspension.

Good style, interiors, comfort, features and powerful engineSuspension, turbo lag and fuel economy