The New Hyundai Elite i20 Review

Exterior I feel quite happy to drive my diesel run Hyundai Elite i20 Magna hatchback as its advanced drivetronics garner a superb average mileage of around 20 Kmpl. The sleek looks coupled with the red colour of the car draw eyebrows around when I drive it through my area. As it is not the high-end trim, my car doesn’t have much of the safety features like EBD, ESP etc.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The 16-inch alloys, offered only on the Sportz and Asta variants, definitely add to the Elite i20's sporty appeal. The remaining trims have to make do with 14-inch rims.  That said, it is really the rear where the Elite i20 scores brownie points, thanks to the 'Alfa-Romeo meets Veloster' tail-lights. Let's not forget the blacked out C-pillar that  blends in equally well.

Now, the cabin. Its nice and pleasant inside the Elite i20; the dual-tone beige and black interiors look good and so does the neatly laid out dashboard. What is really impressive though, is the fit-and-finish. The quality of the plastic used is very good. Since it is a Hyundai product, the presence of lots of features is a given. The 3-spoke steering wheel has a nice upmarket feel to it and comes with lots of controls mounted on it. The hatchback gets a front centre armrest with storage, a steering-sensitive rear parking camera, and a 2-DIN audio system with 1GB storage among other features. Despite all those features, I found myself wishing Hyundai had added a touch-screen mutlimedia player and made dual airbags a standard offering across all trims, for that is when the car would have truly been 'un-compromised'.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Hyundai was smart to improve that in the Elite i20 by adding a bit more zing to the petrol engine and refinement to the diesel.

I really liked the diesel Elite i20's linear power delivery as I stepped on the pedal and looked to accelerate on the highway. The 1.4-litre U2 diesel engine delivers 89bhp of power and an impressive peak torque worth 220Nm. Also, it doesn't make much noise, even at high speeds, and the cabin is really quiet, thanks to the impressive NVH levels. In terms of transmission, the 6-speed gearbox is quick and responsive and is perfect for highway driving. One must note that the aforementioned gearbox is available only on the diesel Elite i20.

The 1.2-litre petrol engine has been tweaked to offer more low and mid-range power. It produces 82bhp and 115Nm of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Expect the petrol model to get an automatic transmission pretty soon. The fuel efficiency figures are impressive too; Hyundai claims that the petrol engine offers 18.5Km/l, while the diesel promises 22Km/l.

In terms of suspension, the one on the Elite i20 is softer than that on the outgoing model. Also, the hatchback gets a ground clearance of 170mm. So, all in all, driving on poorly-built roads isn't a challenge anymore. The steering is precise around corners and the car handles well at high-speeds, though it you feel a wee bit of body roll. Overall, the new i20's ride and handling certainly feels more confident.

The crux of the matter is that the Elite i20, with it's improved driving dynamics, added features, more space and new styling, will easily fill in the big shoes of its predecessor. With a price tag of Rs. 4.89 lakh for the base petrol and Rs. 7.67 lakh for the top-end diesel, I agree that the Elite i20 is a pricey package, but that didn't deter many in the past and we doubt it will affect the new-generation model's prospects either.

Ride Quality & Handling Its awesome to ride and will take you to anoither level.Its a class apart and you feel blessed to ride in it and to handle it is quite easy cause its the best One Can ever get.

Final Words Its a must buy for people looking for a decent and economical car.

Areas of improvement The elite i20 is surely a great car, looks awesome but there is a point I would like to discuss, the diesel engine feels sluggish to me below a 1000rpm. I mean yes, it takes a time to go up on the revs and kicking in the turbo but it feels like it takes eternities. As if it has lost ignition, every cycle seems out of fuel. Once it reaches the threshold the turbo starts and there is no problem.

It gives you great comfort,has a stylish look and also is a class apart,rthe Absence of Daytime running lights which looked well before is quite strange and weird