Hyundai i20 Active 2013 Review

Price Guide: (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $15,590
Options fitted: (not included in above price): Metallic Paint $NCO
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 5.3
CO2 emissions (g/km): 126
Also consider: Kia Rio S (from $15,290); Mazda Mazda2 Neo (from $15,790); Opel Corsa Enjoy (from $16,490); Toyota Yaris YR (from $14,990)

Hyundai’s entry-level model, the i20 hatch, stepped up the Korean company’s presence in the light car market when it pushed aside the successful, long-running Getz in July 2010.

Even though the two models continued alongside each other until the Getz finally bowed out in 2011, the i20’s slight touch of sassiness, along with notably upgraded quality and improved dynamic behaviour, took it a notch above its ‘cheap and cheerful’ predecessor.

The Indian-built i20 did for Hyundai’s light car what the i30 did for the Elantra small car in 2007. It brought more of everything: more space, more refinement and higher levels of safety -- as well as higher prices.

Fact is, the Hyundai i20 is seen by the company as enough of an improvement to warrant a before on-roads price approaching $3000 above the one-time Getz drive-away price of $12,990.

No mistake, the cheapest Hyundai is a more substantial car. The only engine on offer these days (previously it was possible to specify a 91kW/156Nm 1.6-litre in Elite version) is the 1.4-litre Gamma VVT that produces a class-competitive and specific 73.5kW, along with an efficient-for-capacity 136Nm of torque.

Since a facelift in mid 2012, it has driven through a new six-speed manual transmission which helped drop the combined fuel consumption figure from 6.0L/100km for the previous five-speed manual to an impressive 5.3L/100km. It also lowered the CO2 figure to 126g/km (the four-speed auto is retained, so the efficiency and emissions improvements apply to manual versions only).

The 2012 upgrade brought a few things other than the new manual gearbox: Electronic safety aids now include Hyundai's Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) active safety system that integrates stability control, traction control and the newly introduced active steering system to enhance directional stability.

Styling changes included a new Hyundai-signature hexagonal grille, along with a new bonnet, front quarter panels and the usual redesign for tail lights and front and rear bumpers. Repeater lamps were built into the (power folding) exterior mirrors and the wheel designs were also updated.

Inside, the i20’s hard-touch dashboard plastics remained, but the quality look was enhanced by a piano black treatment on the new centre console. A welcome bonus was the inclusion of a one-touch lane change function for the indicators.

The i20 gets plenty of equipment, including Bluetooth connectivity, trip computer, a CD/MP3/WMA player, one-touch power window on the driver’s side and an AM/FM radio with auxiliary audio and USB inputs.

Stepping back into the i20 three years after it was introduced is a reminder of how heavily populated, and how quickly evolving the Light class is. The Hyundai still presents and feels like a strong competitor, but the opposition hasn’t sat still and there’s an ever-expanding line-up of alternatives out there.

The i20 is still tangibly above the Getz, but -- in three-door Active form, as tested here -- it doesn’t inspire in quite the same way as the game-changing i30 did in 2007.

First impressions were not brilliant. Gaining access to the rear of the passenger compartment saw the plastic release lever for the seat backrest coming off in our hands (at the time we were mindful that the people from company office had gone to some trouble on our behalf getting the i20 ready after it had been returned late by a previous tester but, even if that had not been the case, it is possible the dodgy lever wouldn’t have been detected by Hyundai anyway).

This may have coloured our impressions somewhat, but the interior did feel a little drab from then on, with its hard-touch plastic on both the dash and door armrests and a generally monotonous colour combinations. Despite the impressive standard gear, this is still Hyundai’s cheapest car.

Fortunately the disappointing first impressions didn’t translate across the entirety of our seven-day experience.

The engine managed well with the 1121kg kerb weight and the manual transmission was smooth to operate with decently close ratios. At 100km/h in sixth gear the i20’s engine is spinning at a fairly relaxed 2750rpm, assisting economy and keeping under-bonnet fuss generally at bay. With its torque coming in a fairly high 4200rpm, only 1300rpm shy of the 5500rpm at which maximum power is developed, the short-stroke 1.4 needed to be kept working though.

On test, the i20 returned 5.9L/100km over a mixed range of circumstances -- not as good as the claimed 5.3L/100km average but not atypical of what we experience in most test cars.

The seats and driving position brought no complaints -- the wheel is adjustable for height and reach -- and the new “active” steering spins from lock to lock in a handy 2.8 turns. While erring on the side of lightness, the steering felt well connected with the front wheels and helped the i20 to corner with accuracy.

Hyundai has not been shy promoting the fact the suspension was developed with Australian input and, as normally proves the case, this has a positive effect on the overall ride-handling balance.

Running on 14-inch steel wheels with 175/70 tyres, the i20 falls short of being best-in-class but, in regular around-town driving, it is entirely competent -- and the upper-level Elite version with its 15-inch alloy wheels and bigger 185/60 tyres, would be better again. A bonus is the use of a full-size spare wheel.

In terms of bang for buck, the Hyundai i20 three-door is up there with the bulk of its competition although it is out-powered by the (79kW) Kia Rio version of the same 1.4-litre engine. It does well, in manual form, in fuel economy -- better than (1.5-litre) Mazda Mazda2, Toyota Yaris, Opel Corsa and Kia Rio.

Size-wise it tends to be a smidgin above the likes of Toyota Yaris and Opel Corsa three-doors -- and the five-door Mazda2 --but falls a little short, again, of the Kia Rio.

In all, the Hyundai i20 is an entirely competent and well-equipped contender in the teeming light car class. It brings few complaints, but at the same time has few outstanding singularities that separate it in a meaningful way from the rest.

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