2020 Hyundai i20: Should you buy or not?

NEW DELHI: Choose a premium hatchback loaded with features or settle for a compact SUV with a bigger presence? Hyundai makes the choice difficult with the new i20, which has a lot going its way.
The third-gen Hyundai i20 has completed a week in the market and the response for the premium hatchback has been largely positive in India. The Korean automaker recently revealed that the hatchback had received over 10,000 bookings, so the response is definitely quite encouraging.We have thoroughly driven the car, judged it in various scales. Now, TOI Auto brings to 8 aspects that you need to consider before making a decision. For better understanding of drive and dynamics, refer to our full video:
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PROS
1. New-age looks: The 3rd-gen i20 adopts the latest ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language by the automaker and that has changed the face of the car completely. The hatch now looks sleeker and bolder than all its predecessors. The sharp LED headlamps with DRLs, LED foglamps, Z-shaped LED taillamps give the hatch a sharp appearance. And the elevated hood with strong character lines, flyback chrome waistline, shark fin antenna, front parametric jewel patterned grille with black accents, and the flared wheel arches give the i20 a slightly muscular and aggressive look. The new looks definitely are a feast for your eyes.
2. Bigger dimensions: The predecessor of the 3rd-gen i20 was the Elite i20 and it measured 3985x1734x1505mm with a wheelbase of 2570mm. Compared to that, the latest one measures 3,995 mm x 1,775 mm x 1,505 mm with a wheelbase of 2580mm. The automaker has clearly trimmed out the extra height to discard the previous boxy design language. The new-gen hatch is slightly longer and wider, which means a bigger cabin than all its predecessors. The wheelbase of the 3rd-gen i20 is also slightly more than the Elite i20, giving a slightly bigger appearance.

3. Feel good factors improved: The creature comforts and in-cabin experience offered with the i20 puts it in a good position in the segment. The 3rd-gen i20 has features like blue ambient light, puddle lamps, one-touch electric sunroof, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and the Bose 7-speaker stereo system to give you a quite good in-cabin experience. When it comes to the convenience of the driver and the passengers, the hatch offers a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 50+ Bluelink connected features (including voice control wake up command, navigation, remote engine/AC start), dual-Bluetooth connectivity, air purifier and the likes of those.
4. A wholesome engine platter: The Hyundai i20 comes with a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine, 1.5-litre U2 CRDi diesel engine, and a 1.0-litre Turbo GDi petrol engine. Although there isn’t a drastic difference between the performance figures compared to the Elite i20 or i20 Active, the diesel engine is an extra here and the automaker makes sure that you get to choose the version that is fit for you. The 3 engines are offered with 5 transmissions in total- 5-MT, 6-MT, IVT, 6-iMT, and 7-DCT.

5. Enhanced safety: The i20 comes with a comprehensive safety package that includes 6-airbags with dual airbags in the front, ESC (electronic stability control), VSM (vehicle stability management), ESS (emergency stop signal), hill assist, tyre pressure monitoring display on the instrument cluster and rear camera with dynamic guidelines. The i20 is built on the K-platform with 66% HSS (high strength steel). The Global NCAP crash test rating is still awaited for the premium hatchback.
6. Wonder warranty scheme: Hyundai is offering the i20 with one of the most flexible warranty options in the segment. The i20 comes with up to 5 years warranty under the Wonder warranty package. Additionally, the car is offered with 3 years of RSA (roadside assistance) and a 3-year subscription to the Bluelink connected features.

CONS:
1. Finishing may set you back: During our test run, we found that the door panels had a plasticky feel and seemed not-so premium at all. With such a price tag, we at least expected the hatch to boast electrically foldable outside mirrors probably just in the high-end trims, but they are missing too. On the inside, there’s no auto-dimming feature in the inside rear-view mirror. The boot space of 311litres isn’t the best in class and when it comes to making a little more space, the rear seats are of no help as they aren’t split foldable.
2. Automatic diesel and manual turbo missing: The Indian audience has a special corner for diesel offerings and the i20 disappoints with no automatic transmission offered in its diesel variant. The 6-speed manual is decent but an automatic alternative would’ve made the i20 unbeatable. As the engines and transmissions of the Venue and the i20 are identical, we already were prepared for a manual-only diesel offering, but the automaker has also left out the manual-turbo trim in the i20’s line-up. Now, this is something we weren’t prepared for. The manual-turbo offering would’ve made the entry-level turbo trim slightly more affordable.