The all-new Hyundai i20 might have only just gone on sale in India, but it has been garnering attention for a lot longer. As the long-awaited successor to the Elite i20, this new model has big shoes to fill. According to the South Korean auto major, it has already racked up over 10,000 bookings from customers even prior to the launch. That is a sizeable number as it has been barely over a week since the order books were opened. As for the car itself, the all-new Hyundai i20 has its ex-showroom price ranging between Rs 6.80 lakh to Rs 10.75 lakh – making it far more expensive at the low-end than what some of us predicted (including me).
To put the new Hyundai i20’s price into a better perspective, here are some of its rivals, along with their respective sticker prices. The Volkswagen Polo costs between Rs 5.87 lakh to Rs 9.67 lakh, Honda Jazz between Rs 7.50 lakh to Rs 9.74 lakh, and Maruti Suzuki Baleno between Rs 5.64 lakh to Rs 8.96 lakh. All prices here are ex-showroom, India. When pitted right next to some of the segment stalwarts, the latest iteration of the Hyundai i20 is definitely on the pricey side. However, that is not entirely surprising as this is the newest and most updated car on the block. In fact, it makes some of the cars it competes with look a little dated in comparison. As mentioned earlier, Hyundai’s latest hatch is available in four separate variants.
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Prospective buyers of the all-new Hyundai i20 have a bewildering variety of trim and engine-gearbox options to pick from. Simply put, the trim levels (in ascending order) are Magna, Sportz, Asta, and Asta (O). Meanwhile, the engine options include a Kappa 1.2-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol, a GDi 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder petrol, and a U2 CRDi 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel. Finally, transmission choices here include a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, CVT (or IVT), 6-speed clutchless manual (or IMT), and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (DCT).
In terms of its output, the base Kappa engine in the all-new i20 produces 82hp when paired with the 5-speed manual gearbox and 87hp when mated to the IVT. Regardless of the gearbox, torque remains the same at 114Nm. Meanwhile, the GDi turbo-petrol unit pushes out 118hp with 172Nm of torque. It can be had with either the IMT or the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. As for the U2 oil burner, it develops a healthy 99hp and 240Nm of peak torque. Remember, you can only have this engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox. However, this engine-gearbox combo does net the best fuel economy in the all-new i20 and is rated at 25.2 kmpl.
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On the other hand, the 1.2-liter Kappa petrol model scores 19.65 kmpl and 20.35 kmpl with the IVT and 5-speed manual gearbox, respectively. Finally, the turbo-petrol versions of the all-new i20 with the 6-speed IMT and 7-speed DCT are rated at 20 kmpl and 20.25 kmpl, respectively.
All the variants of this i20 are fairly well kitted out as well. For instance, you get dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, speed-sensing & impact-sensing automatic door locks along with central locking, and front fog lamps on all trims. Also standard are USB & Bluetooth connectivity, steering-mounted audio controls, Hyundai’s i-Blue remote app, cooled glovebox, rear AC vents, rear USB charging, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, and tilt & telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel.
Higher up the range, equipment like 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlamps, auto-folding door mirrors, smart-key entry with push-button start, height-adjustable driver’s seat, front & rear armrests, digital instrument cluster, over-the-air map updates, voice recognition, and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay come as standard.
Even higher trims of the all-new i20 get an electric sunroof, automatic climate control with built-in air purifier, leather seats, a 7-speaker Bose audio system, wireless charger, cruise control, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The top-end Asta variants also come with 6 airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Assist Control (HAC), a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), a rearview camera, SOS call function, and ISOFIX anchors.
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What is rather strange and unacceptable (at this price point) is that only the top variants of the all-new Hyundai i20 get rear-seat ISOFIX mounts. Further infuriation stems from the fact that all except for the top variant come with fixed rear headrests (instead of adjustable ones). Come on, Hyundai. How much money are you really saving by not providing buyers with these basic yet life-saving additions? I reckon both these essential safety ‘features’ will be standard on all i20s sold in international markets where safety regulations are a lot more stringent.
Editor’s Pick – Hyundai Elite i20 Discontinued, Superseded By The All-New Model
