From the moment the i20 was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last year, it was clear that Hyundai’s new supermini was intended more for customers in Stuttgart and London than those in Surat and Ludhiana. This new Hyundai has been designed and developed for Europe where it aims to battle with established rivals like the VW Polo, Ford Fiesta and Opel Corsa. But since the i20 is made only in India, it’s almost impolite not to sell it in the domestic market as well.

Hyundai launched the i20 in India a few months after its global debut but what we get is the base 1.2 Kappa model to take advantage of the huge tax benefits for cars shorter than four metres and with engine smaller than 1200cc. A 1.4 petrol and 1.4 CRDi diesel option will be available at a later stage. So how good is this made-for-Europe hatch? Does it suit Indian tastes and can it establish the Hyundai brand in the small but critical premium hatchback segment? Read our full road test to find out.

Design & Engineering

Hyundai’s European design team was clearly briefed to give the i20 pleasant but inoffensive styling and that’s just what they have delivered. In fact, they have gone beyond its brief to fashion one of the better looking Hyundais in recent times. An oft-used cliché is ‘photographs don’t do it justice’; in the i20’s case, this is absolutely true. The i20’s wide stance and prominent nose really stand out and, as it drives past, you notice the strong character lines on its flanks, which adds to the tautness of the shape. The bonnet and nose borrow unashamedly from Mercedes’ SLk, but it works. Another Atandout feature is the large for lamps housed in prominent blisters on the lower bumper. Perhaps Hyundai’s designers were so caught up with the front that they ran too close to the deadline as far as the rear is concerned. The end result is a very generic butt, which could be straight out of ‘Hatchback design for dummies’. It does gel with the rest of the design, but it doesn’t have the unmistakable element that the front does.

While it’s good to look at, the i20 is well put-together too. Europe is a very important market for Hyundai, and a Korean-engineered ad Indian-built car has to satisfy the demanding buyers in that market. The build quality is obvious the moment you grab the chunky door handles to open and shut the nicely weighted doors. This is indicative of a car that can last well for years on our roads.

The i20’s mechanical layout follows the absolute supermini standard with MacPherson struts suspending the front end and a torsion beam axle at the back, damped by gas-charged shock absorbers all round. Electric power assistance for steering is about the most radical item on the spec list and makes this is the first Hyundai in India to get it, All versions of the i20 ride on 14-inch rims but tyres sizes vary. The base version (Magna) gets steel wheels shod with 175/70 R14 rubber, the higher-end Asta (pictured) gets a 185/65 footprint.

Interiors

The i20 gets a well designed and functional cabin, albeit not one that moves the game forward in any significant way. On the plus side, the Hyundai is certainly spacious, with decent accommodation in the front plus a good range of seat and steering column adjustments. It’s possible to sit one-six footer behind another in reasonable comfort and three abreast at the rear is not a big squeeze either. The seats are well bolstered and comfy, but don’t hold you snugly the way the Fabia’s do. The seat upholstery boasts an adventurous design, and the fabric is hard-wearing too. A boot capacity of 295 litres is decent for this class of hatchback and the flat load area and wide tailgate aperture and 60:40 split rear seats, makes the most of it.

There are lots of cubbyholes for oddments, and the cooled glovebox is one of the largest we have encountered on an Indian car. However, the space ahead of the front passenger is wasted; Hyundai could have scooped out another receptacle on the dash to hold odds and ends.

Where the i20 scores is with the amount of equipment it’s loaded with, especially the safety kit. The Asta version gets six airbags and seatbelt warning lights for all five passengers-certainly a first for a hatchback. Another first are the electric folding rear view mirrors, a feature which is becoming increasingly useful in the city.

The i20’s centre console features electronic climate control and an integrated music system with steering-mounted controls. The toggle switches are easier to operate than rollers or buttons. The Asta also has USB connectivity, in addition to an auxiliary port, so you can plug in your iPod or MP3 device. A multi-information display on the dash tells you the outside temperature, time, day and date, and also journey information. It’s slightly confusing to use though; the large ‘Trip’ button cycles the rather garish screen through various information functions.

Strangely, the i20 does not have a vanity mirror under the sun shades, not even the passenger side. For such a well-equipped car, this is a small oversight, but one that matters to lady owners.

Though the cabin is well built and feels capable of withstanding the rigours of touch family use, it’s fair to say that it lacks the perceived quality of its rivals. The shiny plastics look downmarket and the dark brown colour isn’t to everybody’s taste. The vents for the air con are also not in keeping with the overall positioning of this car, and the slatted operation to control the direction of air flow feels a little old school.

Engine, Gearbox & Performance

Under the i20’s shapely bonnet sits the same 1197cc kappa engine, which we’ve already seem in its baby brother, the i10. This all-aluminium 16-valve motor which develops the same 79bhp and 11.4kgm of torque now has to haul around a body that is significantly heavier. Clearly, the i20 is no rocketship and the 0-100kph time of 15.21 seconds is a good two seconds slower than the smaller and lighter i10. With its ability to swallow five large passengers and a reasonable amount of luggage, a fully loaded i20 does struggle on the highway, especially when overtaking fast moving traffic. It’s in such situations that you could do with a lot more horses.

For city driving, however, performance is adequate thanks to well judged gear ratios that make the most of the Kappa engine. The engine is fairly responsive for the cut and thrust of peak-hour traffic. However, we would have preferred a little more low end torque as the car really gets into its stride once past 2500rpm, from where it pulls cleanly to about 5500rpm. The redline is closer to 6000rpm, but revving it is pointless as it runs out of breath before that and the soundtrack gets uncomfortably loud. Beside, the long-throw gearshift encourage more gentle progress. The in-gear slogs see the i20 taking a leisurely 16.98sec in our standard 20-80kph run in third gear. This measured performance is indicative of the i20’s nature at large; it isn’t a slouch, but it isn’t exciting either. In fact, it is at lower revs that the i20 feels the most relaxed. At idle, the engine is extremely refined with no vibrations filtering into the cabin. At times you need to glance at the tacho to tell if the engine is running.

On The Road

The lightness of the i20s’ controls is immediately apparent and clearly this Hyundai has been designed around ease of operation. The clutch pedal’s lack of resistance takes some getting used, but the generous assistance of the electric power steering and the light gearshift make the i20 a restful companion in urban environments where good visibility and the impression of where the four corners lie make it easy to find gaps and spaces.

It’s also obvious that the i20’s engineering team has focussed attentions more on comfort  than outright handling prowess. The Hyundai’s soft suspension does a decent job of dealing with speedbreakers and potholes and appears well up to the task of dealing with Indian roads. But, as you up the pace, you begin to notice inconsistencies in the damping. Over patchy roads, the i20’s front tends to bob, which can get uncomfortable; you need to ease off the throttle in such circumstances. There is some body roll too, which means you can’t corner enthusiastically either. The light steering, which is a boom in the city, feels vague at high speeds and the over-assistance can be disconcerting at high speed. The i20 isn’t for spirited driving and feels best when driven at a relaxed pace.

Under braking, the i20 maintains a neutral attitude, and the wide tyres do play a part in this. The i20 has ABS with EBD, or brake-force distribution, which varies the amount of braking to each wheel depending upon the grip available. ABS is an absolute must, especially on our gravelly roads and during the monsoon, and the i20’s system works well, although a little more feel and progression from the pedal would make it better still. ABS however is not available on the cheaper Magna variant.

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel economy can make or break a new car’s fortunes in India, but Hyundai can breathe a sigh of relief. The i20 is a pretty fuel efficient car, with an in-city figure of 11.2kpl and 16kpl on the highway. The i20 is not as frugal as some A-segment cars but given its weight and size, these figures are quite respectable. The Kappa engine is one of the most fuel efficient around and clearly it does the job in the i20 as well.

Autocar Verdict

A very capable but unexciting premium hatch.

The i20 is not a cheap car. At Rs 6.51 lakh, on-road, Mumbai, the big Hyundai is squarely in c-segment territory. But then at this price you get a car that has all the space and features of a saloon minus the boot. It’s spanking new, not jut in India, but in the whole world, which means it’s built to the latest safety standards. And safety is one area where the i20 shines – it’s the first hatchback to get six airbags.

The i20’s user-friendly nature makes it a good companion for city use and the comprehensive array of equipment will keep you pampered. It’s reasonably fuel efficient and with Hyundai’s good service back-up should be hassle-free to run and own.

But despite impressing us in many areas, the i20’s unexciting cabin and bland driving experience makes this a car that’s to be bought more with the head than the heart.