Hyundai i20 1.2 Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Hyundai i20 1.2
Prices: £8,195-£9,445 – on the road
Insurance Group: 3
Emissions: 124g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 12.9s / Max Speed 106mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 54.3mpg
Safety: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD/ ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height 3940/1710/1490mm

Solid, Affordable Supermini

Our Rating: No Rating Available

Hyundai has always made its mark with simple cars that were functional and didn't cost a lot of money. As the demand for affordable and eco-friendly cars grew carmakers started to design more stylish superminis. These tiny little sports cars ended up becoming the biggest seller across the UK. During this time Hyundai was snickered at by the rest of the carmakers because they had held steadfast in releasing boring looking cars with no bells and whistles. Times are changing that it for sure with the Hyundai i20.

The i20 by all account is a very good car that offers the buyer a lot of sensible features, design and function. The base model comes with a 1.2-litre petrol powered engine that has 76bhp of power that will get the driver from 0-60 in 12.9 seconds up to a top speed of 106mph. These are excellent numbers for a little car with an engine that gives an estimated 54.3mpg combined fuel consumption. People who buy superminis are usually not looking to break any land speed records so they should be pleased with these numbers.

As per the norm with Hyundai the exterior of the i20 isn't the most fetching supermini on the block, but it also isn't the most unattractive either. The body has a nice shape to it with a short nose that allows for a good turning radius and a squarish back that allows for maximum interior space.

On the inside of the i20 Hyundai has not exactly kept up with the Jones. While other car companies are trotting out superminis with confusing super computers melded into complicated design schemes, Hyundai has kept the interior simple and easy to understand. All the knobs and dials are in the right place and you don't need a degree in computers to figure out how to use them.

The i20 is offered the Classic, Comfort and Style trim levels. The entry level Classic comes with air-conditioning, and iPod connector, electric windows in the front, power door mirrors and a trip computer. The i20 also comes standard with stability control on the suspension that allows the car to sense when the driver is about to lose control and adjusts the drive train accordingly to help control the car.

Hyundai is not playing it safe when it comes to safety. All trim levels of the i20 come standard with six airbags, active head restraints and anti-lock brakes with EBD. These features have helped the i20 achieve 5-star status for occupant safety from the Euro NCAP. To add insult to injury for the other car makers that try to appeal with bells and whistles that never get used, Hyundai is including a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty on each and every model of the i20.

As other automakers were making their cars fancy at the cost of either true safety or drivability the Hyundai design team was busy making good quality cars that were safe and don't cost a lot. If I was one of the car manufacturers who spend my days building little techno delights I might want to rethink my path and focus, as Hyundai does, on making a quality car that lives up to the hype.