Despite the less than speculator Atlas White and black roof paint option, the i20 still looks imposing and feisty.
Along with the Grand i10, the i20 has been instrumental in helping Hyundai South Africa balance its yearly and monthly sales books.
A quick glance at the monthly National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa) sales figures puts this into context. For the first six months of the year, sales of the i20 stand at 2 486 units and those of the Grand i10 at 6 444.
Combined, both account for 8 930 of Hyundai’s total 13 819 vehicles sold in the first half of 2024.
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By comparison, and opposite to the market’s favouring of crossovers and SUVs, offset of the Venue has tapered off as evident by the 1 236 units moved from dealership floors between January and June.
Also contrary to what sister brand Kia has experienced with the Sonet, more than likely as a result of discontinuing the Rio and focusing on the Picanto, the confirmed debut of the tiny Exter next month is likely to put a spin on matters provided Hyundai gets its pricing right from the start.
For the time being, the “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” sentiment applies to the i20 as comparatively little has changed after its first mid-life overhaul in Europe last year.
Unlike the Old Continent model sourced from the Izmit Plant in Turkey, South African examples originate from the Chennai facility in India and while fundamentally almost alike, don’t offer any form of mild-hybrid assistance or the availability of the red-hot i20 N performance enthusiasts have been longing for as an alternative to the Volkswagen Polo GTI.
Hyundai South Africa’s roll-out of the facelift i20 last month involved almost incremental changes inside and out, a line-up streamlining dropping the six-speed manual gearbox on all models fitted with the 1.0 T-GDI engine and re-introducing the N Line as a sporty alternative to the Polo R-Line, Opel Corsa GS Line, Peugeot 208 GT and to some extent, the Suzuki Swift Sport.
Besides the drop in pedal count – another main reason for the manual-only i20 remaining Europe-side, the N Line also has sole access to the T-GDI engine as the rest of the range uses the normally aspirated 1.2 and 1.4-litre units.
Despite this, the subtly of the i20’s first makeover since its world premiere in 2020 has not spoiled it remaining a feisty looker.
Besides the N bumpers, door sills, badges, faux rear diffuser and rather fetching diamond-cut 16-inch alloy wheels, the N Line receives incrementally updated LED headlights, new L-shaped air inlets on the flanks of the front bumper, and new LED taillight clusters.
Aesthetically pleasing, the revisions inside have been more minor and also the area in which the i20’s now four-year old age is most obvious.
Most likely, again, as a result of costs, the 10.25-inch infotainment system has stayed in Europe along with a fair chunk of the safety and driver assistance systems.
This means the i20 N Line retains the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, but does get the new 10.25-inch cluster in addition to further model exclusivities such as automatic air-conditioning, a sunroof, a six-speaker Bose sound system, push-button start, keyless entry, remote engine start, Park Assist and a drive mode selector with three settings; Eco, Normal and Sport.
Part and parcel of the N touches are alloy pedals, the almost pistol grip N gear lever, imitation leather sport seats with N branded seatbacks, the N steering wheel and red stitching on the wheel, lever, centre console and seats.
Along with a red mood lightning, Hyundai has finished the sliders for the air vents red some will see as being part of the sporty touches or criticise for appearing over-the-top.
Often the cause for the biggest flak stemming from its dated appearance, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-enabled infotainment system, remains as user-friendly as ever for not only its interface, but also the easy-to-use physical shortcuts on the outer side.
Part of an ergonomically sound layout devoid of touch-sensitive switchgear, the overall design is, however, let down by the otherwise drab grey plastics the red highlights simply cannot overpower.
What’s more, the material quality is disappointingly cheap to the touch and the instrument cluster, although funky, unable to the customised as only a single layout theme has been opted for.
What does surprise is the i20’s space utilisation. Despite its compact dimensions almost certainly guaranteeing a cramped interior, especially for those at the rear, the hind quarters are remarkably spacious even though it misses a central armrest.
The opposite applies to the front as the sunroof robs occupants of some headroom taller drivers will take exception to.
That being said, the steering column and driver’s chair are height adjustable, however, the slimline design of the seats won’t favour among proportionally wider South Africans.
Besides its rear space surprise, practically has not been sacrificed either as the deep boot swallows 352-litres, or as much as 1 165-litres with the 60/40 split rear back folded down.
Whether lukewarm or red-hot, slapping a marque’s performance moniker on the bootlid still comes with a go-faster notion, something the i20 N Line partially lives-up to as per its 1 016 kg kerb mass and outputs of 90kW/172Nm.
While applicable to the “it feels faster than it actually is” sensation, the turbocharged three-cylinder feels on the lethargic side below 2 500 rpm, a trait not helped by the annoying but typical three-pot thrum at idle that sounds akin to a misfire.
Once spooled-up, progress becomes more sufficient and the i20 N Line quick, but hampered by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that shifts slicks when going up, but becomes hesitant and indecisive when asked to suddenly drop a cog or two.
Bizarrely, switching to manual mode and using the paddle shifters fails to quicken the shifts as usually believed. Instead, doing this comes momentarily pause not present when the ‘box is left to its own devices.
Of course, the opposite would be selecting Sport mode which, apart from spooling the turbo up faster, makes the steering heavier for a better feel.
As much as this works and adds some welcome theatrics to the driving experience, the caveat is pending wheelspin and oversteer into a corner given how quickly the turbo comes on song compared to Normal mode.
Unsurprisingly, the N sport suspension has resulted in a firmer than normal ride that becomes lumpy on less well-maintained surfaces regardless of the selected mode.
During its seven-day and 308 km stay, the i20 N only had sporadic chance to show its efficient side due to its largely commuter-orientated role.
This, plus its minder’s aversion to any form of eco mode, resulted in the cluster displaying a best of seven-litres per 100 km, nearly on par with Hyundai’s 6.9 L/100 km.
“All the show without the go” is known to reap its unique benefits as shown by the Polo R-Line where the lack of the full-on GTI go is offset by a sporty appearance that lends such an impression.
The same goes for the Hyundai i20 N Line, albeit at a lofty R467 500 that makes pricier than all of the models mentioned, bar the R489 200 Peugeot asks for the 208 GT.
In typical Hyundai fashion, it is slightly better equipped than the Corsa and Polo but will continue to be questioned in lieu of the belief of Hyundai still being associated with value rather than premium B-segment motoring.
Once peace with this is made, the i20 N Line rates as a solid choice delivering exactly what it says on the label.
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