New Hyundai i20 has the drive to match the looks

At first, I turned a blind eye to the rave reviews of the new Hyundai i20. You see, despite having attended some of this country’s top reformatories over the years, this writer was extremely naïve during my tender youth.

Not, you understand, spectacularly stupid, like people who believe the promises of politicians and rich pastors. Just ill-informed. For instance, I believed that there would be all-round fulfilment after marriage. Instead, I discovered that marrying a woman immediately makes her as frigid as Racheltjie de Beer.

Three times, I got married. Three times. I experienced living without sensual contact or financial wellbeing. Three times, it cost me most of my earthly goods to get divorced – yet another reason why I will, one day, die poor.

Approach with caution

I also thought, for a while, that public servants, by definition, served the public. Duh … There were many such unpleasant discoveries, which caused me to regard any promise of a pleasant outcome with suspicion.

Which is why, when we took delivery of the new Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDI Fluid, I initially viewed the vehicle with a jaundiced eye. Other motoring scribes raved about the car and what they called its “Sensual Sportiness design language”.

We are not qualified to make such calls, but thought the Hyundai i20 was handsome. Being completely new, it has no links to its rather drab predecessors.

The new vehicle boasts sleek body lines, aggressive looking lighting front and rear, a large gloss black grille and matching splitter, a black roof and rear diffuser, side skirts and double exhaust pipes. The whole package sits on 16-inch alloy wheels, in 195/55R16 rubberware.

Under the bonnet

The Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDI Fluid is powered by a three-cylinder, turbocharged, 998 cc petrol engine, that produces 90 kW of power at 6 000 rpm and 172 Nm of torque between 1 500 rpm and 4 000rpm. The grunt and twist is relayed to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

Safety equipment ranges from front disc brakes with ABS and EBD, rear park distance control with camera, to front and curtain airbags.

ALSO READ: Feistier all-new Hyundai i20 enters battle

Inside, the new Hyundai i20 boasts comfortable artificial leather seats, a multi-purpose steering wheel, cruise control, an eight-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay plus Android Auto. The centre console features USB ports, a radio changing pad and automatic air-conditioning.

Rear passengers benefit from much larger leg room than before, plus air vents and a USB charging point. We would not think the Hyundai i20 would often host rear passengers, being mainly aimed at youngsters and possibly first-time car buyers. And, those first-time buyers will find it difficult to get a better driving partner.

Driving pleasure

The new Hyundai i20 was a joy on the road. The engine is an absolute jewel, easily doing what a 1 600 cc mill would have done just a few short years ago. After overcoming slight turbo lag at low revolutions, the little Hyundai starts pulling hard at around 1 400 rpm, and keeps on doing so up to its 6 000 rpm redline.

In traffic, we found it would run in sixth gear, due to its wide torque curve. The gearbox is slick and smooth, with the steering accurate and direct. On the move, one gets a feeling of involvement with the car, which transcends mere performance figures.

Hyundai say the new i20 will accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h in under ten seconds, with a top speed of 190 km/h, and we believe them. You do not have to stretch this car to its limits to enjoy it.

Frugal

It speaks to you while zipping through traffic, taking corners or even while parking, which the rear safety camera and turning circle of 10.2 metres makes simple.

We managed an average fuel consumption figure of 7.9L/100 km during the test. The fact this driver fell in love with the Hyundai’s turbo power surge and used it often would have a lot to do with that. A more restrained right foot would doubtlessly result in better figures.

Conclusion

To sum up, what Hyundai have come up with the new i20 is a good looking, ultra-modern design, encasing the latest in petrol engine ingenuity, plus a lot of driver joy.

The Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDI Fluid will set you back R330 900 and comes with a five year/150 000 km vehicle warranty, plus a seven year, 200 000km drivetrain guarantee.

For more information on the Hyundai i20 1.0T Fluid, click here.