Hyundai came up with the prototype of a small car in 2008 which looked prettier than its previous version the Hyundai i10. The car basically was not targeted at the Indian market, primarily because of its price. But when it was released, it outperformed expectations of the company and soon the car had booking with long waiting periods. Hyundai i20 carried some design fettles from fluidic philosophy which made it look very different. This gave the car a first impression and going further, the interior was not let down in any sense. It had space, comfort and some beneficial features which were enough to floor Indian car consumers.
The basic sculpture of the autocar has fluidic lines running over its body. The nose looks very attractive with swept back head lamps which bulge out to look dynamic, the fog lamps look sharper and the air dam on bumper gives a matured stature to the Hyundai i20. The motor car has a longer nose and low height which makes the car feel shorter but sporty. The side of the car with their character lines is probably the most attractive edge of the Hyundai i20. The rear is finished well with stylish tail lamps and a roof spoiler. The model currently available in market is the 2012 Hyundai iGen i20 which underwent some changes in its exterior and engine.
With splendid outfitting of sheet metal on the exterior, engineers had much work to do on the inside to score in the market. The cabin has just enough space for average six footers to sit in. There is just enough head room at the rear and the seats are moulded from nice materials to comfort passengers. The dashboard looks pretty good for a hatchback and although it is a base model it is loaded with convenience features which make people fall in love with the car. The engine start stop button, six airbags, automatic air conditioner, rear view parking cameras with display in centre mounted rear view mirror are some of the features which are worth mentioning.
The 2012 Hyundai i20 came out with the new 1.2L Kappa2 engine which is tuned to deliver 84 bhp. It is equipped with Variable Timing Valve Train (VTVT) unit which improves power refinement and fuel efficiency. The engine is built of aluminium and uses specific materials in various areas to reduce energy loss and vibration level. The result is a smooth and low noise engine that has very linear performance. The car feels weaker in the lower rpm range but when geared higher it performs well. The suspension system can manage to nullify small bumps in the city roads but handling the car becomes a task when driving at high speeds and the driver wishes to change lanes or corner it on curvy roads.
The Hyundai i20 can be called as a car built for mid speed city commuting which has more to offer in the form of comfort and style rather than on the steering wheel for the driver. While other competing hatchback cars have prices ranging between Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, Hyundai i20 is slightly costlier. Yet sales have been promising till date and Hyundai i20 has managed to bring a perfect car which is positioned over i10 and is currently following its success.
