The Uber turns Elite!!!

Hyundai unleashed the 1st Gen i20 in 2008 that left a rousing impact. Four years forward and Hyundai introduced the mid-life facelift in 2012, which did not fail to impress either. Hence, the 2nd Gen i20 really has some big shoes to fill in and yet this would be quite an understatement.

The recent unveiling of Hyundai Elite i20 in India is a clear indication from the car-maker that it's focus is to strengthen its foothold in the domestic market. Also to cease the new Volkswagen Polo or the Fiat Punto Evo from gaining a head-start. And obviously to take on Maruti's Swift head-on. Needless to say, face-lifts and new generations are the need of the hour.

The Fluidic design from Hyundai was an instant hit in India and this time around the new i-20 comes with a "Fluidic Sculpture 2.0" design philosophy that's more European-esque.  The company claims this shift in the design philosophy was to transform the car's image. The new styling certainly allows the Elite i20 to look bolder (to come across as 'bold' instead of 'youthful'). The hexagonal grille at the front is hard to miss. The sweptback head-lamps and the sleek fog-lamps on the bumper help bring the much-needed 'cheer' to the hatchback's front. The absence of daytime running LED (as in the outgoing model) is quite strange though. That said, it is really the rear where the Elite i20 scores brownie points, thanks to the 'Alfa-Romeo styled' tail-lights. And the blacked out C-pillar blends in equally well.  To be honest, it looks all the more ravishing and make heads turn.

Now, the cabin. Its nice and pleasant inside the Elite i20; the dual-tone beige and black interiors look good and so does the neatly laid out dashboard. The fit-and-finish is as good as ever. Being a Hyundai product, the presence of lots of features is a given. The 3-spoke steering wheel has a nice upmarket feel to it and comes with lots of controls mounted on it. The hatchback gets a front -centre armrest with storage, a steering-sensitive rear parking camera, and a 2-DIN audio system with 1GB storage among other features. A one-touch function is also present onboard to warn lane change intentions as an added safety measure. So, the Elite i20 looks truly 'un-compromised'.

Since the Elite i20's wheelbase is the longest in its segment, there is little doubt that the rear row gets quite a decent amount of legroom and headroom. The seats are firm and comfortable, with good under-thigh support. Then there are also the AC vents in the rear row. Simply put, you will be comfortably riding in the Elite i20's rear row. As far as the boot space is concerned, it has shrunk a bit, as compared to the outgoing model, but is still good enough to fit in baggage for a couple of days trip.

Coming to the driving dynamics, Hyundai has turned smart to improve the Elite i20's by adding a bit more zing to the petrol engine and refinement to the diesel. 

The 1.4-litre U2 diesel engine delivers 89bhp of power and an impressive peak torque worth 220Nm. Also, it doesn't make much noise, even at high speeds, and the cabin is really quiet. In terms of transmission, the 6-speed gearbox (only in Diesel variant) is quick and responsive and is perfect for highway driving. 

The 1.2-litre petrol engine has been tweaked to offer more low and mid-range power. It produces 82bhp and 115Nm of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Expect the petrol model to get an automatic transmission pretty soon. The fuel efficiency figures are impressive too; Hyundai claims that the petrol engine offers 18.5Km/l, while the diesel promises 22Km/l.

In terms of suspension, the one on the Elite i20 is softer than that on the outgoing model. With a ground clearance of 170mm, driving on poorly-built roads wouldn't be a challenge anymore. The steering is precise around corners and the car handles well at high-speeds. Overall, the new i20's ride and handling certainly feels more confident.

The crux of the matter is that the Elite i20, with it's improved driving dynamics, added features, more space and new styling, will easily fill in the big shoes of its predecessor. With a price tag of Rs. 4.89 lakh for the base petrol and Rs. 7.67 lakh for the top-end diesel, the Elite i20 looks a bit pricey , but that didn't deter many in the past and we doubt it will affect the new-generation model's prospects either.

- DC

Courtesy: Autocar, Team BHP, Wikipedia, Kun Trial :)