Hyundai Elite I20

First and foremost, the Hyundai Elite i20 bears no resemblance to the outgoing model of the hatch, at least in the exterior appearance. The Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design philosophy is contemporary and elegant. Some of the highlights of the front fascia include, the wrap-around headlamps, all-new hexagonal grille with chrome linings, wider air dam and hood character lines. The all-new body-coloured front bumper features wide and distinctive trapezoidal fog lamps. Coming to the side profile, due to the enlarged size of C pillar, the roofline looks sportier. Additionally, there are body-coloured door handles and ORVM with turn indicators in all the variants of the hatch, except for the Era, where they are present in black shade. Even the top-end variants – Sportz and Asta have been bestowed with chrome door handles and premium dual tone, 16 inch diamond-cut alloys. Coming to the rear profile, the company has introduced an all-new ‘Boomerang’ shaped tail lamp cluster, which further accumulates its style.

The extended wheelbase makes the cabin more spacious than before that results in adequate legroom and shoulder room. The sporty multifunction 3-spoke steering wheel is extremely light and responsive. It comes wrapped in leather in the mid and top-end trims. The vast central fascia includes a redesigned gearbox console. The door handles have received chrome treatment to raise the ambience. The aesthetically designed hi-tech and informative supervision cluster looks decent in glossy black tone. The mid and top-end trims also offer height adjustable driver’s seat feature. The top-end variant also facilitates the occupants with the 60:40 foldable rear seat feature. The Elite i20 also boasts of a front center console armrest, and the top trims get an Engine Start/Stop button as a standard feature along with a rear wiper and washer. Apart from the base variant, every variant comes equipped with an integrated 2 DIN MP3 Audio with USB, Aux-in, and 1 GB internal memory.

The Elite i20 is offered with a petrol and a diesel engine to choose from. The 1.2litre four cylinder petrol engine churns out about 82bhp of power at 6000rpm and a peak torque of 115Nm at 4000rpm. This engine comes mater to a five-speed manual transmission. The 1.4litre turbo-charged four-cylinder diesel engine generates 89bhp of power at 4000rpm, while the torque output is 220Nm at 1500rpm. this engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The 1399cc diesel powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 20kmpl in city traffic conditions and 22kmpl on highways, while the petrol variant offers a mileage of 16kmpl on urban roads and 18kmpl on freeways.

Hyundai as incorporated a decent braking system in the hatch, which comprises disc brakes in the front and drum brakes on the rear. It is further supported by the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), though it is limited to the top three variants. The parking assist feature with reverse parking sensors and rear cameras with ECM display comes handy during parking the hatch. There are front fog lamps to improve visibility in harsh weather conditions. Additionally, the top-end trim also features seat belt pretensioners for the driver and front passenger, automatic headlamps, impact-sensing auto door unlock, and clutch lock. On the security front, it is equipped with immobilizer, smart keyless entry, and central locking.

Further, the Elite i20 comes loaded with a tilt and telescopic steering with a motor-driven (electric) power steering wheel. It is lightweight and thus, can be easily operated, hence making the hatch maneuverable through even narrow and congested streets. The diesel engine is mighty powerful as it reaches the 0-100kmph mark under 14 seconds while clocking a top speed of 165kmph. On the other hand, the performance-oriented petrol motor attains the 100kmph mark from standstill within 15 seconds and can reach a top speed of 145kmph. The immensely positive response it has received from customers prior to its launch reveals that it will hold its own ground amongst its rivals, which include the likes of Volkswagen Polo, Fiat Punto EVO and Maruti Suzuki Swift.