The Hyundai i20 is a small hatchback that was first revealed in 2008 and is still in continuous production today. The i20 spawned three different generations with the latest one coming out back in 2019. It is the second smallest hatchback in Hyundai’s family and also one of the most successful ones. So, is Hyundai i20 a good car?
The Hyundai i20 is indeed a really good car because it offers a lot of value for your money. It also comes with decently powerful, yet efficient and sophisticated engines that fit the car’s character perfectly. The exterior design of the i20 was a bit boring with the first two generations, but the 3rd gen i20 spruced things up quite a bit.
The interior of the first two generations was a bit vague, but the 3rd gen i20 looks much better. Reliability-wise, things aren’t as good as they used to be, but that is to be expected as the new i20 is a lot more complex and better in every way. We are going to list the most common Hyundai i20 issues in this article.
Value-wise, you really are getting a lot for your money with the new i20 while the previous two generations are also fairly priced on the 2nd hand market. Practicality is on par with other cars in this segment which means that the i20 is not the best when it comes to transporting more than two people at the same time.
Hyundai i20 – The powerplant
The 3rd gen Hyundai i20 comes with two different petrol-powered engines, a smaller 1.0L 3-cylinder engine with 100hp and 126lb-ft of torque or a larger, yet less powerful 1.2L 4-cylinder engine with 84hp and 87lb-ft of torque. This i20 does not offer any diesel engines in its lineup as Hyundai decided to phase out all diesel engines a few years ago.
The 2nd generation of the i20 offers three different petrol engines with power ranging between 84hp, 101hp, and 120hp. The 2nd generation of the i20 is also available with two different 4-cylinder diesel engines with power ranging from 75hp to 90hp. All i20 versions are FWD and you have the option of a 6-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual.
The most powerful and most exciting i20 you can get is the i20 N performance version with upwards of 200hp. You can expect up to 45MPG from the newest i20 models while older diesel variants can return up to 65MPG.
Hyundai i20 – Design and chassis
When it comes to exterior design, the new i20 really ups the ante as compared to the older two generations which weren’t all that special. The interior is very much the same story as the previous two generations are boring and the 3rd generation i20 looks really futuristic and attractive.
The driving experience is solely focused on ease of use and comfort, except for the N model which offers a stiffer suspension setup that makes the car handle a lot better. All in all, the i20 drives in a completely predictable manner, safe, sound, and easy.
Hyundai i20 – Reliability and common issues
The latest Hyundai i20 model seems to be a relatively reliable car overall, but it also seems like the 2nd generation was the most reliable one of the group. This is probably because the 3rd gen is still relatively fresh and is going to keep becoming more reliable as new models come out. Also, we need to mention that the 3rd gen i20 is by far the most complex i20 yet.
The most common Hyundai i20 issues are related to the car’s engine, the electrical systems, the equipment, the steering system, and bad seals around the windscreen and the doors.
Hyundai i20 – Value and practicality
The Hyundai i20 resides in the affordable car market firmly which means that it can be bought by most motorists out there. For the price, you are really getting a lot if you like the brand and the way the car looks. 2nd hand models are also really popular all around the world because they are reliable, efficient, and cheap to run.
Practicality is on par with other cars from this segment which means that the i20 is not really a car designed to transport people all that often. It is a car that does offer good visibility all around, and one that is very easy to live with in general.
FAQ Section
Is the Hyundai i20 sold in the US?
The Hyundai i20 is not available in the US as of yet, probably because it resembles the Hyundai Accent too much and because these types of cars aren’t really popular in the US. The Accent used to be available as a hatchback as well which means that it was too similar to the i20 overall.
The US market is not fond of small cars in general because most US roads are wide and there really is no shortage of parking in most cities around the US. If we combine that with the fact that the USA tends to have cheaper gas prices, it makes sense why cars like the i20 aren’t really popular there.
Is the Hyundai i20 a luxury car?
The Hyundai i20 is not really a luxury car, even though the latest generation of the i20 does share some similarities with much more expensive and luxurious cars. Hyundai really did a number on their design team because Hyundai used to make some of the most boring-looking cars out there, but the newest Hyundai models look great.
This is what contributed to many people believing that cars like the i20 belong in a higher price bracket. If you aren’t completely convinced, be sure to compare the current generation of the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV with the previous one.
Is the Hyundai i20 cheap to run?
One of the main reasons why the Hyundai i20 has always been fairly successful is due to it being cheap to run. For starters, the i20 does not cost much money to buy and it does not cost much money to insure. The engines are all efficient which means that fuel costs aren’t bad at all.
If we combine that with the fact that repair costs are also low and that repair costs aren’t all that frequent, it is rather obvious that you don’t need a lot of money to own the i20.
