Hyundai i20 (2015-2020) Review

The Hyundai i20 hatchback is a solid and practical supermini that just lacks a bit of flair

Strengths & weaknesses

  • Spacious
  • Large boot
  • Standard equipment is impressive
  • It looks bland
  • Engines are lacklustre
  • No diesel option

Hyundai has built its reputation on sensible, no-nonsense cars that give drivers a lot of kit and space for their money. A recently updated version of the i20 aims to continue doing that, but its problem is that there are plenty of alternatives doing just that.

As a small car, the i20 is not short of competition. Next to the modern and spacious Ford FiestaVolkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza, it isn’t quite stylish or interesting enough to stand out in a part of the car market that’s more crowded than Thorpe Park on a free-entry day.

And with new car prices starting at more than £12,000 - before discounts - you could get a better deal on an older Peugeot 208Renault Clio or Vauxhall Corsa

Recent exterior styling updates are welcome, if not revolutionary, while the addition of a seven-inch touchscreen display that boasts digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on entry-level SE trim upwards gives the i20 a competitive edge in terms of standard kit.

Also new for 2018 is the introduction of a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is available on the 1.0 T-GDi 100PS petrol engine as an option and aims to make driving smoother and more pleasurable, especially in traffic.

Light steering and clear visibility make the i20 good to drive and park around town, but out on the open road it doesn’t feel as responsive or nimble as the driver’s favourite, the Ford Fiesta.

With any small car these days, the name of the game for the interior is to offer plenty of room for passengers and their luggage.

The i20 has decent-sized boot (between 301 and 326-litres, depending on the version), which virtually matches the Fiesta but lags the Polo and Ibiza with 355 litres each. Adults should be reasonably happy wth the legroom in the back seats of the five-door. There are two sets of Isofix securing points for child seats.

There are two 1.2-litre petrol engines, and two 1-litre turbo engines, the latter being more sophisticated. No diesel is available.

Historically, the Euro NCAP crash-test result for the i20 has been slightly disappointing: it scored four out of five stars mainly because the latest active safety technology was optional on older models rather than being standard across the range.

This has been addressed and all models now boast five additional safety features as standard, including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert and High Beam Assist.

 

Key facts

Warranty Five years/unlimited miles
Boot size 301-326 litres
Width 1,734mm
Length 4,035mm
Height 1,474mm
Tax (min to max) £165

Best Hyundai i20 for...

Best for Economy – Hyundai i20 MPi S 1.2 75PS 5dr 6 speed manual

This small petrol engine kicks off the range and although it isn't any cheaper to tax, it’s the cheapest to buy outright. It returns 49mpg but takes a sluggish 13.6 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph.

Best for Families – Hyundai i20 SE 1.0 T-GDi 100PS 5dr 7 speed DCT

The smooth-shifting dual clutch transmission in this model make it very easy to live with, the fuel economy is easy on the wallet and SE trim come with lots of interior and exterior niceties. Although sat-nav is only on the next trim level up.

Best for Performance – Hyundai i20 Premium Nav SE i20 1.0 T-GDi 120PS 5dr 6 speed manual

Performance is probably the wrong word to use, as the most powerful engine only just about tickles 118mph and accelerates from 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds. It does come very well specified, though.

History

  • 2014 Hyundai reveals second-generation i20 five-door for 2015
  • 2015 Three-door i20 Coupe revealed, also for 2015 sales
  • 2018 Updated five-door i20 goes on sale, alongside three-door Coupe and chunky Active model. Diesel models dropped from the range
  • 2021 i20 N goes on sale from £24,995 with 204hp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol - 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds

Understanding Hyundai i20 names

Engine 1.2-litre MPI

There are four engine options in total, with a 75PS and 84PS version of the 1.2-litre MPi petrol on offer. The latest T-GDi petrol is available with either 100PS or 120PS power outputs.

Trim Premium SE Nav

Four trim levels are available to customers, the range starting with S Connect, moving up to SE and topping out with Premium Nav and Premium SE Nav models.

Gearbox Auto

5-speed shows that the car has five gears. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard for most models, with a six-speed reserved for the 1.0 T-GDI 120. A new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is available on the 1.0 T-GDi 100PS petrol engine.

Hyundai i20 Engines

Petrol: 1.2 75hp MPi, 1.2 84hp MPi, 1.0 T-GDi 100hp, 1.0 T-GDi 120hp

Your choice of engines in the Hyundai i20 is restricted to petrol power from new, although there are used diesel models available. Unlike Toyota’s Yaris, no hybrid version is available.

The selection begins with a 1.2-litre petrol engine, offered with either 75 or 84hp. Their respective fuel economy and performance figures aren’t all that different, so you may as well save some money and get the less powerful one if this is your choice.

Hyundai ditched its larger 1.4-litre petrol engine in 2018 due to its poor emissions and tendency to gargle fuel. Instead, the new more efficient 1.0-litre T-GDi engine now provides the most power.

We feel the 84PS petrol engine best suits the car's personality and offers the most engaging drive.

However, those looking for a hassle-free drive should look towards the 1.0 T-GDi engine that's mated to a slick seven-speed DCT automatic transmission.

It is impressively quiet and refined at low speeds, while that automatic 'box does a good job of keeping revs low to ensure the least aural disturbance inside the cabin. With an official combined fuel economy figure of 56mpg, it's fairly frugal too.

 

Fuel

Mpg

HP

0 - 62mph

Top speed

1.0 T-GDi 100PS Manual

Petrol

56.5mpg

100hp

10.8s

117mph

1.0 T-GDi 100PS DCT

Petrol

56.5mpg

100hp

11.4s

113mph

1.0 T-GDi 120PS Manual

Petrol

54.3mpg

120hp

10.2s

118mph

1.2 MPi 75PS Manual

Petrol

49.6mpg

75hp

13.6s

99mph

1.2 MPi 84PS Manual

Petrol

51.4mpg

84hp

12.8s

106mph

Hyundai i20 Trims

S Connect, SE, Premium Nav, and Premium SE Nav

We recommend the SE trim level, as it offers a good blend of standard kit and additional subtleties that make everyday life a little more enjoyable behind the wheel, without becoming overly expensive.

Those on tighter budgets can plump for S Connect models, which arrive with the most basic 15-inch steel wheels, cloth seats and simple front-speaker sound system.

As you can imagine, these cars do feel particularly basic and lack things like parking sensors, automatic windscreen wipers and piercing LED lights of the more expensive models.

However, a seven-inch touch screen display now comes fitted to all cars and offers smartphone connectivity. It might not be the most responsive or particularly beautiful to behold but it serves a purpose and feels genuinely generous on the cheapest models.

The top level Premium Nav SE models come complete with all the bells and whistles, including built-in satellite navigation, arm rests, a heated steering wheel, LED lamps, an illuminated and cooling glovebox, front and rear parking sensors and a panoramic sunroof, to name a few.

Alas, the addition of this kit doesn't necessarily elevate the interior of the i20 beyond anything than 'un-fussily functional'. Opt for a Volkswagen Polo, for example, and the more premium interiors feel genuinely well considered, with finishing touches borrowed from more expensive models.

Hyundai i20 Reliability and warranty

Although popular with customers, the second generation Hyundai i20 still only manages to wallow around the mid-to-bottom of the 2018 Auto Express Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, placing some way behind the class-leading Nissan Micra.

The addition of improved standard kit and better safety systems will likely elevate the desirability of this latest model somewhat and the one saving grace is, of course, Hyundai’s excellent five-year/unlimited mileage warranty – effectively the most comprehensive guarantee of any manufacturer (sister brand Kia’s lasts for seven years, but is limited to 100,000 miles).

Used Hyundai i20

The i20 has never captured the imaginations of buyers as much as the Ford Fiesta or Vauxhall Corsa, so naturally there are fewer on the used market.

You'll only find diesel versions of the car on the second-hand market. A 1.1-litre version and more-powerful 1.4-litre model were available, offering reasonable fuel economy of around 55mpg in real-world driving, but noisy acceleration.

Although popular with customers, the second generation Hyundai i20 still only manages to wallow around the mid-to-bottom of the 2018 Auto Express Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, placing some way behind the class-leading Nissan Micra.

The addition of improved standard kit and better safety systems will likely elevate the desirability of this latest model somewhat and the one saving grace is, of course, Hyundai’s excellent five-year/unlimited mileage warranty – effectively the most comprehensive guarantee of any manufacturer (sister brand Kia’s lasts for seven years, but is limited to 100,000 miles.

Hyundai i20: used car prices 1 year old 2 years old 3 years old

Best for performance Hyundai i20 T-GDI

N/A N/A N/A

Best for families Hyundai i20 T-GDI auto

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Best for economy Hyundai i20 MPi 

N/A

Other Editions

i20 (2020)

The Hyundai i20 is an excellent small car that’s practical but also good to drive