The Hyundai i20 has entered its third generation for the Indian car market. It is now available across three engine and gearbox options as well as eight colour options. The most eye catching detail of the new Hyundai i20 is its exterior design which has taken a sporty route and as a result you get this sharp looking hatchback.

What catches your attention immediately is the sharply raked front and once you acclimatise to that, you get hit by this glossy parametric jewel pattern grille. The massive grille really looks good in the metal with an all-black finish.  Complementing the grille are these angry looking LED headlights that also get an LED DRL. The front bumper also gets an extended lip spoiler that adds to the sportiness.

Moving to the side, the new i20 might look compact, but it is actually 10mm longer than the Elite i20. Adding to the looks are these 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. There’s also a chrome beltline that goes all the way back to the C-Pillar and angles towards the roof.  At the back there are Z-shaped tail lights that stand out and they are connected by an integrated chrome garnish. Rounding it off at the rear is this diffuser like element which also finished in gloss black and goes well with the sporty theme.

The Elite i20 was known for its well designed and spacious interiors and massive feature list. The new i20 further cements the fact that Hyundai knows how to make great interiors. Step in and you are welcomed by this sleek looking dash and you have this vent design running across the dash.

The i20 has grown by 10mm as compared to the Elite i20 in overall length (now standing in at 3995mm) and so has the wheelbase which now stands in at 2580mm. However, the biggest growth is the legroom and shoulder room which have gone up to 938mm and 1390mm, an increase of 88mm and 400mm respectively. Boot space too is up by a huge 26 litres with a total capacity of 311 litres.

The new i20 is loaded to the gills when you talk features.  You get an electric sunroof, digital cluster with MID, wireless phone charging with cooling, air purifier, cooled glovebox and voice activated Blue Link. The party piece literally however is this 10.25-inch infotainment system that gets multiple connectivity options and is linked to a superb seven-speaker Bose system. On the safety front you get six airbags, vehicle stability management, ESC and hill assist control.

Engine and gearbox

This generation of the i20 gets three engines and a multitude of gearbox options to choose from. The standard option is a 1.2-litre petrol which can be had with a five-speed manual and in this combination produce 82bhp/114Nm while if you get it with the CVT, the engine produces 88bhp/114Nm. You can also have it with Hyundai’s 1.0-litre TGDi engine that produces 118bhp/172Nm and can be had with either a six-speed iMT or a seven-speed DCT. On the oil-burner front, you get the 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel producing 99bhp and 240Nm. This engine is offered only with a six-speed manual.

Competition

The Hyundai i20 is rival for the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Honda Jazz, Tata Altroz and the Toyota Glanza.