Test drive Hyundai i20 1.0T: this is the most balanced version of the city car

We take the controls of the Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDi 100 CV, a variant that has won us over with its refinement and its good balance between performance and fuel consumption.

The new Hyundai i20 is a car designed by and for the European market that has seen the virtues of its predecessor reinforced: good interior space, ease of handling and good value for money (boosting safety and connectivity). The South Korean supermini rivals the great dominators of the category, cars like the Seat Ibiza, the Ford Fiesta or the Renault Clio. At Top 10 Motor, we took the controls of the most balanced version in the range, the Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDi 100 CV. These are the conclusions we reached after a week of testing it.

1.0 T-GDi 100 CV engine: excellent fuel consumption/performance ratio

The 1.0 T-GDi three-cylinder engine is the most balanced option in the range. This turbocharged engine is available in two power outputs: 100 CV and 120 CV. The lower-powered unit, the one we tested, offers an excellent balance between performance and fuel consumption, making it the best choice in the range in our opinion.

The Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDi 100 CV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds (only 0.3 seconds slower than the 120 CV version) and reaches a top speed of 188 km/h (compared with 190 km/h for the higher variant). But setting the numbers aside, we can assure you that these performance figures are borne out on the road: the car has a very adequate thrust when you rev it up and offers satisfactory acceleration. We are dealing with a versatile engine, which delivers great performance both on the open road (with very reasonable average consumption) and in urban areas.

If we had to find a fault with this powertrain, it would be the lack of pulling power at low revs. Although the turbo kicks in from 1,500 rpm, the car suffers from a certain lack of torque at low revs, which forces you to work the gearbox if you want to accelerate briskly.

That said, the engine is quite quiet, smooth and refined. The throttle response is immediate, and the typical vibrations of three-cylinder engines only appear at idle, and are slight in this case. It is also true that when you rev it hard it produces a sound that can be irritating, but this is something most three-cylinder engines suffer from, and in this case it is not a major problem since the car is fairly well insulated from the outside and does not transmit too much noise.

Real-world consumption: 6 litres/100 km

On the other hand, the fuel consumption of this variant is quite good for a three-cylinder petrol engine: we recorded an average of 6 litres per hundred kilometres on a route combining open-road and urban stretches.

As with the rest of three-cylinder powertrains, you will only achieve low consumption if you drive efficiently and calmly; otherwise you will record consumption of up to 8 litres per hundred kilometres.

For all of the above, we recommend the 1.0 T-GDi 100 CV engine in this Hyundai i20. The other options are limited to the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine with 84 CV , a much less flexible option that does not compensate for its poorer balance between performance and consumption. There are also no diesel engines in this Hyundai i20, an option that disappears for the first time, though we do not (excessively) miss it given the efficiency offered by the 1.0 T-GDi engine.

Manual gearbox or the new dual-clutch transmission?

The unit we tested features a five-speed manual gearbox, without doubt the cheapest option (it comes as standard) and one that delivers more performance in this Hyundai i20. This transmission offers a pleasant, comfortable feel and is useful for all types of journeys. However, on longer routes we missed an extra gear (which the 120 CV version does offer as standard) to make fuel consumption on the open road even better than it already is; on a 250 km motorway run we recorded an average of 5.8 litres per hundred kilometres, travelling at 120 km/h.

On the other hand, the Hyundai i20 introduces a seven-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This option stands out for its quick shifts and its ease of use. It has no shift paddles, but it does have a “semi-automatic” mode that lets you change gear with the lever.

The automatic gearbox has two drawbacks: first, that once all the costs are added up, it carries an extra cost of around 3,000 euros (the gearbox costs 1,600 euros and is only available from the Tecno trim, which costs 1,500 euros more than the basic Essence version); and second, that it means a slight loss of performance compared with the manual gearbox: in the case of this 100 CV version, the 0 to 100 km/h time worsens by six tenths of a second and top speed drops by 6 km/h. On the other hand, it is also true that this option helps to reduce consumption, as it helps the driver make more efficient gear changes.

Which one should I choose? The manual option is a solid and affordable choice that we quite liked. But if you are looking for an extra touch of comfort, the DCT transmission is probably best. It all depends on how much the extra cost means to you and whether you are interested in a basic or better-equipped version (in the latter case, the automatic transmission would make more sense).

Travelling with the Hyundai i20: a very versatile car

It is remarkable how much city cars (segment B) have improved on the open road. A few years ago, this type of vehicle was intended exclusively for urban use, but now they have become highly capable cars for long journeys. This Hyundai i20 is a clear example. The car offers a great dynamic balance, improving on its predecessor in this respect and on many of its rivals (the Renault Clio, for example).

We had the opportunity to make a long-distance journey with the car and were impressed by the safety and composure the car shows. The suspension filters out road irregularities wonderfully, even when driving at a brisk pace. Among the reasons why the new Hyundai i20 has improved its stability and ride comfort are the revised steering (now more communicative and direct) and the new dampers, which improve its precision through corners, something that in any case does not compromise ride comfort on the open road; an area in which this car shines positively.

The car is more versatile than ever: it offers excellent visibility, good manoeuvrability in town, excellent composure on the open road and surprising agility through slow bends. Even so, it is true that the Ford Fiesta and the Seat Ibiza (the great dominators of the category) are a small step ahead in this area, but not by much.

Interior: decent finish

In the interior we find good finishes, but given the starting price of this car (available from 11,265 € with discount), the presence of hard plastics across much of the cabin is unavoidable. Even so, the perceived quality of these materials is good, and they also offer a pleasant feel. It is not an interior that stands out for its flashiness, but it is no less than we would expect from a car in this price range.

In terms of interior space, the car offers more than enough room for two people in the rear seats (I am 1.83 metres tall and have a hand’s width of space in front of my knees relative to the driver’s seat). All the seats in the car offer great comfort, and the front seats also have good lateral support. The only drawback is that the head restraints on all the seats are too rigid.

As for the boot, it offers a capacity of 326 litres, expandable to 1,011 litres. This is an intermediate capacity for its category when compared with the leaders in this respect: the SEAT Ibiza and the Volkswagen Polo.

Technology news: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Among the most notable innovations in the interior are the inclusion of a 7-inch touchscreen (with reasonable image quality and fairly intuitive use) and the compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The car also offers extensive standard equipment when it comes to active safety. These are the most notable safety assistants introduced on the car:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane keeping assist
• Driver attention alert
• Automatic headlight assist

Price: from 11,265 € with discount

The new Hyundai i20 has a very affordable price if we apply the discount of 5,250 euros currently offered by the brand. This promotion comes with three mandatory conditions:

• Financing the car with the option proposed by the brand
• Trade-in discount
• Handing over a second vehicle in exchange

We remind you that the new Hyundai i20 is available in a wide range of body styles: 5-door, Active (with some rugged details) and 3-door (a variant that some of its rivals do not offer: the Seat Leon, VW Polo, Renault Clio).

These are the prices of the new Hyundai i20 without applying any discount:

Technical specifications of this car

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