[Virtualaman]

Summary of my initial ownership of my new Hyundai i20 1.2 Litres Petrol Magna (O) variant:

Likes:

• Space and Width at the Rear Seat
• Great Interior Quality – equal to or better than many C2 sedans
• Value for Money - Great list of features for the Price
• Good Ride Quality at city speeds
• Low loading lip of the Boot
• Exterior Looks, specially the Rear three-quarters and front. Very European.
• Efficient Auto Climate Control

Dislikes:

• Low-end Torque (below 2000 RPM)
• Bouncy Ride Quality at speeds over 80 KPH
• Non-existent sound from the Rear speakers
• Lack of storage space in the doors
• No Distance-to-empty or Average-Fuel-Efficiency in the MID
• Fact that the auto door locks can’t be enabled, except in the sun roof variant
• Side profile exterior look
• That stock tyres are 14 inch and not 15 for a car of this size

Background:

I had been contemplating a car purchase since the last couple of years. Was earlier looking for a C2 sedan in the 9-10L range (had zeroed in on Nissan Sunny), but due to certain budgetary constraints, dropped the idea and continued on with my 2004 Santro. Recently, the thought cropped up again due to certain changes in my commuting pattern that necessitated the need for a car purchase.

The initial idea was to purchase the cheapest car and so considered the Nano, Eon, Alto, etc. But then, the thought came that there’s if I am buying another car, it should be something bigger and more comfortable than my current car, since I know I will be using it for at least 7-10 years.

Didn’t like the Auto-like experience of the Nano at all. That left the 4L club, which included a whole host of hatchbacks including the Alto, Eon, i10, Beat, etc. Unfortunately, all of them had equal to or less space than my current Santro Xing. So finally decided that it makes sense to buy something with more space and that requirement was met only in the 6L plus club.

My Purchase Criteria in the 6L club:

• More backseat space than my existing Santro Xing
• More boot space than my existing Santro Xing
• Better Ride quality than my existing Santro Xing
• Petrol (since usage is around 800 Km per month AND I like the sound of a revving petrol engine!)
• Decent After Sales Service
• Decent looks
• City use
• Price around 6.5L on road

Purchase Consideration Set in the 6L club and reasons for rejection:

• Maruti Swift: Meets most criteria and has a great engine, but too cramped back seat. Also don't like the looks.
• Toyota Liva: Meets all criteria very well. In some areas scores better than i20, such as space, ride quality and engine performance. However, family just couldn’t digest either the central placement of the dashboard or the overall disappointing interiors.
• Skoda Fabia: Cramped backseat. Also heard too much about the bad After Sales Service.
• VW Polo: Cramped backseat. Although if I had to buy only for my own use, I would definitely buy this. Looks fab.
• and of course - Hyundai i20
• Didn’t consider the Tata Indica even though it pretty much meets most of the criteria, as I don’t like the overall quality of a Tata car.
• Would have considered Honda Jazz, as it edges out the i20, only if hadn't been discontinued by Honda. If only they had brought out an updated version!

So ultimately, i20 scored very well in certain areas (Looks, specially the interiors; Space; Ride Quality at City speeds; Joystick-like electrical steering in city traffic; Features for the price in the Magna O variant – Auto Climate Control, Rear parking sensors, Auto fold and adjustable ORVMs with turn indicators, USB and Aux on the Music system, Rear fog lamps, Rear defogger, MID) and was poor in some others (Engine performance below 2000 RPM; Ride quality at very high speeds). But in the end, it had the best balance of price vs. requirements. Specially the Magna (O) variant.

So that is what it was in the end. On road cost of 6.23L after discounts worth 30K (15K cash + 10K Hyundai loyalty +5K in accessories).

I followed the procedure recommended by Team BHP throughout the deal. Right from pre-registration checklist to the pre-delivery inspection. In the end, the dealership was quite amazed at the extent of thoroughness in the whole process. They even remarked that usually 1% of customers follow each and every step followed by me. Well, all thanks to Team BHP for it.

Exteriors

I had always liked the look of the i20, i.e., the pre-facelift look. Very European. Specially the rear three quarters. I didn’t know before walking into the showroom, that this model was given a facelift in 2012 as the i-gen i20. The new front looks great. A bit similar to the Polo, which I like! The headlamps look great. Very menacing. I like such a look in the car. When I saw it in the showroom, I knew it was one of the best looking cars that could be bought in this budget. Also of special note are the chrome inserts for the fog lamp moulds on variants with no front fog lamps. They look super. The paint finish is good too. Although Magna (O) doesn’t come with Alloy wheels, I like the look of the wheel caps. Also, the fit and finish of the panels is good with no gaps.

The only negative here is the side profile exterior view. I think it looks awkward compared to the other angles. It makes the car look much smaller than it actually is.

Interiors

The immediate feeling on the inside is one of quality once you are seated. The plastics of the dash, the knobs on the Auto Climate control and the Music system are more like C2 sedans than hatchbacks. Theatre-style dimming of the map lamp looks nice. As does the blue illumination behind each of the knobs and controls on the dash and instrument cluster. The climate control is quite effective. Usually it gets chilly within minutes.

I got the original Hyundai artificial leather seat covers installed in beige colour (6400 after discount) to make the cabin look roomier and less depressing. The front dash is quite high and is sloping, leading to some claustrophobia for the front passengers. The beige helps in reducing that feeling. The MID doesn’t have any Distance-to-empty or Average Fuel Efficiency. How much does it cost Hyundai to offer the same?? Also there is no auto door lock feature, which exists only in the sun roof variant called Asta (O). It’s a shame Hyundai doesn’t offer it across variants, as it’s more of a safety feature than a luxury feature and it doesn’t cost them anything extra.

The ingress/egress is unlike in my Santro, where it’s a breeze as it’s a tall boy design. In the i20, you have to sit down. Though my parents don’t find that too much of an issue. It’s more a question of adjusting to a different way of sitting in a car.

The stock music system is of decent quality with good bass. It has two tweeters in the front doors. On the flip side, the sound from the rear speakers is feeble compared to the front speakers. Audiophiles, please take note.

Engine Performance and Dynamics

It has a 1.2L / 84 BHP / 114 NM Petrol engine where the max torque is developed at 4000 RPM. While this works very well on the lighter i10, the lack of power takes a toll on the performance of the heavy 1066 KG i20. The Power to Weight ratio is a disappointing 78 BHP/Ton. I have driven only around 300 Kms so far, but you only need to drive for a KM to feel the lack of grunt. The 1.4L offered in the Petrol Automatic should have been available as an option for the Manual variants. While the i20 doesn’t struggle, it definitely needs to be driven in a planned manner including overtaking manoeuvres, flyover / incline climbing etc. Situation is made worse with 4 on board with AC on. However, once the needle crosses 2000 RPM, it’s quite decent. Once the run-in is completed, will update on the performance post 3000 RPM. While the tacho is marked all the way to 8000 RPM, I think it should be quite possible to go up to 5000 RPM.

Also worth mentioning is that the engine is very quiet and smooth, both at idle and while driving.

Ride Quality

The Ride quality at city speeds (less than 70/80 KPH) is pretty decent. It absorbs potholes quite well. I haven’t driven post that speed in this car, but drove the test drive vehicle up to 100 KPH over undulating roads, and it does get bouncy, especially at the rear. Also the NVH levels are also pretty good. There’s very little outside sound that filters itself in. In fact, this is one of the quietest cabins I have sat in. Overall, this makes the ride quality good for city conditions.

The steering is super light and devoid of any response from the tyres. So far, I find it a convenience rather than a curse, especially in city traffic conditions, though have heard that it is an issue at high speeds. How high (greater than 80 KPH) is something I’ll know with time.

Well that's it for now, will keep updating as the Beast completes it run-in.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well then, I'll let the pictures do the talking! Thanks for reading

The i-gen i20, looks the best from the front, in my opinion:


Front three-quarter view:


Stock Apollo Acelere tyres. I like the wheelcap design.


Chrome accents around the fog lamp moulds. Love these. Killer sharp looking. Also my avataar pic


Turn indicators. With these on, makes the car stand out in a sea of hatchbacks!


Rear three quarter view. Looks so much better than the front three-quarters view thanks to those stylish tail lamps.


Rear view. The red accents on the bumper are not lights. They are shining due to the flash from my camera!

The i20 branding.


Front headlamps. A lot has been said on the amount of detailing on these (including by GTO). Still doesn't do justice till one sees these in person.


A magazine shot - with all doors open. Looks nice.


Side shot the most unflattering for this car, in my opinion.


Close to 300 litres of boot space. Comes with a lamp. The low loading lip helps a great deal in not having to heave weight.


I got original Hyundai artificial leather seat covers. Didn't expect them to look as good as they finally did. Great fit too. Front seats are terrific from a comfort perspective. Fit very snugly around the passenger.


Rear seats are pretty wide. Leg space is decent too. I think only the Liva and Indica have more.


Detailing of the stitching on the covers is good. Like that i20 logo too.


Stock music system. Sound quality is quite decent, except for back seat passengers where it is close to non-existent as the rear speakers are too feeble.


Dashboard. Quality of materials is closer to C2 sedans rather than hatchbacks.


The MID shows Current temp, time, date, trip meters, audio info. However, no Distance to Empty or Average FE!! Sorely missed!


Footwell. Dead pedal is great and has optimum height. Brakes are good too.


Chrome on the door lock lever looks good. Each front door gets a tweeter too.


Front armrest. The electrically foldable ORVMs are a boon in city traffic. All buttons are lit at night, making it easier to find.


Front door. Doesn't have too much storage, unlike say, the Liva!


Nifty storage area just below the stereo. Good for sunglasses, wallet or some biscuits!


USB and Aux.


Glove box is big. Has a switch to enable cooling mode.


Quality of knobs is very luxurious as borne out by the temperature knob of the climate control.


Volume control. See the blue lighting behind the know. Similar lighting across all knobs. Looks fab at night. Will try and post some night pics later, perhaps.


The air throw through the vertical vents is quite adequate as per my experience, unlike many reports to the contrary. Maybe it's because the climate control has been really upgraded and is super efficient.


The tacho has been defined right upto 8000! Not sure if I will reach there ever, though 5K looks manageable after the run-in is done.

Notice only 25 KM done on the Odo


Foldable type key. Again, material quality is pretty good. Not el-cheapo at all.


Thanks again for reading this thread!

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[driving_smartly]

@ Virtualaman

Congratulations Very neat and detailed review

Even i am keen on updating from My Santro Xing (2006), last Sunday checked out i10 sportz model but some how i was not comfortable with the rear seating position. Moreover family wants a hatch which can seat 3 at the back comfortably without rubbing shoulders . I never thought of i20, post reading your thread i think it could fit well into my criteria. Yesterday my Santro completed 44444 kms in ownership of 83 months which turns average monthly running into 535 kms approx. So petrol would make sense any day for my kind of running.

Sharayu Hyundai, Navi Mumbai offered me the following for my Santro XO Model
-Rs 1.20/- Lacs (Car is in mint condition, i am sure i could fetch more if i find a direct buyer)
-Rs 0.20/- Lacs exchange bonus

Apart from the aforesaid, free insurance on i10 with additional 9k discounts and one full petrol tank was offered.

I have few questions for you

1. How is the rear seat ride comfort is it better compared to bumby ride of Santro ? (Read in your post that "drove the test drive vehicle up to 100 KPH over undulating roads, and it does get bouncy, especially at the rear") I hardly drive over 80 even on highway if i exceed it is to overtake.

2. Which showroom did you buy from ?

3. Did you exchange your Santro ? if yes what price was offered

4. Can you share detailed OTR of 6.23 lacs/- ( or PM me)

5. Any plan to upgrade the shoe ?

6. How are the stock lights at night ?

7. What is FE that your getting ?

To many questions, but i will be prepared before going to showroom

[Shiv_1984]

Congratulations for your Car. What is the tyre size. 175 sections ? I feel they are a bit skinny comparing the dimensions of the car.

Do you have an ACC ? Last week when I went to Hyundai showroom here looking for a CRDI for a friend of mine, the SRep said they don't have ACC for Magna. Is that true ?

once again, have a safe and happy time ahead.

[arvind71181]

Congrats on your new ride Aman!!! Good that you went for the Magna (O) option. The Magna skimps too much on features, is what I feel, hence the (O) is better.

Edit - Do get the extended warranty if you have not done already.

Originally Posted by Shiv_1984

Congratulations for your Car. What is the tyre size. 175 sections ? I feel they are a bit skinny comparing the dimensions of the car.

Do you have an ACC ? Last week when I went to Hyundai showroom here looking for a CRDI for a friend of mine, the SRep said they don't have ACC for Magna. Is that true ?

once again, have a safe and happy time ahead.

Yes the Magna (O) has ACC. In addition to ACC I also think it gets the audio system as well. The Magna version does not have either.

[jaspal singh]

Congrats once again for your new ride...
Seat covers look very neat. having completed almost 1 year and 16500 kms on my igen i20, i can assure that you have made the correct choice.

please do update the fuel efficiency figures after running in period.

Regards,
Jaspal

[Virtualaman]

Hi everyone! As promised, here are few more pics including the night pics and certain areas not covered before.

Front headlamps at night. Look almost animal-like!



Close-up of the front headlamp. So far, I have found that the beam throw is adequate. Can better comment after a highway night trip.


Rear lamps


Rear lamps get a fog lamp on one side and a single reverse lamp on the other side.


ORVM turn indicator - Front view


ORVM turn indicator, as viewed from the car behind. It looks really classy from this angle.


Cabin interior lit up in blue themed light at night. I don't think the picture does full justice to the effect. It's quite groovy.


Notice the back lit knobs in blue light.


Instrument cluster lit up. I liked the clarity and sharpness of the fonts.


Power window switches on all doors are back-lit. Very helpful feature.


Radio aerial at the rear. It's a bit tall. So have to be careful at mall parkings, low bridges, etc. Takes the overall height of the car to just short of the all important 4 Meter mark.


This is how the front headlamps look for someone overtaking you.


Button for opening the boot is hidden in the cavity. On higher-end models, this is also where the reverse parking camera is fitted.


ORVM. Adequate coverage in terms of angle of view. No complaints here.


The i20, VTVT and the Magna badging. Very neatly done.




Three cup holders around the hand brake area. Two (in front) can hold two 1 litre bottles. The third (just behind the two) can hold a large bottle. Also a bottle placed in any of these, doesn't hit the hand while changing the gear, which is good.


Driver side sun visor gets a mirror, in addition to passenger side. Also a ticket holder, useful for toll receipts, etc.


Rear knee room is quite adequate, though of course less than the Liva and Indica. Both front seats are adjusted to a 5' 9'' person.


Seating a third passenger shouldn't be a problem, thanks to the near-flat transmission tunnel hump.


Rear door. No storage space. Rear speakers are feeble. Audiophiles should upgrade.


Another pic of the quality of the stitching on the art leather seat covers. I like!


That's it for now! Will keep updating. Hope you like the pics

[nipcarlover]

Hey, congrats on your car!
These pics are absolutely beautiful!
What camera did you take these pics from?

[Virtualaman]

Originally Posted by driving_smartly

@ Virtualaman

Congratulations Very neat and detailed review

I have few questions for you

1. How is the rear seat ride comfort is it better compared to bumby ride of Santro ? (Read in your post that "drove the test drive vehicle up to 100 KPH over undulating roads, and it does get bouncy, especially at the rear") I hardly drive over 80 even on highway if i exceed it is to overtake. Santro has one of the worst rear seat ride quality. I can vouch for that after nine years of experience. Rear seat comfort in i20 is quite good at city speeds (<80 KPH). This is also helped by the 1060 Kg Kerb weight. i20 feels very planted at these speeds. Though Liva, and some of the European hatchbacks are better in this area. Will update regarding higher speeds, once the Beast's run-in is done and I let it out hunting!

2. Which showroom did you buy from ? Have PM'ed on this. Pls check.

3. Did you exchange your Santro ? if yes what price was offered Nope. My requirement is of two cars. Though based on my understanding, it's always better to not exchange while purchasing. It's better to sell it to a third party dealer or to Hyundai itself, either before or after the purchase. You have a higher chance of getting a better realisation in the value.

4. Can you share detailed OTR of 6.23 lacs/- ( or PM me) Done

5. Any plan to upgrade the shoe ? Thought a lot about this. I am so far happy with the company fitted 175/70 R14

6. How are the stock lights at night ? Quite adequate so far. Need to do a highway trip at night to fairly comment on this.

7. What is FE that your getting ? Still to do the first re-fuel. Will update. Please check again later.

To many questions, but i will be prepared before going to showroom

Thanks driving smartly.

No problem with the number of questions. I am like that too!

My replies are in bold above. Please see. In addition, let me know if I can help with any other doubts. Happy to do so.

Originally Posted by Shiv_1984

Congratulations for your Car. What is the tyre size. 175 sections ? I feel they are a bit skinny comparing the dimensions of the car.

Do you have an ACC ? Last week when I went to Hyundai showroom here looking for a CRDI for a friend of mine, the SRep said they don't have ACC for Magna. Is that true ?

once again, have a safe and happy time ahead.

Thanks Shiv.

The tyre size is 175/70 R14. Yes, I agree - 15 inchers would have suited the large sized i20 better. Clearly Hyundai prioritized better fuel economy over ride quality and handling. Yes variants Magna (O) and above get ACC. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Congrats on your new ride Aman!!! Good that you went for the Magna (O) option. The Magna skimps too much on features, is what I feel, hence the (O) is better.

Edit - Do get the extended warranty if you have not done already.



Yes the Magna (O) has ACC. In addition to ACC I also think it gets the audio system as well. The Magna version does not have either.

Thanks Arvind. Totally agree regarding the variant choice. The following additional features in the Magna (O) are totally worth the 30 K they cost over over the Magna variant:
- Auto climate Control
- 2-din Audio system with rear speakers and USB, Aux, ipod
- ORVM turn indicators
- Rear defogger
- MID (yes the Magna doesn't get this)
- Electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs

Have already got the third yr extended warranty. Though would have been nice, if Hyundai offered this for the fourth year as well, like some other manufacturers.

Originally Posted by jaspal singh

Congrats once again for your new ride...
Seat covers look very neat. having completed almost 1 year and 16500 kms on my igen i20, i can assure that you have made the correct choice.

please do update the fuel efficiency figures after running in period.

Regards,
Jaspal

Thanks Jaspal. I too hope my ownership experience is niggle-free!

Yes, the seat covers look nice and more importantly the beige helps in making the interiors look roomier compared to the default black look.

Sure will update on the FE.

[guyfrmblr]

Congratulations on your new i20. Excellent detailed review.

Originally Posted by Virtualaman

On the flip side, the sound from the rear speakers is feeble compared to the front speakers.

Did you try adjusting the balance in the Settings? I face this issue whenever the settings are reset during service.

Stock Apollo Acelere tyres. I like the wheelcap design.

The Aceleres will serve you well. The tyres in my car are still in good shape after 49,000 km. I had only one puncture in 2 years of ownership.

The air throw through the vertical vents is quite adequate as per my experience, unlike many reports to the contrary.

Be careful while adjusting these vents. The adjuster is very delicate and it breaks off very easily. Its covered under warranty though. I got one of the vents replaced during last service and now the other one has broken. Need to get it replaced during the next service. Do not try fixing any car freshner on these vents.

Close-up of the front headlamp. So far, I have found that the beam throw is adequate. Can better comment after a highway night trip.

The OEM headlamps in the old-gen i20s are abysmal. I recently got the Osram Nightbreaker Plus installed. It can be replaced without meddling the wiring and hence doesn't void the electrical warranty.

Radio aerial at the rear. It's a bit tall. So have to be careful at mall parkings, low bridges, etc.

You have to be also careful while cleaning the car. There is a delicate ring in the antenna base which can break quite easily. Hyundai won't replace that ring but the entire antenna assembly which costs around Rs.2000/-.

My one more suggestion is to get the steering wheel wrapped and stitched with leather as you see in the Sportz and Asta variants. Do not go for steering covers as they tend to slide.

Keep updating the thread regularly. Have many more happy and safe miles with your new i20.

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by Virtualaman

Have already got the third yr extended warranty. Though would have been nice, if Hyundai offered this for the fourth year as well, like some other manufacturers.

Hi Aman - Hyundai does offer the 4th year extended warranty. I got the same done last month so I know this for sure. Mine is the diesel variant and I am assuming that they should be giving the same extended warranty for the petrol version too. They might exempt the automatic though as its a totally imported engine. Please check this out with your SA.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Hi Aman - Hyundai does offer the 4th year extended warranty. I got the same done last month so I know this for sure. Mine is the diesel variant and I am assuming that they should be giving the same extended warranty for the petrol version too. They might exempt the automatic though as its a totally imported engine. Please check this out with your SA.

This is news for me. How much did you pay for the 4th year extended warranty?

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

This is news for me. How much did you pay for the 4th year extended warranty?

Have to look to tell the exact amount but it was around 13000. Will look up the warranty card and provide you more details.

[9thsphinx]

Congratulations on your new ride! You'll love being pampered in your i20 with all those gadgets and equipment at your disposal especially when compared to the barebone Santro. However, I still absolutely love the Santro and you may just miss yours for its super torquey nature!

I am just surprised on your OTR cost. The 6.23 figure seems a bit on the higher side considering we got the Asta for ~6.60 OTR Ahmedabad last September. Is there only a 40K difference between the Asta and the Magna (O)? If so, how much does the Sportz go for? Just curious.

[sandeepmohan]

Excellent choice for your new car.

After travelling as a passenger in a 1.2l i20 Asta on a regular basis, I see why this car is popular. It is effortless to drive this car. I also believe the full option non sun roof version at 7.35lac (just before the drl version was out) on road in my city is incredible value for money. It is built well, works really well as a city run about and the occasional highway run, has lots of room, is super comfortable up front (never tried the back) and Hyundai have loaded it to the gills. As long as you don't tax the engine, it is super quiet inside. I love the front seats too. I find the driving position better than my Fiat. The pedals are light and so are the gears. This car was never built to be a "drivers" car and if you can put that aside, its just brilliant. I love the audio visual reverse parking assist system. They fixed the camera at a place you would never imagine possible. Its so well integrated and the alarms are not deafening like after market equipment. The stereo and air conditioning controls are high quality. The stereo is not the best but does the job for the most part. The aircon works well. Key less system is super convenient. There is a lot to like in this car. The engine isn't as exciting as one would want. At the same time, folks who buy this car are not looking at redlining it and as long as you don't do this, it works really well. No point revving beyond 3000rpm. I have tried this on a 8000km run car and you don't stand to gain much other than engine noise. Refinement is excellent.