It is often said that a task is half-completed when the preparation is immaculate and thorough. If that were the case in my pursuit of a new car, I would have to pen down eighteen different ownership reviews here (sending the mods into a tizzy in the process, trying to look for incoherent and non-linear elements in the narrative!)
My search for a car began in 2014 and my initial price range was 5 - 7 L. I didn't have a specific segment in mind because the concept itself was in the middle of an evolution and many kid-segments were starting to spring out of their parent segments. I rode the Baleno, Punto, Amaze, Jazz, i20, Grand i10 and fifteen others on the waves of my imagination, only to be brought crashing down to earth by a jarring gap: lack of a proper parking space. I am happy to report that the problem remains unsolved!
Gradually, the yearning to get behind the wheel added a few mighty kilos to the weight scale 'en contra de' parking. That, and a few prods of encouragement from well-meaning colleagues to drive an actual car instead of learning to drive in a 31 ton truck.
Once I decided to take the plunge, it suddenly became crystal clear. The Elite i20 seemed to be the obvious option for so long but the price remained a deterrent. The Baleno seemed okay but I somehow liked the i20's stance better. It all started to come together once I took out a piece of paper and wrote down my requirements.
I would like to raise my metaphorical glass to BHPians Autofreak and baddy for their inputs during the car selection process and also during the other stages.
What did I want in a car?
Well, I wanted the ride quality to be decent if not plush. Fuel efficiency was important but not a deal-breaker. Steering feel and maneuverability were, though. The shift efforts had to be nominal. I was willing to shell out a bit more, but only if the car had a lot of AQs (they follow this AQ/MBQ model in some companies where Attractive Qualities (AQ) must become Must-Be Qualities (MBQ) to encourage constant innovation).
To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about the widespread opinion of mediocre on-center feel in the i20. This became a point that I wanted to try out during my test drive.
There were other factors like leg room, boot space and ground clearance that I considered during my search for a steed. At one point there was a detailed Pugh's matrix with 'weightages' and stuff. I started to feel that I should simplify things. I quickly narrowed it down to two choices - the i20 and the Baleno.
The Buying Experience
I have already written about this in an
earlier post but let me recount. It is worth another narrative, after all.
I decided to visit the Hyundai dealer first (partly on an impulse) and chose Hyundai Motor Plaza, Ekkaduthangal (Chennai) over the private dealers because the HMP sales experience was highly rated on the Internet. The sales executive there was a trainee but well-informed nonetheless. His demeanor and easy smile made us feel comfortable and he helped me with the test-drive of an Asta (O) variant (petrol).
The moment I laid my sweaty palms (of course not because of the fact that I had just bitten the engine on its backside by raising it to an unnatural rpm in first gear, in line with my truck-driving learning) on the steering wheel, I was sold. The feeble on-center feel didn't seem so feeble anymore. I was able to handle the corners with consummate ease and I checked with my wife on the ride quality in the back seats. All boxes seemed to tick and I was happy with the car.
Back at the showroom, the mood seemed to change. He was ready to make a sale, and we were ready to splurge the cash. But, what is a sale without a good haggle? After all, we seldom let go of the last ten bucks the auto rickshaw man demands while he finds something about the route to cavil at.
After a few rounds of back-and-forth, he relented and offered Rs. 20000 off, in addition to the usual Hyundai regalia - car cover, mats and seat covers. The final price - Rs 797000 for the Asta petrol variant. Color - Fiery Red.
The metro ride back home suddenly seemed to come to life. It was a good dose of joie de vivre and we kept seeing the car everywhere. Nothing can quite best the feeling of just having booked your first car!
He promised to deliver the vehicle in ten days' time (April 5 2018), which he did. He kept me updated at every stage of the process, sent the insurance and loan guys over to my house and managed everything well.
Armed with multiple checklists, we took delivery of the vehicle on a fine Thursday evening after happily striking various poses for their cameras.
Rating: 10/10 (Excellent - for sheer cheer and beaming smiles)
Major Specifications
Engine: 1.2 liter 4 cylinder Kappa, 4 valves per cylinder - 83 ps at 6000 rpm, 115 Nm at 4000 rpm
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Suspension: Front McPherson strut with coil spring, Rear coupled torsion beam axle with coil spring.
Brakes: Front Disc, Rear Drum.
Wheels and Tires: 185/65 R15 Gun Metal Alloy, Tubeless tires.
Airbags: Driver and Front Passenger
Headlamps: Halogen with DRL and fog lamps
The Gun Metal alloy wheels
The first few days
Even before we brought our car home, I ordered all the basic car care and cleaning paraphernalia. Jopasu, shampoo, microfiber towels and the whole shebang.
I also got a red reflective strip to stick an "L" on the windshields. The difference was instant. People started to maintain an extra car's length. My brother, the learner benefited immensely.
A couple of points of interest - the reverse gear does not engage happily all the time. It seems to be the last-bencher in school, hesitant to raise its hand when a question is asked. It requires some coaxing, like getting the first gear to engage first. And it doesn't seem to be a very eager student too. This happens every time and continues till date. A friend of mine tells me that this issue is common in many other cars as well. If that's true, where are we headed?
There is a nasty grinding noise whenever this happens and this is also the neighborhood's morning alarm tone.
Hyundai's reply: The Service Adviser (SA) says this is because of "synchronizing issues". I read somewhere on TBHP that the reverse gear alone is not synchromesh and does not engage freely like the others. Nevertheless, it is quite bothersome.
Pattern of Use
My drives are usually city rides interspersed with highway excursions. I drive about 50 - 80 km each week on an average with the air conditioner always switched on.
City to Highway ratio - 70:30; Load (Average) - 50%; A/C - 100% (Medium blower speed, 23-24 deg C)
Kilometers covered till date - 1900
Driving Style
"
Give up your attachment to your shield", said Lord Parvateshwar to Uttanka in
'The Secret of the Nagas'.
If he were to sit beside me while I drive, he would remark the same about my use of the clutch.
Gradually, I have begun to use the dead-pedal more and more. I stick to the speed limit inside city limits and keep my shifts in line with the shift indicator.
Major Trips So Far
Apart from the usual city trips (not more than 30 km one way), I had the opportunity to embark on three medium-to-long distance round trips.
Chennai-Kanchipuram-Chennai (160 kms)
This was when I really let the vehicle fly on the Chennai-Bangalore highway. It was my first time on a freeway and I had a companion car to guide me along the way. The car was fully loaded (five occupants) and the trip was made when the sun was leisurely sashaying through the heavens in its full glory. Cue 20 deg A/C temperature. I didn't even perpend the fresh air mode, considering the fresh blast of invective that I would surely receive from my passengers if I turned it on.
Chennai-Pondicherry-Chennai (400 kms) - 2 such trips on consecutive weekends
It was during these trips that I really connected with the vehicle in terms of handling and overtaking. I will describe these attributes in a separate section below but I was really impressed with the Electric Power Steering (EPS), especially at speeds above 70 kmph. There was no inherent discomfort that the vehicle was under and it handled almost everything that I threw at it. (I am not so big on personifying the vehicle)
On the Chennai - Tindivanam Highway, enroute to Pondicherry
Hey, you'd better look at me!
I will review each attribute in separate sections below, as promised. This is the only car that I have driven extensively, and naturally, I won't be able to compare with any other model.
Ergonomics Seat - A nifty little feature (that I have not seen thus far given my limited experience with cars) is the ability to elevate oneself from the lowly depths of the floor. This is particularly useful when a first-time driver does not have the innate ability to judge corners/objects on the far side of the vehicle. Pedal reach is good (I belong to the 95 percentile category) and the seat is comfortable during long drives.
Potential fly in the ointment? - the seat covers provided by Hyundai are comfortable when you drive to the local market or maybe a mile or two more. Beyond that, they inspire perspiration in the back and thigh areas. A work-around could be the bead type mats or a cotton cover.
Steering Wheel and Controls - I initially didn't change the inclination of the steering wheel from its position at the top end of the spectrum. After about 300 km, I started to feel my shoulders ache. When I brought the wheel down to its lowest position, I didn't have to shrug my shoulders anymore. Problem solved. Visibility also improved to some extent.
A potential ergonomic inconvenience is the inadvertent brush against the wiper switch when I furiously turn the steering wheel from left to right. The gap between the two is not quite enough and it results in a rubber-against-dry-glass scenario, which is obviously not good.
The other controls on and around the steering wheel are placed well within reach and one can even operate without looking at them.
All other ergonomic aspects like pedal operation, ingress, egress, field of view and blind spot visibility are satisfactory.
In-Car Entertainment (ICE)
The Asta comes with a 7-inch touchscreen and supports Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink. The touch sensitivity is good and there is no apparent lag in the system. It also comes with an SD-card sourced maps application which indicates speed limits for different segments of the city. When I tried to connect my Moto smartphone to Android Auto, there were a few initial glitches. I managed to get it connected after a few re-installs of the app.
The audio, FM and other controls are placed well within reach and the steering mounted controls are also solid. The door-mounted audio system was able to isolate the bass guitar intro of Metallica's 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' quite well though there was a bit of jarring for heavier metal numbers. All other genres resonate well inside the cabin and provide for a well-rounded audio experience.
Air Conditioning
This variant comes with automatic climate control, front and rear defoggers and rear A/C vents. The system works well without much ado and slightly falls short at full load and speeds above 100 kmph. The difference is barely noticeable but the passengers in the rear seats can feel the change. The blower speed has to be set to high to make sure they are comfortable. The rear AC vents take care of this to some extent and the effect will be more pronounced in cars without such vents.
I haven't had the chance to use the defoggers yet but will do so soon.
Interiors, Boot and Overall Appearance
The interiors are spacious and comfortable for the occupants, except maybe for the rear middle seat during long drives because of the lack of a proper headrest. Hyundai has removed the full headrests from the Asta trim and they are available only in the Asta (O) trim, which is not a wise decision.
Boot space is sufficient for a small family trip and the hatch is easy to operate with the feather touch button behind the Hyundai logo.
This variant is equipped with a cooled glove box which is handy during long trips. It also comes with a USB port for storage devices and
another USB charging port in addition to the cigarette lighter. This is very useful because it helps me charge two smartphones simultaneously. There's a small trash bin that comes with the vehicle (slots seamlessly into the bottle holder next to the gearshift lever) - this is a nifty little addition. All my Polo (the mint with a hole, not the one from the emissions manufacturer) wrappers go into this bin, keeping the area free of small paper dust.
The little trash can and the Polo wrappers which make up most of my trash
The dashboard and interiors look good in dual-tone (although I don't think its called the dual-tone variant) and are easy on the eyes. When I drive through a road flanked by trees on both sides, the reflection of the dashboard onto the windscreen is mildly annoying, especially when the sun is directly overhead or just over the horizon.
Performance Fuel Efficiency (FE)
At the outset, I should let you know that my driving skills are somewhere in the novice to intermediate range right now. With this kind of commandeering, the fuel efficiency is somewhat satisfactory.
FE in the City - 13 - 15 km per litre of petrol (used to be 8 - 10 when I started driving)
FE on the Highways - 18 - 20 km per litre of petrol (calculated during the trips mentioned in the 'Major Trips So Far' section)
Vehicle Dynamics
With some experience from my line of work as a Vehicle Dynamics engineer, I classified different vehicle dynamics attributes in the following manner and evaluated them.
1. Ride and Handling
Ride quality is an attribute that is extremely difficult to evaluate because of its subjective nature. I prefer my ride to be plush but not completely bouncy. I would much rather tolerate a sometimes harsh jab to the seat than a floating sensation. In this regard, the i20 perfectly fits the bill. The suspension is soft over small bumps (if driven at the right speed) but does not throw the occupant out of his/her seat. If I somehow fail to spot a bump/pothole in time, I can feel the bump stop engage but the impact is not very harsh. On highways and smooth roads, the ride is very comfortable. On bridge joints however, the rear can get a bit uncomfortable, especially when you can't suddenly slow down.
Much is written about Hyundai's inability to perfect the art of handling design. I however didn't find anything to grumble about. There was nary a swerve nor a sharp bout of roll during lane change or overtaking manouevers above 90 kmph. I kept the steering wheel inputs steady and didn't resort to transient inputs, given my experience, or lack thereof.
The next few major trips will help me to assay the actual handling behavior of the vehicle at high speeds.
Verdict: Good
2. Steering Feel/Response
At low speeds, the soft steering is of great benefit to the driver. I can drive around the city with ease, not having to worry about heavy steering efforts. I also like the fact that the effort increases at higher speeds. I would like to see a much more progressive increase though. In the current configuration, the effort suddenly increases at around the 70 - 80 kmph mark and ever so slightly increases as we move towards 100 - 120 kmph. If the effort increase can happen at 60 kmph (which is normally the starting point in overtaking zones in highways), road feel would be much better.
The 'Actual' v. 'Desired' steering feedback curve (normalized and approximated). An earlier increase in torque would be great.
There is a slight torque dead-band observed during on-center maneuvers and low steering wheel angles but that may also be because of the light steering effort (when the effort is less, it becomes difficult to distinguish between different levels of steering torque)
Verdict: Parking is a breeze with this steering and tight corners are so easy to navigate. Road feel can be improved at high speeds.
3. Gearshift Efforts
Apart from the reverse gear engagement issue I mentioned earlier, there is no problem with the shift system. Efforts are gentle, throws are short and the gate definition is also good.
4. Braking Feel/Response
Brakes are sharp and precise. Pedal travel is short (then again, I haven't driven any other vehicle extensively) and modulation is also well-defined. At higher speeds, it takes an extra fraction of a second to re-orient while braking to a stop. I think this will get better with time. The vehicle does not drift during high speed braking maneuvers and exudes confidence when the driver is sure of his bearings.
5. Drive-ability and Engine Response
My usual city duty cycle (50% load, 100% AC at 24 deg C and medium blower speed) doesn't do much to trouble the i20's 1.2 liter petrol engine. Acceleration is smooth and inline with expectations.
On the highways with 5 passengers and a couple of bags, the engine seems to take a gasp of breath and the acceleration is naturally slower, although only a tad. Overtaking is easy if planned a couple of seconds earlier. I expect all these aspects to slightly improve as the engine sheds its outer coal layer to reveal the diamond within, and also as my driving starts to become more refined.
Point of Interest - There seems to exist a certain gray zone between the second and third gears. This is evident both on highways and during city drives. Between 18 - 22 kmph, the car lurches forward violently if the second gear is engaged. If I don't bother to downshift from 3rd, it requires quite a lot of coaxing to accelerate. I will continue to observe this and update here with relevant RPM details as well.
Verdict: Satisfactory for now, to be pushed to the limits for a broader perspective.
Everything Else The Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVM) are electrically adjustable and the operation is quite easy. The ability to have them fold automatically (on command) in tight spaces is a boon. The angle adjustments are quick and are particularly helpful when I try to park the car along the platform of the road.
Hyundai provides one remote key (fold-able) and one mechanical key with the vehicle. If the remote key is lost, it has to be remade (at a premium) after quoting the key number. The rear hatch can be opened by either pressing the button on the remote key or by unlocking the car itself. However, if the key is lost and if something has to be retrieved from the boot, the mechanical key has to be used to unlock the car to access the boot. This is frankly a periphrastic way to do it and Hyundai must provide two remote keys with the vehicle.
- Hatch Operation and Central Locking
When the engine is idling, the hatch cannot be opened easily through the remote key (imagine pressing the key while it is in the ignition slot). I guess one can unlock the central locking system even when the engine is idling to open the hatch but I haven't gotten the hang of it yet.
The central locking system activates as the vehicle crosses 10-15 kmph and I guess this is a useful feature, especially for those of us with kids.
The plastic trims that form a part of the i20's floating roof arrangement are scratch-prone and not wax-friendly. I had to bear down with more force than usual to remove even a thin layer of Optimum's No Rinse Wash and Wax solution. I agree that the floating roof adds a bit of allure but the scratches and swirls certainly don't.
Swirl marks on the plastic trim
What is it with plastics anyway? I can see similar marks on the headlamps and door visors. Do they scratch easily or is it just their nature to reflect light in circles?
- Reverse Camera and Parking Sensors
The killer feature in the Asta trim, in my opinion is the reverse parking camera and sensors. The image shows no lag and backing up the car is a straight-forward (pun intended!) affair with guide-lines and proximity sensor warnings.
Another feature that I love is the sun-glass holder on the roof-headliner intersection area.
The sun-glass holder that opens up from the roof with a push button
Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels are very satisfactory and the sound of the engine can be heard only at high revs or when driving through an extremely quiet road (like the roads inside IIT Madras). Tyre noise is heard at speeds above 70 kmph or on rough roads but is not disturbing.
The fit and finish is impressive and nice to look at. This is particularly useful when I wash the car as I don't have to worry about gaps between the doors or other fittings.
The headlamps do their job perfectly and there is a height leveling option available on the dashboard. The best part is the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) that come with the Asta variant. As soon as the parking brake is disengaged, they light up. They are a joy to see, especially on reflections.
The indicator switches feel solid and have just the right amount of spring force. The lane change indicators that blink for 3 seconds are very useful on highways.
But the controls could have been designed in a better manner though. It takes some time to figure out the fog lamp and high beam switches, and sometimes the high beam warning indicator on the dashboard lights up when my fingers are nowhere near the switch.
The on-board computer that monitors fuel efficiency has different modes that we can choose from. One can record two trips (distances) and monitor instant FE, trip FE, average speed, total time in use, and distance to empty. It is quite straight-forward.
How I take care of the car
The treasure trove that is Team BHP has hammered one point into my head from day one. The car should be taken care of and maintained by the owner herself/himself as much as possible. This includes cleaning and even driving. I have used only microfiber towels and car shampoos to clean the car, keeping it free of swirls and scratches. The obsessive care notwithstanding, the car has still sustained a few swirl marks. This is courtesy the good folks at Hyundai Motor Plaza (please read the article through the link in the section 'The Buying Experience' and also the section called 'First Service (Check-up)' below).
I bought many car care products off Amazon and the other e-commerce sites.
The array of products in my kitty ?
Vacuum - Bergmann's Hurricane Vacuum Cleaner
Microfiber towels - SoftSpun and Meguiar's Supreme Shine
Applicator Pads - Meguiars and Viking (from Amazon US)
Rinseless Wash - Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax
Car Shampoo - 3M
All Purpose Cleaner - Proklear
Clay Kit - CarPro
Compound - Meguiar's Ultimate Compound
Polish - Meguiar's Ultimate Polish
Wax - Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus Paste Wax
Interiors - Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer
Protectant - Meguiar's Natural Shine Protectant
Glass Cleaner - 3M
Duster - Jopasu (Exterior and Interior)
Drying Towel - Meguiar's Water Magnet
Windshield care - RainX
Now why have I listed these products here? I would make a horrible salesman if I tried to market any of these as these are from so many different companies. I tried out most of these on my i20 and the effects are phenomenal. There are some products like the ONR that work like magic on the paint but don't gel well with the plastic floating roof trim. Each car has its own quirks and one has to do some serious research (like plowing through the nonpareil 700 odd pages (and counting) of
this) to arrive at the best products for their own cars. This becomes even more important for interior products since every vehicle comes with a different dashboard/seat/steering wheel rim material.
I clean the car once a week with shampoo in addition to the use of Jopasu duster whenever I use the car. I plan to use the clay, compound, polish and wax products soon to see if there is any noticeable effect on the new paint also.
The effect of rinseless wash and wax!
First Service (Check-up)
The service section at HMP Ekkaduthangal has a glass window through which you can see your car being serviced. I went there on the 2nd of June and it was not a very sunny day. Yet my sweat glands were perspiring blood on seeing the guy so nonchalantly using his doormat type rag to clean the car. The source of the swirls is not a mystery anymore. There isn't much to comment on the service quality since it was only a check-up. No parts/consumables were changed and the door visor that I got installed came with a few scratches in tow.
Scratches on the door visor
Aspects still to be explored
1. Fold-able rear seat - I don't know if the rear seats are fold-able like that of the Swift but they have similar buttons on top.
2. Child seat - I would like to get a good car seat for my 2 year old kid and I have to check if there is a separate provision to fix them.
3. Child proof locking - The manual mentions a child proof lock feature for the rear doors which I haven't checked out yet.
4. Effect of wax and other products - The vehicle looks neat and clean after a rinseless wash and wax but is there more to come? Let's find out.
5. Effect of a bead type seat cover for the driver's seat.
6. Front and Rear Defoggers
Summary
What is it about the car that makes me say 'Aye' and what troubles me to the point where I say 'Nay'? Well here is the list, in no particular order.
Aye
1. Excellent rear parking camera and sensors
2. Feather-light steering
3. City drive-friendly engine
4. Clear audio
5. Stellar ride quality
6. Good fit and finish, NVH
7. Satisfactory fuel efficiency figures
8. Sun-glass holder
9. Gearshift recommendation indicator
Nay
1. Reverse gear engagement issues
2. The drive-ability grey zone between the 2nd and 3rd gears
3. Plastic trim easily scratches
4. The A/C is sometimes ineffective
5. No factory-fitted anti-theft alarm (Is that the norm now?)
6. The absence of a rear wiper
7. No proper head-rests for the rear passengers
What would I recommend to fellow buyers?
Well, the ayes certainly outweigh the nays and there are no deal-breakers (yet). I will continue to evaluate the vehicle and update here to see if my opinion swings either way. So for now,
go for it!
Thank you for patiently wading through my mumbo-jumbo!
Congrats on your purchase! Lovely colour and choice of trim! I have a 2017 Asta O diesel and I echo your thoughts with regard to ride and handling of the car. Interesting to note that the DRLs are now connected to the parking brake. In my car, they turn ON when I crank it and that's it.
With regard to the reverse gear, yes, technically, reverse gear next to the 1st gear will be notchy irrespective of the brand. I remember reading that it's an engineering limitation in a gearbox due to space constraint. Also, the i20 doesn't have synchroniser for the reverse gear so you gotta come to a complete halt before engaging it. But you can engage 1st gear even if the car is still slightly rolling in reverse without a hitch.
Like you, I also hate the reflection of the dashboard in direct sunlight and that's to do with the beige top of the dash. I wish Hyundai gave an all black treatment like Europe or even the plum grey dash of the i20 Active as an option. Anyway, loved your review and enjoy your i20! :-)
Your mambo jumbo is quite poetic.
Awed by your language and attention to details.
I recently took a td of the new i20 1.2l petrol. I already own an i10 grand and I found the engine to be sluggish in the bigger brother.
I feel the i20 has the ergonomic potential to sport a bigger petrol engine
