Hyundai is now taking orders for its 2018 Hyundai i20 hatchback, which starts from £13,995 in five-door form and comes with a raft of updates including a new dual-clutch gearbox.
The seven-speed 'box replaces the previous automatic transmission to improve comfort and efficiency. It is launched alongside stop/start technology that's now standard for the whole range.
The 2018 i20 retains two engine options, both of which are petrol-powered and Euro 6d Temp compliant (so they can be driven in the strictest low-emission zones set to be enforced in Europe). The entry-level atmospheric 1.2-litre unit comes in 74bhp and 83bhp forms, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Above that is a 1.0-litre T-GDi engine available in 99bhp or 118bhp, with a built-in particulate filter. The 99bhp version gets a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, but now has the option of the new dual-clutch auto 'box. The higher-powered version comes with a six-speed manual only.
Hyundai hasn’t offered a diesel option for the i20 since the end of 2017 due to what a spokesman said was low diesel demand — a trend seen not just in the hatchback segment but in the wider new car market.
The driver assist features included in the i20 are based on Hyundai’s Smartsense technology, bringing lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, driver attention alert and high-beam assist.
Inside, S and SE trims (the latter starts at £15,495) come as standard with a 7.0in touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Higher-ranking Premium Nav (£16,245) and Premium SE Nav (£17,295) trims add sat-nav and live connectivity services. There’s a USB port to connect smartphones to the system.
Design changes to the exterior of the i20 are subtle but include a tweaked cascading front grille, different bumpers and new alloy wheels in 15in and 16in diameters. Eight colours are offered.
Hyundai has yet to confirm whether the UK will receive a three-door version, which is offered in other markets.
The new i20 is considered a key model in Hyundai's ongoing European growth ambitions. The brand sold 100,571 i20s in Europe last year. This is less than a tenth of the sales of the long-standing top seller, the Ford Fiesta, although the i20 has maintained a consistent year-on-year increase to reach a new peak. The i20 represents roughly a fifth of Hyundai’s overall European sales.
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That base price...
Seems quite steep as one can pick up a base Fiat Tipo Hatchback for £13,800; a car that's one segment up.
Hyundai i20
It looks OK if a little bland,decent colours should improve it,but the interior is just too grey,needs a better choice of fabrics & plastics
How about the I20N? Have they