Hyundai i20 Active Review

With the new Hyundai i20 Active and Fiat Avventura introduction in the market, cross hatchbacks section which was the most neglected segment suddenly is gaining popularity. A year earlier this segment had cars that offered more of cosmetic updates like puffy bumpers etc. Things have changed now and buyers are opting for these cross hatchbacks that make more sense than its standard siblings.

Design

i20 Elite is one of the best looking hatchbacks in India and Hyundai has successfully given it rugged look while keeping the design that people love intact with i20 Active. The addition of circular fog lamps in the front and similar lamps on the rear bumper looks good. The simplistic design of the cross makes it stand apart from the rest. There is an extra ground clearance of 20mm which makes wheel arch mechanical visible.

The dash is retained from Elite which looks good. The cabin is very spacious and driving position is comfortable. The steering wheel could be adjusted for rake and wheel which adds to the comfortable driving posture. Cabin is packed with lot of cool features like dual 12 volts power outlets, cooled glove box, rear AC vent with dual direction so that both passengers gets sufficient cool air. The audio system is very easy to operate and has great sound quality. The instrument cluster is well laid and looks crisp.

Engine

i20 Active is powered by 1.2l Kappa Dual VTVT petrol engine and 1.4l U2 CRDi diesel engine. 1.4l Diesel engine gives out a peak power of 90PS at 4000rpm and punches out a maximum torque of 220Nm at 1500-2750rpm. The car is very smooth even at 3 digit speeds and surprisingly the NVH levels are also very low as compared with the other cars in the segment. There is slight lag till 2000rpm from where its pickup and becomes enjoyable till 4500rpm. One might not feel the lag even at low speeds but due to the surge ahead the negligible lag is felt. i20 Active can go from 0-100kmph in just under 12.6s and could easily attain top speed of 150kmph. A well spaced ratio of 6 speed gearbox that is precise and smooth adds to the driving pleasure.

Handling and Ride

Suspension was one of the problems with very early Hyundai cars but not anymore. The front gets McPherson strut with coil spring suspension and rear is fitted with torsion beam axle with coil spring. It could take up bumps of any bad roads with ease and cruising at high speeds too is not a problem with the well integrated suspension to the frame. i20 Active has better ridability that its sibling i20 Elite or any other Hyundai’s offered cars.

Mileage

i20 Active SX could go up to 22.3km on a litre fuel on highways and on city roads it gives an average of 16.5kmpl. It has the best fuel efficiency in its segment shared by Toyota Etios Cross VD.

Verdict

At about Rs. 10.8 lakh(on-road Mumbai) the car is bit expensive but it is the best value for money premium cross hatchback in India as of now. In the extra money you pay for Active, you get loads of extra features like electric powered outside mirrors, cooled glove box, auto headlamps, LED drls, parking sensors, push button start, reverse camera, cornering lamps etc. It is spacious, very comfortable to ride and sit, great looks, good resale value and is backed by good after sales service.

2016 Specification and Features

Below is the table depicting specifications and features of top 3 cross hatchbacks namely Fiat Avventura Emotion, Toyota Etios Cross VD and Hyundai i20 Active SX and their comparision.