Item: Hyundai i20N
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Mild hybrid means there’s a very small electric motor and battery, which adds a little electrical ‘kick’ to the engine as you drive around. All you’ll be aware of is that it pulls from about 1800rpm, feels hearty in the mid range, and, while it doesn’t feel hugely energetic in the final furlongs of the rev counter, it gets over the 0-62mph-line in 10.4sec. Or in other words, there’s plenty of poke for town or country driving. Officially it'll do up to 55.4mpg and 115g/km of CO2, which is good for the class. 



1.0T GDi

Hatchback

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

We’d suggest sticking with the entry-level SE Connect trim for the best balance of kit for your cash. It has most of what you might want, including an 8.0in infotainment screen, digital instruments, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, air-con, a leather steering wheel and gearlever, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors and 16in alloy wheels.  

SE Connect

1.0T GDi 48V MHD SE Connect 5dr

10t-gdi-48v-mhd-se-connect-5dr

Abarth 595

Audi RS3

Audi S3

BMW M135i

Cupra Leon

Ford Fiesta ST

Ford Focus ST

Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai i20N

Hyundai i30N

Mercedes A35 AMG

Mercedes A45 AMG

Peugeot 308 GTi

Renault Megane RS

Skoda Octavia vRS

Suzuki Swift Sport

Toyota GR Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Up GTI

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Hyundai i20N is one of the cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatchbacks</a>, although if you’re prepared to trade some equipment and a couple of doors, you can buy a three-door Ford Fiesta ST-2 for a few thousand pounds less. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n158">Suzuki Swift Sport</a> will save you quite a bit of cash, but that’s nowhere near as good.

In other ways, the i20N is fairly cost effective. It’s predicted to have competitive resale values that are in line with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Fiesta ST</a>, it’s cheaper to service than the ST and, when we tested them together, it was just as economical – both cars averaged 40mpg in real-world conditions. To top off the similarities, the i20N and the ST are also in the same insurance group.

If you’re buying on a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tag/car-finance-advice-and-guides">PCP finance</a> deal, our research suggests that the i20N and Fiesta ST are very equal on monthly payments, although check out our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying service</a> to find out the latest deals. On the off chance you’ll be running either an i20N or ST as a company car, there won't be a great deal of difference in their <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-is-company-car-tax-calculated/n22618">company car tax payments</a>&nbsp;either.

As far as equipment goes, the i20N is quite well kitted out. It comes with a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, 18in alloy wheels, automatic climate control, power-folding door mirrors, privacy glass and keyless entry.

If you include safety equipment, that list grows with automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>,&nbsp;lane assistance, traffic-sign recognition and e-Call emergency response. However,&nbsp;we can't tell you how safe the i20N is&nbsp;because it hasn’t been appraised by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a>&nbsp;yet.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/hyundai">Hyundai</a> brand featured in our 2021 What Car? Reliability survey, though. It did very well, finishing in joint third, while Ford was a lowly 27th out of 30 manufacturers rated. Hyundai offers a very handy standard warranty: five years with unlimited mileage.

In terms of the numbers it generates – acceleration, cornering speed and so on&nbsp;– the Hyundai i20N is almost a carbon copy of the Ford Fiesta ST. At the same time, it has a vastly different character. And that’s great news because it gives us a genuine choice between two very good little cars.

For a start, the i20N’s 201bhp 1.6-litre has four cylinders, like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n17557">VW Polo GTI</a>&nbsp;engine, whereas the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Fiesta ST</a> uses a thrummier, three-cylinder motor. That gives the i20N a bit more of a guttural, old-school bark but, like most hot hatches these days, its natural sounds is added to&nbsp;through digital means. Still, the i20N’s note is more authentic than the Polo GTI’s, and sounds at least as joyous at full chat (with the engine mode at its most aggressive) as the ST’s.

The i20N is also quite traditional in the way develops its power. It thrives on revs, with the power building with inexorable intensity as the engine spins faster. That’s very different to the ST, which you’ll find is more flexible due to the extra grunt at the bottom end of its rev range. It means you often need to drop a gear to get the i20N to scamper off, but that’s okay – chucking in a few extra gear changes&nbsp;is part of the buzz of driving a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a>.

What are the actual numbers? Well, officially the i20N will hit 0-62mph in 6.2sec and top out at 142mph, which is vastly quicker than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n158">Suzuki Swift Sport</a>. When we tested the i20N going from 0-60mph, it got there in 6.4sec, which was 0.2sec quicker than the Fiesta ST we were testing the same day.

What is a bit of a problem is the responsiveness of the i20N’s engine. There’s quite a lot of turbo lag compared with its rivals – that second or so delay between flooring the accelerator and the delivery of oomph. The engine also continues to surge momentarily when you’ve taken your foot off the accelerator. These two lazy responses aren’t ideal in a quick car.

The gearbox isn’t the most tactile, but it’s defined enough to point your hand in the right direction for a ratio and slots into gear easily. It's not as slick as the manual 'box in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n143">Honda Civic Type R</a>, which is a masterclass in mechanical engineering as an art form, but that’s a much&nbsp;pricier car.

The clutch bite point is defined, so you can launch the car off the line easily and, speaking of launches, the i20N comes with launch control as standard. Its brakes are very able, both in stopping distance and pedal feel, but the nose dive you get under heavy braking causes the back end to rise and squirrel about disconcertingly. The Fiesta ST is more stable.

When it comes to handling, the i20N is much calmer than the ST. The steering twitches a little as the power is transmitted with relative ferocity through the front wheels, but far less aggressively than in the ST. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/hyundai">Hyundai</a> hasn’t set up the steering to be hyper-quick, so you can&nbsp;guide the car intuitively with fingertips rather than the clenched fists the ST can demand.

The i20N has mighty front-end grip, too, so you can carry way more speed through corner than in the rather uninspiring Polo GTI. There’s a bit more body lean and a less playful handling balance than the ST, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – you might prefer the i20N’s more neutral nature. We really don’t think there’s a lot of difference in point-to-point pace between the two, but the i20N is the easier car to drive on the limit. The ST’s playfulness gave us a slightly wider grin, though.

Hot hatches are generally firm riding, and the i20N’s suspension continues that trend. Overall, it’s easier to live with than the ST and the more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>. It’s also better at dealing with smaller bumps and feels more settled on a motorway. Just avoid potholes and sharp ridges, because&nbsp; the i20N give you a pounding over those.

On the subject of motorway driving, the i20N’s engine is turning at not far off 3000rpm in sixth gear at 70mph, so you can certainly hear it buzzing away. Road and wind noise aren’t too bad, though, although it’s nothing like as relaxing to drive over a long distance as the Polo GTI. That’s more of a cruiser than a cornering virtuoso, though.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

It’s a 201bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and, when you rev it out, it produces lively, Ford Fiesta ST-rivalling pace. When we tested it, it went from 0-60mph in 6.6sec and if you keep going it’ll hit 142mph (officially). It sounds the part, too, but the accelerator response isn’t as sharp as we’d like ­– both when you put your foot down and lift off the throttle pedal. It’s relatively economical, though: we managed a real-world test average of 40mpg.

http://example.com

1.6T GDi

16t-gdi

The Hyundai i20N is the car maker’s second hot hatch, and shows how much times have changed. Until recently, Hyundai didn’t really do ‘fast’ and ‘exciting’, and that was fine – the world needed practical, dependable cars (and still does).

Not all of us want&nbsp;to be sensible and dependable, though. Some people are prone to flights of fancy, like popping out for a pint of milk and buying a brand new hot hatchback instead. You crazy guys.

So, with a nod to hedonism and an eye on untapped potential, the South Korean manufacturer created its Hyundai N subdivision to add some motorsport-style zing to its models. First came the acclaimed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30/hatchback/review/n183">Hyundai i30N</a>, which took on the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Type R and other potent,&nbsp;family-sized rivals.

Now, we have the second coming, the Hyundai i20N. It's slipped in at the cheaper end of the hot hatchback market, right in the mix with the evergreen <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>. The ST is&nbsp;our current favourite&nbsp;hot hatch for value, but there’s also the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/swift/hatchback/review/n158">Suzuki Swift Sport</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n17557">VW Polo GTI</a> to ponder.

Over and above the standard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i20/hatchback/review/n53">i20</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/hyundai">Hyundai</a> has given the i20N some beefed-up brakes, sports-tuned suspension, a limited-slip differential, turbocharged power, which peaks at around 200bhp, and racier styling inside and out. For fans of simplicity and purity, it also has an old-school&nbsp;six-speed manual gearbox.

As ever with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatches</a>, the driving joy they give you is every bit as important as how fast they are and how well they scoot through corners. So in this Hyundai i20N review, as well as telling you all about performance, practicality,&nbsp;running cost and so on, we'll be measuring&nbsp;the size of the smile you get behind the wheel.

If the idea of owning an i20N makes you smile, make sure the amount you pay for it does too,&nbsp;by checking out the free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a> before you sign on the dotted line. It has very good prices on lots of makes and models, including loads of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch deals</a>.

The Hyundai i20N gives you plenty of steering reach and height extension, and the driver’s seat is height adjustable. Lumbar adjustment isn’t included, but that’s not a real grip because the sports front seat has good lower back support. We dislike the angled seat squab, though, because it digs in to your thighs slightly.

There's a clear view out the front of the i20N, but rear vision is a little compromised by its chunky rear pillars. Still, you can count on standard rear parking sensors and a reversing camera to avoid any potential prangs. Full LED&nbsp;headlights are standard, which is an advantage&nbsp;over&nbsp;the LED dipped beams&nbsp;(not main beams) you get as standard with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>.

Fully digital instruments come as standard in the i20N, which is unusual at this end of the market. The i20N’s set-up will make avid gamers feel at home&nbsp;because the display can be configured in a multitude of ways to show everything from cornering G-force to how much brake pressure you’re using. You can even see your lap times on a track day. The rest of the car is a doddle to use because the main dashboard buttons –&nbsp;temperature settings, lights and wipers –&nbsp;are simple, physical controls.

We’d love a few more physical shortcut buttons for the infotainment system, though, because the touch-sensitive buttons below the 10.3in touchscreen aren’t that easy to use. And while we rate the screen’s graphics and resolution, the software is unusually slow for a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/hyundai">Hyundai</a> system. The time it takes to boot up after switching on the ignition and&nbsp;the wait&nbsp;for it to respond after making selections are&nbsp;quite frustrating.&nbsp;

On the plus side, it’s well equipped. As standard, it comes with a DAB radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring, built-in sat-nav, wireless phone-charging and a six-speaker stereo. An eight-speaker Bose upgrade is available as an option.

The i20N’s interior quality is slightly disappointing. We know this car isn’t competing against the much pricier Audi RS3 or even the Golf GTI, but the proliferation of hard, cheap-feeling plastics and flimsy elements that feel more like flotsam and jetsam don’t stand up well next to the Fiesta, let alone the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n17557">VW Polo GTI</a>.

It’s a well-equipped car for the money. It comes with a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, 18in alloy wheels, automatic climate control, power-folding door mirrors, privacy glass, keyless entry, a 10.3in touchscreen, a DAB radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone-charging, built-in sat-nav, LED dipped beam headlights, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and digital instruments. Safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking, lane assistance, traffic-sign recognition and e-Call emergency response.

Perky performance and nicely balanced handling

Hyundai i20 N

The Hyundai i20N might be at the smaller end of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch category</a> but it has more than enough leg and head room for six-footers in the front. Storage-wise, you get trays, a couple of cupholders and a reasonable glovebox, but the door bins are small.

The i20N comes with five doors only (you can buy a three-door <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>), so you should be easy enough to&nbsp;get&nbsp;into the back seats, where there's a surprising amount of leg room. Even tall adults will have a gap between their knees and the back of the seat in front, whereas they’ll probably need to position their legs on either side of the front seat to fit in the ST. There’s not a vast amount of head room going spare in the back of the i20N, but it’s enough for six-footers.

Looking at the specs, you’d think the i20N had a bigger boot than its chief rival, the ST, but that’s not the case. It’s fine for a car of its size, but the way the boot is shaped and the angle of the rear seatbacks meant we really struggled to fit four carry-on cases below the parcel shelf to match&nbsp;the tally of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n17557">VW Polo GTI</a>. We could get five cases in the ST.

The i20N boot doesn't have a big load lip and you get a variable-height boot floor as standard.&nbsp;We also like the neat trick of being able to slot the parcel shelf out of the way behind the rear seats when it’s not in use. There’s more space available when you drop the 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and, if you raise up the boot floor, there’s no step in the extended load area.

We rather like the Hyundai i20N. It’s a great alternative to the Ford Fiesta ST and much more entertaining than the dynamically dull Volkswagen Polo GTI. You can drive it aggressively and it won’t bite, and when you're precise, its calm, neutral balance works with you to generate pace. Either way, there’s no doubting it’s as fast as the Fiesta ST in most respects. By the smallest of margins, we’d say the Fiesta ST’s extra playfulness makes it a little more fun.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Entertainingly agile handling</li> <li>Eye-widening acceleration</li> <li>Fruity exhaust note</li> <li>Punchy and characterful engine</li> <li>Great driving position</li> <li>Everyday usability</li></ul>

The best performance cars combine sports car-rivalling acceleration with&nbsp;engaging handling. However, they also retain the&nbsp;impressive everyday usability of the conventional saloons and estates on which they're based.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio currently sets the standard. However, the models from BMW's M division and Mercedes-AMG also tend to impress.

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