Hyundai i20

Introduction

Hyundai, as a Korean maker, has almost by default had value for money as its core brand value. Even the stylish Hyundai Coupe is still looked upon as a 'cheap' way of getting into something sleek and racy. But, like its Kia sister brand, Hyundai has started making cars that attempt to compete on more than just price with rivals from Europe and Japan. The i20 supermini competes in a very competitive field, but it is also very cheap. So, is it the same old story?

What are its rivals?

We live in a world where it doesn't seem acceptable to make 'normal' cars any more - everything has to be an amalgam of loads of different things, usually resulting in a 'do everything' car, and usually called a crossover or an SU-something-or-other. The humble supermini seems like an old segment now, but it's still awash with very good and very popular cars like the Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio and the brilliant, class leading Ford Fiesta. It's an old cliché to say, but in that crowd the i20 will have to be very impressive - or very cheap - to stand out.

How does it drive?

Going back to our last statement, the i20 is both very impressive and very cheap. Does it outdrive the class mainstays we mentioned? In a word, no, but that's not to say it's inferior. Hyundai clearly knows its audience - as well as the type of low-speed, urban and suburban driving the majority of i20s will be tasked with - so the car is set up with an obviously un-sporty degree of suppleness. What that means is that it soaks up lumps and bumps effectively on the short road to Tesco, but the trade off is a lolloping ride on the motorway and too much body roll during cornering, should you decide to take the back road home. It also lets in too much wind and road noise at higher speeds, but then that's fairly standard for a supermini.

Yet it still serves up a satisfying dynamic dish, because it has the raw, slightly uncouth feel of a last-generation supermini. Even though it pitches and rolls heavily under turning and braking, it's one of those cars that provides far more fun than fear when it's being thrashed. The 77bhp 1.2-litre engine revs freely, the steering is direct and plenty of information transmits from the wheels into the cabin.

What's impressive?

As a buying package the i20 is massively appealing because it offers plenty of equipment, space and style for a very reasonable outlay. Its cabin might not be the last word in design flair or tactility, but it doesn't feel desperately cheap (as has much of Korea's small car output) and it's ergonomically sound, with plenty of driving position adjustment, loads of headroom and, we found, the ability to transport a family of two adults and two children in comfort (for a short while, at least). The boot swallowed a double buggy too, albeit after ditching the parcel shelf.

What's so compelling is that, rather than just dishing up a load of equipment in an otherwise lacklustre package, the i20 is a pretty complete supermini; the Korean isn't class leading, but nor is it embarrassing in any way either. The Comfort spec test car we drove (mid-range between Classic and Style) comes equipped with air conditioning, 15-inch alloys, electric windows, curtain airbags, full iPod connectivity (including a USB port) with stereo controls on the wheel, and a five-year warranty. A model equipped as such from Ford or Vauxhall will cost significantly more than this car's £9,650 asking price, and will only have a three-year warranty, which is perhaps why the Korean should, according to car price analysts CAP, hold its value better than them after three years.

What's not?

The dashboard, which borrows heavily from the bigger i30 (and the cee'd hatchback from sister company Kia) isn't offensive, yet feels a decade old compared to, say, the Fiesta's cabin. Higher spec cars get silver plastic for the stereo and air vent surrounds, whereas the dash of our test model was swathed in black on black. It's designed tastefully, but without much flair. That said, the seat and door trim cloth - either bright red or blue - lift the cabin ambience no end.

Inexplicably, there's no handle to slide the driver's chair forward on three-door models for rear seat access. The passenger seat has one, but to get over the driver's chair involves using the seat adjustment itself to slide it then tilt it forward. An unusual cost-cutting measure? Perhaps, but very odd.

Should I buy one?

The Hyundai is probably not the car you'd pick if you were stood next to a line-up of free superminis and asked 'which one would you like?' but when it comes to the mundane business of buying and running a sensible small car it's very difficult to ignore the i20. For all it will offer the cheap price and running costs we've come to expect from Korea, it also provides a measure of unique entertainment behind the wheel, loads of kit and decent build quality, all wrapped in a pleasingly styled shell.