New Hyundai i Active headlights on

New Hyundai i20 Active 1.2 Petrol/1.4 Diesel Review: Frisky Appeal

What happens when hatchbacks are tired of their rather diminutive positioning in the car pyramid? They go shopping for a larger pair of shoes which make them look taller, some neon coloured adventure gear, apply some army camouflage on their cuddly faces and get ready to crossover into SUV territory. Joining the Fiat Avventura, Toyota Etios Cross and the Volkswagen Cross Polo, who are all living a struggling immigrant life on the other side, a new entrant, the new Hyundai i20 Active will attempt to replicate its hatchback version’s success story in unknown territory.

New Hyundai i20

For those looking for reasons behind such cosmetic exercises, if you notice, neither Fiat, Toyota or Volkswagen have a product to rival the Dusters and the Ecosports of this world. Hyundai has the intentions to launch the iX25 sometime in the near future. However, until they do, they will expect for this crossover to bridge the void, provide an alternative to the hatchback audience, and offer them a product that stands out, stands tall and has something or the other that is orange about it.

New Hyundai i20 Active sideways from up above

So we crossed over into the colourful state of Goa, where Hyundai very kindly invited us to sample their new i20 Active. While underneath it is the same popular hatchback that is selling in hordes, the addition of styling bits that lend it an adventurous attitude and minor but important mechanical changes do go a long way in making this Hyundai likeably active. Let’s begin decoding the looks then.

Appearance

New Hyundai i20 Active front bumper

New Hyundai i20 Active front skid plate (147)

Beginning with the now familiar looking face, compared to the hatchback, one of the most prominent changes up front is that the headlights have been infused with LED DRLs, a projector and a cornering lamp setup, while it is the bumper that tries hard to dodge the immigration office. In an effort to look different than the Elite i20, the i20 Active sports a reverse hexagonal chrome lined grille that has five horizontal slats which replace the unique mesh pattern found surrounding the registration plate on the hatchback. A narrow air dam with a honeycomb design is surrounded by faux bull guard and a bash plate painted in light steel grey with a satin finish. The fog lamps are now oval and the lower bottom of the bumper is engulfed in black cladding that does a 360 degree tour of the car.

New Hyundai i20 Active sideways stance (5)

New Hyundai i20 Active ORVM blinker(99)

Moving sideways, ORVMs with integrated blinkers remain, while the extended cladding from the front bumper wraps itself around the wheel arches, making them appear chunky. Smart looking 16’’ diamond cut alloys try their best to fill that black hole. We aren’t sure if it was the air in Goa, but we could spot a bottle of Absolut in each of the ‘U’ shaped spokes on the wheels. Moving on, the cladding has been infused with a skid plate that carries forward the recessed block design pattern from the front. Door handles were painted in matching colour on the petrol variant, while it is the Diesel that lets you touch chrome every time you open the door.

New Hyundai i20 Active (133)

New Hyundai i20 Active (113)

Attempting to accentuate that outdoorsy appeal, the fuel filler cap is finished in satin grey plastic, while in a contrasting manner, the blacked out C-pillar is finished in metal. The addition of roof rails finished in satin silver further support the Active nomenclature for this new Hyundai. In comparison to the Elite i20, we found the antenna on this crossover to be shorter in size, perhaps keeping in mind the bicycle that might be attached to those roof rails.

New Hyundai i20 Active tailgat view(10)

New Hyundai i20 Active Rear view head on 2

New Hyundai i20 Active rear wiper (177)

At the tail end, the striking LED 3-stage tail lamp, tail-gate and everything else is carried over from the hatchback. Like the fascia, the visually differentiating factor here is the bumper, where the black undercladding extends itself into a trapezoidal angular recess for the registration plate. Two round reflectors, the one on the right incorporating the reversing lamp and a satin silver finished skid plate at the bottom complete the picture. Apart from the badging, another external differentiating factor between the petrol and the diesel is the rear wash/wipe function, which the former has to do without, while the latter gets it.

New Hyundai i20 Active LHS rear three quarters

Looks wise, the i20 active might exclaim a wow from some who’d be attracted towards it for the added pizzaz, the styling wouldn’t offend anyone though.

Interior & Equipment

New Hyundai i20 Active cabin view

Everything inside the cabin is identical to the Elite i20 in terms of functionality and layout. However, Hyundai has added some spunk to the cabin, highlighting areas in shades of coral blue in the oil-burning variant, while funky orange adds a tangy citrus flavour to an all-black cabin of the petrol i20 Active.

New Hyundai i20 Active

Talking about the petrol variant, it does get a foldable key, but has to do without the push button start/stop function. Controls for the air-conditioning are old school but the rotary dials are well made, feel good to use and will last. Tangy inserts find their way around the side ac vents, the audio system display unit, around the gear lever and a large amount has been squeezed over the seat covers. All three pedals are finished in aluminum on both diesel and petrol variants and as is the case with most Hyundai cars these days, quality of components and finish is top notch.

New Hyundai i20 Active

New Hyundai i20 Active startstop switch

New Hyundai i20 Active 6-speed gear shifter

The Diesel variant on the other hand is lavishly equipped and scores over the petrol in terms of a leather wrapped steering wheel, a large patch of coral blue covers the entire dashboard, door pads, door opener and the seat covers, a start/stop switch, a more comprehensive MID unit that doesn’t tell you anything about fuel efficiency on both variants, automatic controls for the air-conditioner and a more glitzy gear shifter.

New Hyundai i20 Active Steering

New Hyundai i20 Active (232)

Where the petrol variant has to do with a static steering, the wheel on the diesel is adjustable for both reach and rake. The driver’s seat is height adjustable on both, which makes it easy to find a near ideal driving position. Both cars get an 8-speaker audio system which fills the cabin with crisp sounding melodies and is perhaps one of the best OEM units we’ve sampled on a mainstream hatchback-ish car in a long time.

New Hyundai i20 Active power outlet (107)

New Hyundai i20 Active front seats

Backlit USB and Aux-in ports are neatly slotted in a recess below the A/C controls, however, the USB port failed to charge any of our phones. Front seats offer good under-thigh and lateral support, where the front arm rest does come in handy during long drives and also has space for storage. Glove box is cooled on both the variants, while hot beverages can stay neatly idle in the two cup holders provided next to the hand brake.

New Hyundai i20 Active rear camera

New Hyundai i20 Active internal RVM

Both cars get a reverse parking camera, the screen for which is embedded in the internal electro chromic RVM and the system uses guidelines that are sensitive to the steering curve and angle. We didn’t spend too much time in the rear seat, however, leg, elbow, shoulder and head room are decent if not lavish and even six footers will find it a pretty comfortable place to be.

New Hyundai i20 Active spare wheel

New Hyundai i20 Active luggage in boot

New Hyundai i20 Active boot space

What surprised us upon lifting the boot is that the spare wheel turned out to be an alloy on both variants, neatly hiding under a flush fitting boot floor. Boot space at 285L is lit by a lamp and is ideal for three medium sized suitcases. Safety wise, both variants get twin airbags at the front, ABS and impact sensing door locks.

New Hyundai i20 Active Seats

New Hyundai i20 Active diesel motor (212)

Lighter colored external shades will get the coral blue treatment inside, while darker shades like the red and maroon will come with the orange and black treatment for the cabin. Although the diesel variant scores on almost all bells and whistles, the petrol model doesn’t skimp on much and as mentioned earlier, the i20 active scores high on quality and finish.

Performance & Handling

New Hyundai i20 Active crdi motor(210)

New Hyundai i20 Active Engine

Like the hatchback, the Hyundai i20 Active will be available with two engine options. The petrol variant is powered by a 1.2-liter, dual VTVT Kappa engine that pumps out 83 PS and 114.7 Nm of torque, while the diesel is a 1.4-liter, CRDi unit that belts out 90 PS and 220 Nm of twist. Although both engines make identical power like they do in the Elite i20, the engineers at Hyundai have changed the final drive ratio to achieve a six percent improvement in low and mid-range torque on the petrol and similarly, things are eleven percent better in the case of the diesel motor.

Hyundai i20 Active in motion (4)

How does all that percentage translate into on road performance then? The petrol motor feels pretty active off the block and revs freely till the mid-range, however, things start to lose breath towards the top-end. On the narrow interior roads of Goa, overtaking meant we had to downshift and keep the motor on the boil, where like all Hyundai petrol units, the engine strums out a raspy note, but all that whistle doesn’t translate into a lot of progress. Within the city though, the 1.2-litre motor has enough pep to do justice to that active badge on the boot.

Hyundai i20 Active in motion

The 1.4 liter diesel motor on the other hand is all the engine you’ll ever need. Driveability is strong until 1700 rpm, when the turbo starts spooling and there is a pronounced shove at about 1900 clicks, where the additional breathing equipment properly kicks in. Mid-range is strong and unlike a typical diesel unit, the CRDi motor is rev happy, the tacho climbing all the way to its near 5000 rpm limiter in a seamless fashion. Hyundai claims a fuel efficiency figure of 17.19 kpl for the petrol and 21.19kpl for the diesel, which we couldn’t verify due to the short nature of the event.

New Hyundai i20 Active 6-speed gear shifter

New Hyundai i20 Active 5-speed gear shifter(67)

Gearshifts on both the cars were smooth and slotting between gates was a buttery affair. All it required was a smooth flick and the shifter would stick into the desired location. While it is a 5-speed manual that translates power to the front wheels in the petrol, the diesel gets an additional 6th cog.

New Hyundai i20 Active body roll

New Hyundai i20 Active cornering 5

Now, Hyundai has increased the ground clearance on the i20 active in comparison to the hatchback by another 20mm. They’ve achieved that by increasing the coil spring height, however, have added a low velocity control valve to ensure proper damping and rebound. What that means is that even while riding 190 mm above the ground, the i20 active in both its petrol and diesel formats rides and handles like a typical hatchback. We attacked some curves and tried some slalom runs on an empty stretch of tarmac, where body roll although present, doesn’t overwhelm or slide your shoulders towards the door. At speeds, the ride is composed, slightly on the firmer side in the petrol, but the diesel takes the cake for finding a good balance, where it gets dangerously close to its European competition.

Hyundai i20 Active in motion (7)

New Hyundai i20 Active in motion rear LHS three quarters

Steering on the petrol car remains light, yet fairly accurate at all speeds, but it is on the diesel variant again that the steering feels unlike any other Hyundai we’ve ever driven till date, of course in a positive way. It weighs up nicely, and although not a hydraulic, doesn’t give you that vague feeling these electronic units are notorious for. Braking duties are taken care by a front disc and rear drum setup, which combined with ABS, haul the car in a decent manner, without much drama.

Image Gallery

New Hyundai i20 Active startstop switch(166)

Start/Stop button is only reserved for the diesel variant

New Hyundai i20 Active rear seat space

That man is nearly 6 feet tall and the back rest is way too reclined. Knee room otherwise is adequate

New Hyundai i20 Active rear spoiler and C-pillar

Gloss finished metal C-pillar

New Hyundai i20 Active sideways from up above(6)

The I20 Active has quite a tall stance

New Hyundai i20 Active side by side(181)

Silver and Red side-by-side

New Hyundai i20 Active seat adjustment controls(174)

No fancy door sills

New Hyundai i20 Active roof rail right

Roof rails are more of a visual highlight than any utility

New Hyundai i20 Active reversing lamp(143)

Reversing lamp is infused within the rear reflector

New Hyundai i20 Active RHS front 3 quarters

We took it off the road and the i20 Active(ly) obliged

New Hyundai i20 Active Rear view head on 2

That skid plate will very rarely witness things skidding off it

New Hyundai i20 Active rear wiper (177)

Rear wiper only for the diesel variant

New Hyundai i20 Active rear skid plate (144)

Spot the exhaust if you can

New Hyundai i20 Active rear seat backrest (50)

No rear armrest

New Hyundai i20 Active rear headrest

Rear headrests are height adjustable

New Hyundai i20 Active rear camera(140)

The rear tail-gate mounted camera

New Hyundai i20 Active petrol variant steering (78)

Steering on the petrol variant comes without any leather

New Hyundai i20 Active rear ac vent

Rear A/C vent is a pretty basic unit

New Hyundai i20 Active music system (24)

That system belts out some fantastic sounding music

New Hyundai i20 Active manual AC controls(76)

A/C is powerful and kept the cabin cool on a hot muggy day

New Hyundai i20 Active instrumentation(92)

MID on the petrol variant is pretty basic in comparison to the one on the diesel

New Hyundai i20 Active hazard light switch (23)

Switches feel good to use and reek of quality

New Hyundai i20 Active glove box(70)

Glove box is cooled

New Hyundai i20 Active front LHS seat reclined

Jimi Hendrix was here

New Hyundai i20 Active front headlight

Five rectangular LED clusters make for a DRL

New Hyundai i20 Active driver side controls (66)

Auto Up/Down feature for windows only reserved for the driver

New Hyundai i20 Active dashboard blue insert

Coral blue patch on the dash doesnt reflect too much on the windscreen

New Hyundai i20 Active Aux-in and USB port (27)

Connectivity options below the A/C control panel

New Hyundai i20 Active alloy wheel pattern (102)

We finally found those missing bottles of Absolut

New Hyundai i20 Active (246)

How we love that tail-light design

New Hyundai i20 Active (231)

The instrument cluster on the diesel

New Hyundai i20 Active (198)

All lit up and ready to go

New Hyundai i20 Active (145)

All of the surface and the underneath

Verdict

New Hyundai i20 Active LHS front 3 quarters (59)

What we liked about the Hyundai i20 Active is the fact that riding high on the success of the Elite i20, they could’ve easily made a half hearted attempt at building a crossover and dished it out to unsuspecting customers. However, they chose to spend some time and build a product that reeks of quality from all corners. Although some would say it would’ve been easy to just pick an already brilliant product and give it a makeover, they’ve been adamant at improvising things and it shows. For that matter, you really have to drive the diesel variant of the i20 active to understand what we’re blurting out here.

New Hyundai i20 Active rear view(112)

New Hyundai i20 Active sideways from up above(6)

For making sense out of this new breed of crossovers though, one thing’s for sure, this isn’t an SUV. It probably doesn’t pretend to be one either. What the i20 Active will attempt though, is offer something different to the regular hatchback buyer, something that appeals to the colourful and adventurous at heart. It will make sense to those who wish to enjoy the traits of a hatchback, yet don’t intend to crossover into SUV territory. If you ask us, our pick would be the diesel powered Hyundai i20 Active. To be launched on the 17th of March 2015, stay tuned to Motoroids and we’ll bring you all the details about this new crossover, most importantly, pricing.

Update: Specifications & Pricing

hyundai i20 Active features and specifications (1)

Hyundai i20 Active India launch (5)

As an introductory offer, the Hyundai i20 Active has been priced at Rs 6.38 lakh for the petrol, going all the way till Rs 8.89 lakh for the top-end diesel variant. In comparison, prices for the Fiat Avventura being at Rs 6.44 lakh, the top most diesel variant priced at Rs 8.49 lakh. The Cross Polo comes in just two variants, the 1.2 petrol retails for Rs 6.49 lakh, while the 1.5 diesel costs Rs 8.38 lakh. Toyota’s Etios Cross happens to be the least expensive of the lot, where prices for the 1.2 petrol variant start at Rs 6.23 lakh, the top-end diesel being the least expensive here at Rs 7.72 lakh.

The Hyundai i20 Active has been priced at par with other players in the segment. However, going by the numbers in which these cars sell each month, this new Crossover has a steep hill to climb, at least in the initial months. In order to make it attract attention, Hyundai will either have to come up with a clever marketing strategy or will have to bank on the i20 hatchback’s appeal which attracts those footfalls in the showroom, hoping some of that crowd diverts its attention towards the i20 Active.

Image Gallery:

4 thoughts on “New Hyundai i20 Active 1.2 Petrol/1.4 Diesel Review: Frisky Appeal”

  1. Reverse parking sensors with camera where their built in buzzer system alerts the driver about the proximity of rear obstacles.

  2. Its a pretty ordinary car to drive,

    Its just beautiful looks that catching the eye.. Nothing spectacular to drive. 1st gear pick up is disappointing.

    Need to have a 120 BHP diesel engine for 6 gear cars . It does not work on 90 BHP motor

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