Hyundai Elite i20 First Look Review

Hyundai launched the 2018 Elite i20 at the Auto Expo 2018. Prices of the 2018 Elite i20 start at Rs 5.35 lakh and go up to Rs 9.15 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) It is the first facelift the car has received since it was launched back in 2014. The changes aren’t many but Hyundai has done just enough to make this a worthy update. Let's take a deeper look at what the 2018 Elite i20 has on offer starting off with its price. 

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Prices (ex-showroom Delhi)

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Exterior

In terms of design, the new Elite i20 looks quite similar to its predecessor at first glance. However, take a closer look and you will realise it features enough changes to make it stand apart from the older version. Up front, the 2018 Elite i20 gets a redesigned bumper that houses Hyundai’s signature ‘cascading’ hexagonal grille. The fog lamp housings have also been modified and it now gets functional vents for better aerodynamics. The halogen projector headlamps with LED DRLs remain unchanged. 

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Where the new Elite i20 has changed the most is at the rear. It gets larger tail lamps with refreshed graphics that mimic LED elements seen on more expensive cars. Further, the number plate has been moved from the bumper to the tailgate making the car look more like a conventional hatchback. Meanwhile, the matte black cladding on the rear bumper gives the hatchback a more stylish look.

The side profile remains identical to the outgoing model, except for the new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels offered in the top variant. All other variants continue to be equipped with 14-inch and 15-inch wheels.

This time around, Hyundai is also offering the Elite i20 with dual-tone exterior paint options (blacked-out roof with red, orange or white body colour). However, it is available only with the Asta variant.

Interiors

Like the exterior, the cabin of the new Elite i20 looks similar to the outgoing model. All variants get a dual-tone black-and-beige theme interior, except for the Asta with dual-tone exterior trim, which gets an all-black theme with orange or red inserts around the AC vents, on the gear lever and the seats. The dashboard gets a clean layout with uniquely designed AC vents. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system sits right below the centre AC vents. The automatic climate control unit is also placed on the central console, just below the touchscreen. 

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Hyundai cars are known to be packed to the gills when it comes to features. And the new Elite i20 is no different. The list starts with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and rear parking camera compatibility. This time, it also gets Hyundai Auto Link support (telematic services) and Arkamys sound tuning found on the Verna. Other features on offer include automatic halogen projector headlamps with LED DRLs, electrically foldable and adjustable ORVMs with the welcome feature, push-button start-stop, automatic climate control with rear AC vents and rear parking camera with sensors, cooled glovebox and tilt/telescopic steering among others.  

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Engine & Transmission 

The Elite i20 is powered by the same 1.2-litre Dual VTVT Kappa petrol and the 1.4-litre U2 CRDI diesel engines. The petrol engine generates 83PS of power and 115Nm of torque while the diesel engine is good for 90PS and 220Nm. The petrol-powered hatchback gets a 5-speed manual gearbox while the diesel version comes with a 6-speed unit. Currently, the Elite i20 is available only with a manual gearbox as Hyundai has discontinued the 1.4-litre petrol motor, which came exclusively with a 4-speed automatic transmission. In its place, the South Korean manufacturer will launch the 1.2-litre petrol engine with a CVT gearbox by May 2018. This will help the Elite i20 compete with rivals such as the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Honda Jazz, both of which are offered with a CVT gearbox in their petrol guise.  

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Safety

Safety is another key point Hyundai has concentrated on with the 2018 Elite i20. The refreshed hatchback comes with dual front airbags, ABS and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners as standard across the range. The top-spec Asta (O) variant gets six airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors over the standard equipment.

Variants

The new Elite i20 is offered in five variants - Era, Magna Executive, Sportz, Asta and Asta(O). The Era is the base variant and comes with basic features such as central locking, roof antenna, power steering, manual AC and internally adjustable wing mirrors. While the top-spec Asta (O) variant comes loaded with features such as a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system,  automatic halogen projector headlamps with LED DRLs, automatic climate control with rear AC vents and rear parking camera with sensors among others.

For a more comprehensive review of the 2018 Elite i20 stay tuned to CarDekho.com

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Read More on : Hyundai i20 diesel