First Drive: Hyundai thinks big with i20 supermini

Hyundai is on a roll, as everyone who listens to the radio these days is well aware. The Korean brand has broken into the top five in the Irish new-car sales league. It's due to finish the year in fourth spot, but even with the revival of Nissan's fortunes and a revival of Opel sales – both brands benefiting from new models for 2015 – Hyundai is now officially one of the big-name brands on the Irish market.

Much of this success has come about on the back of a rapid improvement in the quality of its models. Gone are the days when Korean cars were akin to travelling a few years back in time in terms of fit and finish. These days the models from Hyundai – and its sister brand Kia – are on a par with anything rolling off the production lines in Germany, France or Spain.

While the Santa Fe and the smaller iterations of its SUV range have always proved a hit with Irish buyers, to break into the big league it needed a competitive range of family cars as well. With the arrival of the i40 it had just that and since then it has built upon this success. With the i20’s arrival, every model in the Hyundai range has been renewed in the last five years.

All the range has been updated to this "European" specification and now it's time for the supermini class to feature the latest i20, ready to challenge the likes of the Ford Fiesta, VW Polo or new Opel Corsa.

So what’s it like? Well from the exterior styling through to the interior finish this car is at the conservative end of the spectrum. There are two schools of thought on superminis: you either go for street cool, youthful and funky or you go for traditional large-car feel and finish in a small package.

The new Corsa with its interior taken from the funky Adam is at one end of the spectrum. The VW Polo, which in many ways is merely a small Golf, is at the other end. The i20 falls into this latter category and while that means it lacks a little in terms of character it is a wise place to position the car. The car itself was designed and developed in Europe at the firm's R&D facility outside Frankfurt.

The interior reflects what is now traditional Hyundai fare – smart switchgear laid out in a practical, ergonomically appealing way. Longer, lower and wider than the previous model, the i20 is a lot more spacious inside than Hyundai superminis of the past decade.

Proper five-seater

Hyundai is claiming this is a proper five-seater and after an initial spin and testing it with three adults in the back we’d have to say they have delivered. You would not want to be back there for too long, but it can be done and a short hop will not leave you crippled.

One of the claims of Hyundai engineers is that the new i20 delivers better refinement in terms of reducing noise, vibration and harshness than many of its rivals. Admittedly, the test car we drove was the higher-powered 1.4-litre 100bhp version, but it did seem noticeably quieter than rivals.

The car is also built on the firm’s new small-car platform and it’s a nimble mover on the road. We drove it at a test event alongside several rivals and while it wasn’t class- leading it held muster against other newcomers such as the Opel Corsa. On the road it delivers all you would hope for in a supermini but it lacks the engagement or fun we’d have hoped for in a supermini. Somewhere in its efforts to engineer a serious rival to the traditional European fare it lost some of the flair that’s also desirable from small cars – and which used to make up for the rather lower level of interior trim that featured on lower- priced Korean cars of old.

Four engine options will be available from launch in Ireland: the 1.25-litre in either 75bhp or 84bhp taken from the outgoing model; the 100bhp 1.4-litre with automatic transmission; and the firm’s 1.1-litre 75bhp diesel engine. The diesel option is not expected to make much impact in terms of sales, given the small percentage of diesels sold in the Irish supermini segment.

Next year will see Hyundai introduce its new 1-litre 120bhp turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, though it has yet to be confirmed when or if this will arrive in Ireland.

Hill-assist control Prices in Ireland will start at €15,995 for the 75bhp Classic version. This features dual front, side and curtain airbags, along with ABS and stability control as standard. It also has hill-assist control, an alarm and heated electric mirrors.

Spend another €1,500 and you get 84bhp with added features such as alloys, air-con, cruise control, Bluetooth and electric rear windows. The Deluxe also features a stop/ start system. And for another €2,000 you can get the Premium version with climate control, a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass and various other accoutrements.

Serious player

In truth, the Classic is well equipped – if missing out on Bluetooth, which ideally should be standard – and it’s not really worth looking beyond the 84bhp Deluxe at €17,495. After all, as you push towards €20,000 you start to enter a price range where models such as the Mini and Audi A1 hove into view. Indeed for those who do want a little more funkiness in their motoring diet, the Fiat 500 offers better pricing than the i20, if not the same interior space or practicality.

And that’s the choice potential buyers have: Hyundai has offered a serious large small car, lacking a little in terms of character but perhaps reflecting the earnest efforts of the Hyundai brand to be respected as a serious player these days. For fun you need to look towards its sister brand Kia. Hyundai is a serious player on the European market and the i20 reflects that ethos both on the road and in its styling. It does leave you wishing for a spark of flair or fun though.

Hyundai i20L: The pricing

i20 Classic 1.25 (75 bhp) €15,995

i20 Deluxe 1.25 (84 bhp) €17,495

i20 Premium 1.25 (84 bhp) €19,495

i20 Deluxe Auto 1.4 (100 bhp) €20,495

(1.1-litre diesel options available on Classic and Deluxe for €1,500 more than petrol equivalents)

Arriving in Irish showrooms: this month