We drove the all new 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 during a media drive on 19th and 20th of August and bring you our experience and expert review of the car. We drove both 1.2 litre petrol engine model and the 1.4 litre diesel engine model of the car, we will talk about both of these cars here. Lets start with our comprehensive 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 Review. We will start with exteriors, interiors, engine, performance, ride comfort and handling of the 2014 Hyundai i20 new model. We will also give you our verdict on the 2014 Hyundai i20 at the end the article. Before we start our review, let me talk about the pricing of the car, which is very important for most prospective buyers. The 2014 Hyundai i20 Petrol model has been priced between Rs. 4.90 Lakhs to Rs. 6.47 Lakhs and the diesel model is priced between Rs. 6.10 Lakhs to Rs. 7.67 Lakhs (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). Check out our detailed launch article here for complete variants, price & feature list.
Test Drive Review Video
Exteriors
On the exteriors, the 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 gets a really bold and aggressive front with large hexagonal grille, sleek Swept back headlamps, subtle use of chrome all around the front of the car. Along with that, it also gets elongated sleek fog lamps which look fairly classy. Move to the side of the car and you will notice sporty diamond cut alloy wheels, dynamic body lines running from front wheel arches to the rear tail lamp cluster. There are also chrome door handles, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs with integrated turn indicators. There are also blackened C-Pillars merging in rear windshield of the 2014 Hyundai i20 which look very sporty. You also notice pronounced side sweeping tail lamps, chunky and classy looking tail lamp combination cluster at the rear.
On the rear, you notice spoiler with high mounted stop lamps, rear windshield with washer, wiper and defogger. On top of the line variants you also find reverse parking camera & sensors. Summarizing the exterior appeal of the 2014 new Hyundai Elite i20 it looks very sporty, elegant and smart. It lives up to its name.
Interiors
On the insides of the Elite i20 from Hyundai, you notice dual tone beige and black interiors theme. Also it is one of the most up-market feeling car in this price segment. It uses good quality materials and finishing when it comes to overall appeal of the interiors. There is a 3 spoke sporty steering wheel with audio and phone controls. There is also integrated audio system with in-built 1GB memory, USB and Aux-input is also provided. On the top-spec trims, Hyundai now also provides a touchscreen AVN system. It allows for Smart phone pairing via Bluetooth, music streaming and comes pre-loaded with maps for navigation. Major functions related to the AVN can still be controlled via buttons which is something we like considering using a touchscreen on the move isn’t always very convenient. There is one 12 Volt power port for charging your gadgets and running accessories. For convenience, there is cooled glove-box, front arm-rest, automatic climate control with clean air ionizer on the offer.
The 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 features nicely finished door trims, multiple storage spaces inside the car. Move to the rear seats and you will find rear AC vents, comfortable rear seats with decent amount of legroom and headroom. There are also split seats for carrying more luggage in a flexible configuration. There is a spacious boot compartment of 285 litre with boot lamp for carrying your luggage.
Performance, Ride And Handling
During 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 review we found that the petrol engine performance is good and is similar to the previous generation engine. It gets a VTVT engine with decent power rating and linear power curve. The rated fuel mileage is 18.6 KMPL as per ARAI. The new Hyundai Elite i20 diesel engine is more punchy in the mid end and gives much higher torque and the push is quite considerable. The rated mileage of the diesel model is ahead of 22 KMPL which is pretty frugal.
One thing which is common between the petrol and diesel models is that the NVH Levels are very good for both. The cabin feels very pleasant and calm with good quality of sound insulation. The car pulls up pretty well on both petrol and diesel variants, we personally like the mid-end punch of the diesel engine slightly better compared to the performance of the diesel motor.
Suspension on the 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 is much improved over the previous generation. It feel more planted and stable on high speeds and feel more confident to drive. It is one of the major improvement areas compared to the previous generation of the Hyundai i20.
The steering wheel is now more weighted than the previous i20 and gives a more precise road feedback. In all, the problem of too-soft suspension from previous generation of i20 has been addressed very well. The car feels more planted than before and inspires confidence at higher speeds.
What We Like?
- Loaded with features
- Sporty exterior design
- Interior space
- Interior features and feel of the car
- Ride, handling and performance
What Could Have Been Better?
- There is no option of automatic transmission
- DRL, central MID display and some other features removed compared to previous versions
2014 Hyundai Elite i20 Review- CarBlogIndia Verdict
Besides a few downsides, the improvements and evolution in the design of the new 2014 Hyundai Elite i20 easily outweigh the shortcomings. With class leading interior quality, sporty exteriors, lots of comfort, convenience and safety features, the new Hyundai Elite i20 does impress us. It is a much refreshed, sporty and yet very compact car which makes a lot of sense for urban car buyers looking for a feature rich and comfortable car. In premium hatchback segment, it is one of the best value for money car that you can get.
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