Hyundai’s i20 is a capable and modern little supermini.
The i20 N is the same car on steroids. With a chassis designed from the ground up to be dynamic, it’s one of the best hot hatches on sale today.
Under the bonnet is a turbocharged 1.6 litre petrol engine with 200bhp.
It costs £24,995. That’s roughly comparable to its chief rival, the Fiesta ST, but the Hyundai pips the Ford for value with its higher level of standard equipment.
That 200bhp engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and is good for 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds. The i20 N comes with a limited slip differential – which minimises wheelspin, and beefed up suspension.
With new bumpers, a rear spoiler, side skirts and bigger wheels no one is going to mistake it for the standard hatchback. It looks sporty and purposeful.
On the road
I took it for an excursion along the Fife coastline. It really is a joy to drive. That 200bhp is more than ample in what is a small car. Bury the throttle and you really hurtle forward.
The i20 N weighs just 1,190kg, making it a full human being lighter than the Fiesta ST. This, along with a well engineered chassis, makes it the most entertaining hot hatch I’ve driven in a long time.
It corners beautifully, remaining poised and balanced even when pushed hard. The engine loves to be revved and the exhaust produces a pleasing yowl under heavy acceleration.
Take it a bit easier and the suspension is just forgiving enough to make this a car you can do long journeys in.
Smart interior
The interior is sharp and modern, with a large touchscreen the centrepiece of a well laid out cabin.
The rear seats have space for small adults and the 323-litre boot can swallow plenty of shopping bags.
The Hyundai i20 N has all the power you need on public roads. It handles beautifully and looks the part.
Well equipped, reasonably priced and with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, it even scores highly on the common sense scale.
The i20 N is the smaller of two hot hatches Hyundai offers, the other being the bigger i30 N.
Having driven them both back to back it is the smaller, cheaper and less powerful model that captured my heart.
