Friday 30 October 2015

The Top Gear car review: Hyundai i20


The new Hyundai i20 has been drawing some much deserved attention in the market. Read this review found on www.topgear.com.

WHAT WE SAY: “ Impressive follow-up to the mediocre original. The all-new i20 may have the competition worried. ’’




WHAT IS IT?


It’s Hyundai’s new-generation i20. The previous model was a decidedly average car that surfed into the marketplace on a wave of scrappage scheme trade-ins. Its replacement is a far more style and quality-led product, and while it still represents decent value for money, saving cash is no longer its number one priority. This is Hyundai getting serious about the supermini sector.

DRIVING
Comfort and ease-of-use are the key factors here. The ride is soft (though it’s occasionally perturbed by more broken roads) and the handling balance safe, though its body control is very well managed and it displays talent on twistier roads. It’s not fun or feisty like a Fiesta, though.
The initial engine range consists of three naturally aspirated petrol and two turbodiesel engines, with 85 per cent of i20s expected to sell with petrol power. The 99bhp 1.4-litre is the one to have, as it’s the most potent, but in truth they’re all a little uninspiring and need revs to unleash their tame performance. The upcoming 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol will likely be the pick of the range when it arrives.
Of the diesels, a 75bhp 1.1-litre is most interesting. Not for its pace, which could be politely described as lethargic, but for its claimed 88.3mpg and 84g/km CO2. It’s a remarkably civilised engine once you’re eventually up to speed, and it cruises well. It’s punchy through town, too, if you can tolerate its narrow powerband and aren’t immune to frequent gear changes. Inevitably it’s rather rattly in congested traffic, though.

ON THE INSIDE


Hyundai appears to have been eyeing up the Polo when penning the i20, and nowhere is this more obvious than inside. This car gets closer to VW’s ergonomic slickness than the Fiesta or Corsa, with everything operating in a simple and pleasing manner. The materials largely feel good too, and are a world away from budget Hyundai offerings of a generation or two ago. There’s little to excite, but it’s a mature and grown-up place to sit.

OWNING

Insurance groups are low and everything but the 1.4 petrol dips below 120g/km, while Hyundai offers a five-year unlimited mileage warranty (Kia’s is seven years, but it’s capped to 100,000 miles). Price-wise, Hyundais aren’t the bargain they used to be, and they are pitched closer to more established rivals than ever before. That’s echoed in talents and spec levels, though, and the i20 justifies its cost. The SE model gets 16-inch alloys, Bluetooth and parking sensors, and comes in around £1,000 less than an equivalent Polo, which still edges it for more superficial appeal.


HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RANGE



Title0–62CO2MPGBHPPrice
THE FASTEST
1.4 Premium 5dr
11.6s127g/km51.4100£14,570
THE CHEAPEST
1.2 Classic 3dr
12.7s114g/km57.684£10,125
THE GREENEST
1.1 CRDi Blue S 5dr
16.0s84g/km88.375£12,690

Monday 26 October 2015

Hyundai i-Series: The Car of Your Life





It it one of the most common cliches used in car advertising, but there is a reason why the adage that ‘life's a journey’ is so apt when it comes to cars. Quite simply because it is true. And like any journey, as you go through life you might not be the same person at each stage of the journey and chances are wherever you are going you are going to need a car to get you there. There are few cars out there that keep up with your lifestyle as well as the Hyundai i-series.

You are young, just starting out on life’s adventures. Chances are that you have been working part time jobs for a few years a ready building up a little bit of extra cash and now with your 18th ooming up you are looking, with the help of your parents if you are lucky, for a car that will be able to get you to college and back. Maybe good for going on short road trips with the friends or travelling back to visit the family at the end of term. So what car do you get? The Hyundai i10 of course - light on fuel, easy to look after and with enough safety features to keep the parents happy. Thankfully it is also popular enough throughout South Africa that there are enough second hand ones out there for you to pick up cheaply.

As you get into your twenties however, you are going to be wanting something a little bigger and more impressive - you have more responsibilities and a better cash flow. It’s time to upgrade to the Hyundai i20. It is more spacious and better suited to a couple - the increased boot space makes shopping easier and now if you are going to go together to visit the family for friends, you don’t have to worry about packing plenty of presents and extras to take with you. Being in your twenties you might have more expectations than a sound system - the i20 comes with parking cameras and even an option bike rack for the more adventurous.

Towards the end of your twenties and the start of your thirties you’ll be looking for something much bigger and safer - the start of your family cars. The Hyundai i30 has plenty of interior space and safety features to keep your young family safe. Aside from making taking the kids to school effortless, the various optional extras, the Executive, Adventure and Family packs, all ensures that your i30 keeps up with your lifestyle.

But where do you go after the i30? With a growing family and plenty of dogs that all need to taken everywhere, you don’t exactly want them climbing on the back seat anymore? Meet the Hyundai i40, Hyundai’s family estate (or station wagon) that is the perfect family car for your 40s. Sadly not available in SA yet, but fingers crossed.

What next? Who knows, but for the first four decades of your driving life isn’t it nice to know that there is an i-series Hyundai that will keep you company. So, whether you have to choose a Hyundai i20 vs Hyundai i30, or a Hyundai i10...you will be making a good choice either way!

Originally post on: SA Hyundai Owners