- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr Ar
Hyundai i20 N. Junior league sports player
In February 2020, Hyundai launched the third generation of its i20 mini hatchback. The version with the N prefix, which denotes sports modifications of Hyundai models, was introduced to the European market in October 2020. The compact i20 has acquired a powerful version following its i30 sibling, which has been a successful golf class ‘hot’ hatchback since 2017: more than 25 thousand i30 N cars have been sold in three years. And it is presented in Israel, unlike the Hyundai i20 N. But we believe it’s still worth telling you about a small hot hatchback, which seeks to repeat the success of its “big” sibling in the more compact class B+.
This car is designed to compete with the Volkswagen Polo GTI and Ford Fiesta ST models. Eye-catching styling, sports body kit, spoiler, custom-made two-tone body, ‘adult’ engine, low weight and ‘maximum speed’ of 230 km/h will clearly appeal to the taste of modern young people. Plus, it has a very affordable price.
The competitors are slightly weaker: the VW Polo GTI has a 2.0 TSI turbocharged engine producing 200 hp, the same output as the 1.5-liter EcoBoost on the Ford Fiesta ST. But the maximum torque for the Volkswagen and Ford engines is higher: 320 and 290 Nm, respectively. The Polo GTI will accelerate to the first 100 km/h in the same 6.7 seconds, and the Fiesta ST will do it in 6.5 seconds.
Exterior and interior
The sporty Hyundai features new bumpers, an aerodynamic body kit consisting of special sills and the fifth door spoiler. The entry-level version comes with 18-inch wheels and LED headlights. The interior of the sports version differs by the sports seats, other instruments on the digital dashboard and other details such as dotted contrasting accents. The compact Hyundai i20 N weighs only 1,190 kg.
Engines and chassis
The new Hyundai I20 N is equipped with a 1.6-liter direct injection engine that develops 201 hp and 275 Nm of torque (in a wide range from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm). The engine uses a turbocharger specially developed for the N version and an intercooling system. The engine is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. It takes only 6.7 seconds for the hatchback to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, and its top speed is 230 km/h.
The sporty version features the same chassis as that of a regular hatchback with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and a semi-dependent suspension at the rear, but it has a different geometry of the levers, stiffer springs, shock absorbers and stabilizer, and the ground clearance is 10 mm lower. The electric power steering has become ‘sharper’. The brakes also have a larger diameter.
The driving electronics have five modes (Normal, Eco, Sport, N and N Custom). Electronic Stability Control can be switched to Sport mode or turned off altogether. There is an optional mechanical limited-slip differential.
