SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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New space : 2021 Hyundai i20 1.0 TGDI manual

Important additions

Posted: September 17, 2021

The numbers
Price: R330 900
Engine: 998 cc, 12-valve inline three-cylinder, turbocharged
Power: 90 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 172 Nm between 1500 and 4000 rpm
0-100 km/h: 9.7 seconds
Top speed: 190 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.6 l/100 km
Tank: 37 litres
Luggage: 311 litres
Ground clearance: 170 mm
Turning circle: 10.24 metres
Max. towing, unbraked/braked:750/1100 kg
Standard tyre size: 195/55R16
Spare: Full size
Warranty: Seven years, 200 000 km
Roadside assistance: Seven years, 150 000 km
Service plan: Four years, 60 000 km at 15 000 km intervals

Things have changed. Hyundai’s i20 has not altered its DNA, nor does it look materially different. It has not turned into a fire-breathing hot hatch, although one does now have the choice of a little more performance. It’s still the Son of Getz its fans know and love. But not exactly.

Apart from recently becoming bigger and undergoing a facelift, some choices have changed; you can still get 1.2-litre Fluid and Motion models with five-speed manual gearboxes and a 1.4 Motion with six-speed automatic, but that’s about it.

The balance of the range has been replaced by Fluid models with one-litre turbocharged engine and choice of six-speed manual, or seven-speed DSG, boxes. That’s five models altogether, but Hyundai spun it out to eight - three, with optional, two-tone paintwork, are listed separately.

Our test rig was a 1.0 TGDI Fluid manual. The most important additions in Fluid spec’ include cruise control, 16” alloy wheels, 14” rear disc brakes, driver’s side seat height adjuster, four more airbags, warmed and folding side mirrors and wireless phone charging. The turbo engine simply adds power without further features although it, together with the added gear in the box, add 40 kg to the car’s mass.

Although not a fire-breather, the little turbomotor acquits itself well, carving 3.2 seconds off the standard sprint time and haulin’ ‘shine all the way up to 190; 21 km/h faster than the 1200 can.

The six-cog ‘box is smooth and sweet with comfortably spaced ratios; one of those that stays in your memory banks just a little bit longer. And with the national speed limit coming up at 3000 revs in top gear, still 1000 rpm short of its tapering off point, there’s plenty in reserve.

Moving on to practicalities, the cargo bin loads at 75 cm into a well that’s 23 cm deep. The space is lit and offers a couple of bag hooks and lashing rings. The one-piece backrest folds with a step. But moving into the rear seat reveals the greatest benefit of the redo: When we drove a 1.4 Active in 2018, we found that “although (tall) pilots, seated ‘behind themselves’ in the back seat, might find knee room restricted” that’s no longer the case. Head-, knee- and foot room are now luxurious by comparison.

The new digital instrument panel, with rev counter and speedometer in contra-flowing arcs, is unlike any we have seen before but should drivers find the speedo a little odd, there’s a plain digital read-out as well. Apart from that, the most-used controls are simple to use and the car is fitted with the expected number of USBs and 12-volt power points, although the truly spoiled might complain about a perceived shortage of cup holders.

Briefly: This is a grand little car; solid, well built, well equipped and with more usable space than its compactness might suggest.

Test unit from Hyundai Motor SA press fleet


What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.