Hyundai i20 Coupe
The i20 hatchback is already a good looking car. However, Hyundai is now trying to attract young and lifestyle orientated consumers with the three door version coupe.
You may be thinking why call it a coupe? Well, they may be small features but the i20 coupe is actually slightly lower, has a different grille and a slightly sportier rear bumper. It’s also available in a new tangy orange interior and exterior colour scheme for those that really want to show off. So, what we have here then is a sporty three door hatch supermini then which inevitably means competition with the like for Ford’s Fiesta, Peugeot’s 208 and SEAT’s Ibiza.
The interior of the coupe is identical to the hatchback model which means you can expect that everything’s well screwed together and logically laid out. There’s also some high quality materials in vital places too. Practicality-wise you’ve got a few cup holders in the middle and absolutely loads of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering column. There’s also the regular feature of many Hyundai and Kia cars, you’ve also got a large storage cubby in front of the gear stick.
Kit-wise the entry level coupe is actually equivalent to the mid-range i20 hatchback so you can expect things such as bluetooth, parking sensors and 16inch alloy wheels. However, if you opt for the flagship sport model then you get sat-nav which is integrated in to the very responsive 7 inch touchscreen. You also get a rear view camera and impressive looking 17 inch alloy wheels.
When you climb in the back you’ll actually be surprised at the amount of space you’ve got. Ok, the headroom is slightly intruded for taller passengers at the sides but for a three door car it’s pretty impressive. The i20’s boot is equally as impressive. It does have a high loading lip which might be annoying when packing in your shopping and the seats don’t fall down completely flat but it does have a class leading boot size of 300 litres.
So, what’s the coupe like to drive? Well we wouldn’t exactly describe it as sporty though what you can describe it as is competent. For example, when you weave through urban and city streets then you’ll find the steering nice and sharp. However, its pitfalls become apparent when you take it on country roads where you’ll discover that the steering hasn’t got much weight to it and lacks a bit of feedback when cornering. Still, the suspension is really well balanced offering enough firmness to keep it planted yet enough give so that it doesn’t shudder over bumps.
The i20 coupe range has two 3 cylinder turbo charged petrol engine options. Those being 1 litre units with either 99 bhp or 118 bhp. However, no matter which you choose you’ll find that they lack a bit of spark that you’d expect in a car like this. Don’t get us wrong, the units will give you enough power for day to day driving under the trademark grumble you expect from 3 cylinder engines. Even though this grumble is extremely evident in the i20 you are well insulated from it, as well as wind and road noise, which makes it feel like a much bigger car. If you’re driving the i20 exclusively around town then you can expect between 30-35 miles to the gallon. Take it on the motorway and you could expect maybe between 40-45 miles to the gallon which is some way of the claimed 59 miles per gallon.
As of writing, the cost of the three door coupe starts at around £13,025 which is £3000 more expensive than its hatchback sibling. Before you start scratching your head let’s not forget that the entry level coupe models get the same amount of kit as the mid-range hatchback which goes some way to explaining the higher price.
To us the Hyundai i20 coupe is a great example of how a car can toe the line between sportiness and convenience and is essentially aimed at those who want to look the part but also want a bit of practicality thrown in as well. Ultimately for many though it will come down to value for money when it comes down to equipment and efficiency. Unfortunately, the latter is a department where is i20 coupe falls a little behind.
