It is hard to overestimate the effects that hot hatches have had on modern motoring. Peugeot’s 205 GTI and VW’s Golf gave car makers permission to be bold and daring. In that spirit, Hyundai has taken the challenge to the front door of the establishment, and lo, it is good. i20 N sits in a stable of racing inspired N sports cars, focused solely on kicking serious butt.

The only thing not completely clear is which colour I’d take. Blue, I think.

Outside:

i20 N is so pretty, frocked up in all that fancy racing gear. LED headlights flank an intricately crafted grille, and a body kit trimmed in red, proudly announces the sporting pretentions. It isn’t a matter of lipstick on a pig, oh no. The rear diffuser, and various vents, direct air in and around, to aid speed on the track.

i20 is the smallest of Hyundai’s passenger cars, yet its petite proportions are all boasty-pants, while making the same city-car claims of its dowdy, nondescript cousin. The base model i20’s are not sold here, as more and more buyers desert the segment, opting instead for the fuller bosom of an SUV.

There is more than a touch of gladiator about the i20’s façade, but the beauty is not merely skin deep.

Get the full specification list HERE: i20NSpecifications-November2021

Above: This Week – 2021 i20 N 1.6L turbo FULL REVIEW

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ABOVE: Hyundai i20 N

Inside:

The cabin is handsome, yet functional.

Despite very modern design, there is no disguising acres of hard plastic. Somehow, that doesn’t seem to much matter, as you settle into a seat that hugs you as if its life depends on it. Seat coverings are a sturdy mix of synthetic fabrics with a couple of squares appliqued on the backrest. For the price, Alcantara would have been a nicer choice, compared to the distinctly ‘70’s feel fabric Hyundai actually picked.

The Bose sound has decent tone, and the big 10.25” screen has a twin in front of the driver. The dual screen thing is now stock-in-trade for posh Korean cars, and I’m very glad to find it in this pucker hot hatch. It lacks the mirror cameras to give the side view displayed in the driver’s instruments, so you have to make do with blind spot monitor.

Rear legroom is surprisingly generous for a such tiny conveyance, and there is enough luggage space for 4, but only if you all take soft duffels for the weekend of merry-making.

The rest is standard stuff. You get Qi wireless charging , wired carplay/android auto, and auto lights and wipers, but the cruise control is a manual affair. Finally, the climate control has a single zone only, which seems a bit mean.

Get the full specification list HERE: i20NSpecifications-November2021

The drive:

Firm seats are supportive, and it is just as well. Although you’re hugged in tight corners, unkempt roads can be a trifle unnerving.

You get the full sporty-hatch experience from the moment you press the starter. The engine has a high-pitched burble, and there is a gear stick to match the 3rd peddle. There is no auto option so if you can’t drive a manual, you’re fresh out of luck.

Drive modes add a little spice, but I fear the eco-mode is only there so the came maker can claim greenish credentials. No owner in their right mind is ever going to bother with it, so why bother? In addition to the conventional drive modes, “N” models have appropriately named “N” modes accessed with their own steering wheel buttons. Standard drive modes can have rev-matching by pressing the big friendly red “REV” button, with N modes having the rev-matching already programmed.

Driving fast is what i20 N is made for, and by George, it will see off all but the most determined, showing them a clean pair of heels every time. 150kw is just the right amount of butch, and is matched to a delightfully easy clutch.

That’s where the rev-matching comes in. Shifting up is a doddle, but coming back down the range can get some into a bit of a kerfuffle. Rev-matching blips the engine to make the gearbox and engine spin at a similar rate. That means riders aren’t thrust forward every time a set of lights comes up.

Acceleration is a brisk 6.2 seconds, with the little 5 door weighing about the same as a Peach melba. Its turning circle is smaller than a sixpence, and it can park in the annoyingly tiny spaces that are closest to shopping centre entrances.

Up to now, you’ve been having fun at lights, making i20 burp and fart as you back off the power, then you hit a corner a warp 10. There steering is near psychic, with the Goldilocks amount of feel, and brakes are responsive with impressive stopping power. But it is the suspension that is an absolute joy. Directional changes are dispatched with the ease and grace of a gazelle, with drinking habits of a teetotal. Mind you, she does fall off the wagon the second you sink the boot in. and believe me, you’ll be tested, so as the revs head up, the economy takes a nosedive. It has an eye-dropper for a tank, which makes things seem worse than they really are.

Get the full specification list HERE: i20NSpecifications-November2021

Conclusion:

Hyundai’s i20 N is a peach. It is a joy from the moment you lay eyes on the keenly faceted body. The engine is a delight, and the clutch a pleasure. $32,000 is a princely sum, but it is difficult to find that much fun for the price elsewhere.

You will find yourself thinking of reasons to go out, I promise. If mojo was a car, it would be an i20 N.

2021 Hyundai i20N Price: $32,490 MLP.

Dimension (mm) 4,075 (l) x 1,750 (w) x 1,440 (h)
Wheelbase (mm) 2,580
Engine Gamma II 1.6-litre T-GDi with flat power tune
Transmission 6-speed manual
Weight (kg) 1,213
Power (kW) 150
Torque (Nm) 275
Top speed (km/h) 230
Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 6.2s

Tags: Hyundai, gay hot hatch, favourite hot hatch, Hyundai i20 n, Hyundai Australia, Hyundai racing, Hyundai N cars, 2021 Hyundai i20 n review