Hyundai i20 N Line should not be confused with the GTI killer

Medical practitioners, plus the publishers of medical advice columns often dish out totally incorrect facts.

The topic of male circumcision springs to mind. The medical experts all say that the procedure is no big deal. It will hurt for a week and cause discomfort for about a month, they say, after which everything will go back to normal.

They are, of course, wrong. I have a friend who underwent male circumcision when he was one week old. According to his parents and other reliable witnesses, afterwards he was unable to walk for almost 14 months.

Other publication titles promise medical knowledge, but lie. In my youth, I once suddenly and urgently needed information regarding venereal disease. Seeing the title in a bookshop, I bought and read Moby Dick, but failed to find anything like relevant answers for my problem.

What’s in a name?

The message is plain – do not believe everything you read. Take the Hyundai i20 1.0 N Line. When I recently got the opportunity to drive one, the “N” in its name promised a lot.

I mean, when our expert road tester and racer Mark Jones evaluated the Hyundai Kona N he was delighted. He called it a VW Golf GTI eater and bemoaned the fact that there is no suitable class in South Africa where Hyundai could race it for real.

ALSO READ: New Hyundai i20 has the drive to match the looks

Thus, the Hyundai i20 1.0 N Line should be a butt-kicking rip-roarer, right? Wrong.

It is just dressed like a butt-kicker. This writer has a problem with car makers who take liberties with established performance icons. Like BMW, who put the “M” badge on everything they produce – from high-performance saloons, through diesel station wagons to the doorknobs in their factory offices.

We feel Hyundai should not utilise its “N” nomenclature on the basis of a few trim specifications.

Hyundai i20 N Line is just fine

That having been said, the i20 1.0T N Line is a capable little car. Designed to carry four adults or five in a tight squeeze, it comes powered by a three-cylinder, turbocharged, 998 cc petrol engine that produces 90 kW of power at 6 000 rpm and 172 Nm of torque between 1 500 rpm and 4 000 rpm. The above goes to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The i20 is sleek and looks sporty, with a black grille and rearview mirrors, front spoiler, LED daytime running lights, fog lamps and a sunroof.

The whole package sits on 16-inch spoked alloy wheels in 195/55 R16 rubberware. While on the subject of wheels, we are delighted to report that the i20 boasts a full scale spare wheel, and not one of those pathetic little “space-saver” saucers.

Inside, it offers artificial leather upholstery, a multi-functional steering wheel, remote control locking with keyless entry, a controls interface screen with Bluetooth, heated rear screen and mirrors, USB ports front and rear plus a 12V power socket.

Safety-wise, it has ABS and park distance control with a rear camera. In a crash, it has six airbags to keep you and yours healthy.

Hyundai i20 N Line seamless in city traffic

The i20 is a typical example of just how efficient small capacity, turbocharged engines are. Given its engine size, the car boasts a surprising amount of grunt and it would seamlessly keep up with other city traffic, due to its wide torque range.

Hyundai claim it will go from standstill to 100 km/h in under 10 seconds, with a top speed of 187 km/h, and we have no reason to doubt them.

We know it is the current fashion to slate every type of automated transmission, but this driver never felt that I could change gears better than the car was already doing. It handled well, with the steering direct and the suspension involving you behind the wheel.

The test vehicle was, by our reckoning, rather thirsty at an average of 7.8 L/100 km. On the other hand, it does what 1 600 cc cars did a few years ago.

Conclusion

The vehicle will set you back R411 900 – expensive, in the parts of the city where I live. But then, bread currently costs almost R20 per loaf.

The Hyundai i20 1.0T N Line comes with a five year/150 000 km warranty, extended to seven years and 200 000 km for the drivetrain. It has a four-year/60 000 km service plan.

For more information on the Hyundai i20 N Line, visit the manufacturer’s website.