Enthusiasts don’t have it all easy in India as far buying performance hatchbacks are concerned, this side of the Mini Cooper S. We did have the Fiat Punto Abarth which was a true hot hatch from the word go. Tata Motors also experimented with the JTP twins but both these cars had an untimely demise. That just left us with the Volkswagen Polo TSI. Hyundai now wants to spice up things a little in the Indian market and is doing that by having launched their N Performance Division. N is to Hyundai what M is to BMW and AMG to Mercedes-Benz. The letter N stands for Namyang which is home to the car maker’s headquarters in South Korea where these models are designed and also for Nurburgring where Hyundai tests and develops the cars. Hyundai has the full monty of performance cars under the N division. Complete with engines, suspension systems, gearboxes the works. The N Line that comes to India gets cosmetic updates and slight performance upgrades. The Hyundai i20 N Line that you see in these pictures is just the first of many models that are slated to hit India shores. The highways of Rajasthan just outside Udaipur were the perfect playground to see what this hatch has to offer. Read on.
Hyundai i20 N Line Performance
Let’s get down to the driving part straight away. The i20 N Line gets the same 1.0 three cylinder turbo petrol engine that is seen on the regular i20. Power figures are identical too with the car making 120 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a six speed iMT and a 7 speed DCT dual clutch automatic. The test car for this review had the 7 speed DCT box. Slot the lever into D and the car creeps forward. There is a bit lag when you start off but as you move past the 2000rpm mark, the performance starts kicking in. At the same time, you notice the sporty exhaust note that Hyundai has equipped the car with. It isn’t too loud but you still hear faint crackles and pops as you drive on. Power build up is nice and the mid-range is strong. Shifts from the gearbox are smooth and there’s a Sport mode as well. There is a slight lag during kickdown, but at the same time you don’t feel any jerks when the transmission downshifts, something that I feel in my Volkswagen Polo GT. The DCT also gets paddle shifters, and what’s nice is that they are long full length ones. Downshifting is fun, especially when you hear the blips from the motor. While I didn’t drive the iMT, a conventional six speed manual would have been the cherry on top of this package.
Hyundai i20 N Line Ride & Handling
The i20 N Line also gets retuned suspension that is thirty percent stiffer than the regular i20. The good part is that while it offers excellent stability around corners and hard driving, the ride quality is not really compromised. Also the steering has also been worked upon. Even though its an electric unit, it does feel weighty and not dead by any means. Its not the sharpest, but pretty accurate. It is definitely one of the nicer steering experiences in a Hyundai. The i20 N Line also gets disc brakes on all four wheels, which is welcome. Braking power is efficient and is confidence inspiring.
