Nobody’s perfect

The i20N is great fun, but there’s no ignoring its flaws.

After last month’s burst of euphoria, time to give some doubts and qualifications an airing.

The i20N is relatively light, at 1190kg, but it doesn’t feel it because there’s so much heft in the steering. I’d rather have overly heavy steering than overly light but here it feels like unnecessary weight for the sake of a ‘sporty’ feeling, without bringing any extra feel or feedback. It actually makes the i20N feel less eager than it really is. A BMW M engineer once told me they’re obliged to make the M5’s steering heavy because some drivers brace their body with their arms on the wheel when driving quickly, rather than with their left leg against the footrest, and need some force to push against to feel secure. Perhaps those findings made their way across to N division, too.

It’s a powerful front-wheel-drive car, so there’s a bit of torque steer, although there’s very little kickback through the steering, and the i20N is remarkably stable in the dry. It is firm, though, making rough roads hard work, if no more so than in the rival Ford Fiesta ST.

Although toggling through the drive modes doesn’t alter the Hyundai’s fixed-rate dampers, oddly it feels firmer in the sportiest modes. That placebo effect’s possibly because the stiffer resistance in the power steering’s heaviest setting transmits more of the road surface’s jolts through your forearms.

And then there’s the engine. It’s an all-new unit, with plenty going for it on paper including a new high-pressure injection system, but it’s not that thrilling on the road. A heavy flywheel gives throttle response a slightly lethargic feel, even though maximum torque is available from very low revs. It emphasises turbo lag when you’re dipping in and out of the power through urban roundabouts in third gear, and on more open roads it’s not as keen to rev as traditional hot hatches, starting to feel strained towards the redline. You’re more likely to short-shift out of sympathy than make a lunge for the shift-light finishing line.

After borrowing the car, Ben Miller declared the brakes and gearbox to be fantastic, but suspected it was over-tyred, and reckoned it was more fun in the wet, up on its toes, ready to break into dance.

If this all sounds a bit harsh, it’s only because the i20N is otherwise such a talented car that minor flaws you wouldn’t think twice about in a lesser car stand out all the more starkly. Make no mistake, this is a great hot hatch.

The engine has plenty going for it on paper, but it’s not that thrilling on the road