Next in line

Hot hatches still have an undying appeal and Hyundai spruces up their successful i20 with N Line trims, introducing its performance brand to India. We drive the new i20 N Line in Udaipur

LET’S NOT FORGET THAT THE HYUNDAI I20 HAS ITS GENES ROOTED DEEP IN MOTORSPORT, SPECIFICALLY IN RALLYING

Performance divisions for manufacturers can be a great marketing tool to boost the appeal of regular commuter cars. The formula is simple, take the race-bred car as the mascot, steal a few badges here, some cosmetic tweaks there and out comes a special edition that’ll get them more money for essentially the same car. I’ll admit it, I did think of the i20 N Line along the same lines and on the face of it, so would you but let’s not forget that the i20 has its genes rooted deep in motorsport, specifically in rallying.

Hyundai’s N division was born at the Namyang proving grounds in South Korea while the motorsport headquarters is based in Germany where the legendary Nurburgring plays host to the high performance cars to further hone their performance capabilities. Now, this isn’t the 204bhp i20 N that’s a true

The interior in the N8 DCT trim comes loaded with a

10.25-inch touchscreen featuring Android Auto and

Apple CarPlay, full TFT instrumentation, 7 speaker Bose sound system, automatic climate control with front and rear vents and a

wireless charger performance version of the hatchback we’re familiar with. That particular model is still a distant future away from us but what this is, is the essence of the N car, a little tease if you will.

On to what’s different; the exterior of the i20 N Line uses red highlights on the lower front bumper and side skirts as well as red front brake calipers. The front bumper also sees a slight redesign to add air splitters while the LED projector headlamps and fog lamps remain as they do in the top variants of the car. New 16-inch alloy wheels get the N logo as do the fenders, grille and tailgate. The rear of the car gets mild aero touches with side wings and a sporty dual tip muffler that lets out a nice throaty note. The interior remains largely unchanged albeit with red highlights and comes in all black with N details on the steering wheel, shift selector and the seats. Features are carried over from the regular car so the i20 N Line N8 DCT comes fully loaded.

A quick glance at the specs will tell you that this i20 N Line uses the same 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine with the same power outputs and there are no diesel engines on offer but there are two transmission options. A 6-speed iMT and the 7-speed dual clutch automatic that we drove. I personally prefer this gearbox because it’s quick, the paddle shifters add a sporty touch to the driving experience and together with the sporty muffler, it makes a nice sound on the overrun. Hyundai has even gone to

HYUNDAI HAS EVEN GONE TO THE EXTENT OF

CALIBRATING THE ELECTRONIC

STEERING TO ADD WEIGHT TO THE INPUTS AND

STIFFENING UP THE SUSPENSION DAMPING BY 30

PER CENT

TOGETHER WITH THE DCT, THE ENGINE DOES MANAGE TO GATHER PACE IN THE MIDRANGE AND THAT’S WHERE IT’S

BEST KEPT IN ANY GEAR

the extent of calibrating the electronic steering to add weight to the inputs and stiffening up the suspension damping by 30 per cent. The result is much sportier handling where the revised suspension helps the i20 corner sharper, maintain composure over crests at speed and on less than perfect tarmac. What it also does is substantially limit body roll making the i20 N Line a proper hoot to drive on twisties.

This slight change in suspension settings brings a marked difference in the i20’s handling and the N Line also gets disc brakes on all four corners. To complement the handling, the brake bias between the

front and rear is spot on, making for strong braking performance while maintaining its line of travel or helping in quick changes in direction with a dab of the brake pedal. The engine does pack decent grunt and acceleration but the smaller displacement means that top end performance is lacking and there is noticeable turbo lag till 2,000rpm. Together with the DCT, it does manage to gather pace in the mid-range and that’s where it’s best kept in any gear.

The prices for the new i20 N Line are already out with three variants on offer, the top variant asking for a Rs 50,000 premium over the regular model. The price difference in the lower N8 and N6 trims is quite a bit more but having driven the car now, I can justify the extra asking price for what this car has to offer plus those lower N Line trims do add a lot more features. That being said, the i20 N Line might come across as just a cosmetic upgrade over the regular car but as an overall package it does stand apart especially with its newfound handling prowess.