2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT Review
Car Tested: 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT; Road Test No. 957
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 8.21 to 9.48 lakhs
The 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 is the most affordable premium hatchback with a CVT gearbox in the country
Initially, Hyundai offered the i20 automatic with a 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to a 4-speed torque converter transmission. What this resulted in was a massive asking price for the automatic hatchback due to the larger engine. Subsequently, the car was excluded from the sub 4-metre excise duty benefits resulting in higher taxes and premium pricing. However, that’s history now. The Korean carmaker has ditched the 1.4-litre petrol engine and now offers a CVT gearbox with the tried and tested 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine. How is it to drive? We find out.
Motor Quest: The facelifted Elite i20 was launched earlier this year and the premium hatchback has been consistently selling in good numbers. At the time of launch, the Korean automaker offered the facelifted car in manual transmission variants only. Launched in 2014, the Elite i20 has consistently been among the best-selling models from Hyundai in India.
Apart from the ‘Auto’ badge on the right front fender, there is nothing to tell you that this is a CVT variant
Exteriors – The 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT comes in two variants – Magna Executive and Asta. Hyundai isn’t offering the CVT transmission in the top-spec Asta (O) trim and what that means is a lot of goodies have been given a miss. For starters, there are standard halogen headlights up front instead of projector units. While the grille is identical, the LED DRLs have been housed near the fog lights. The Magna Executive variant misses out on a lot of niceties such as fog lamps, keyless entry, steering mounted controls and auto-folding rear-view mirrors. Opt for the Asta grade and you get 15-inch gunmetal finish alloy wheels but crucial things such as side & curtain airbags, rear wiper (with washer) and ISOFIX mounts are still exclusive to the Asta (O) trim. The CVT trims ride on 15-inch wheels wrapped in 185-section rubber instead of the 195-section tyres.
Part quality and fit & finish inside the cabin is impressive
The current Elite i20 with CVT is more affordable than the previous Elite i20 automatic
Interiors – The cabin of the 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT is more or less similar to that of the manual transmission Asta variant. The dual-tone dashboard with a 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel and a 7-inch touchscreen AVN system looks similar to the one on the manual gearbox variants. However, the steering wheel and gear knob miss out on the leather wrap while the infotainment system loses out on the Auto Link feature. It still gets Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, MirrorLink and Bluetooth connectivity. Other features on offer are steering mounted audio controls, automatic climate control, rear-view camera, keyless entry, rear AC vents and electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs. The seat comfort and the space at the rear are identical to the manual gearbox variants.
Performance – Powering the 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT is the same 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine which also powers the petrol manual variants. The 1.2-litre unit produces 83 PS of power at 6000 RPM and 115 Nm of twist at 4000 RPM. At idle, the powertrain feels supremely refined and one can barely hear the engine inside the cabin. Low-end performance is decent but the mid-range and top-end aren’t punchy enough. On part throttle, the 6-step CVT gearbox works seamlessly and is a boon to use in city’s stop-go traffic. However, the actual problem arises when you floor the pedal. There is too much rubber band effect and the engine starts to scream at higher revs with progress being very slow post the 6000 RPM mark. The rubber band effect gets more pronounced as you go hard on the throttle.
Overtaking even at speeds as low as 40-60 km/hr requires planning
The CVT gearbox likes to take things easy
There is a manual mode which lets you go through the gears and manually take control of things but then again, the powertrain itself doesn’t feel punchy and sprightly enough. So, literally, the manual mode doesn’t help much. With a fuel efficiency of around 11-12 km/l in the city, the vehicle doesn’t actually have bad drinking habits. Take a light cruise on the highways and that figure inches closer to 14-15 km/l mark. According to our VBOX tests, the i20 CVT does 0-100 km/hr in 14.66 seconds.
The 15-inch wheels help in making the ride quality slightly better
Driving Dynamics – In terms of driving dynamics, not much has changed. As mentioned earlier, the CVT-equipped variants ride on relatively smaller 15-inch wheels so the ride quality is slightly better but handling isn’t all that great. The steering doesn’t offer the required feel and feedback. The suspension is softly sprung and hence there is some pitch and roll at higher speeds. Braking performance is great and so is the grip from the tyres.
The Elite i20 CVT misses out on projector headlamps
Safety and After Sales Service – The Hyundai Elite i20 CVT gets only dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard and since the CVT isn’t offered in the top-spec Asta (O) trim, the four additional airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, cornering lamps and automatic headlamps are not on offer. In terms of after-sales service, there isn’t anything to complain as the Korean automaker’s network and quality of service is great in the country.
Being the most affordable premium hatchback with a CVT gearbox, there is a lot going for the Elite i20
Verdict – The 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT is a car for the city roads which excels in the convenience aspect as well. Performance is also good enough but only with part throttle inputs. If you’re someone who always drives with a sense of urgency, then you better look elsewhere. At a premium of Rs. 1.05 lakhs over the manual variants, the Elite i20 CVT is worth considering if you’re looking for a point A to point B commute that’ll make daily drives less problematic.
The CVT gearbox is best-suited for city driving
What’s Cool
* Modern-looking hatchback with clean inoffensive styling
* Feature-loaded cabin with good part quality
* Soft suspension and 15-inch wheels offer a comfortable ride
What’s Not So Cool
* CVT not available in the top-end Asta (O) variant
* Rubber band effect is evident during spirited driving
* Motor doesn’t like being revved hard, lacks punch too
Alternatives: Maruti Baleno CVT, Honda Jazz CVT
The premium hatchback looks jazzy and electric in this Marina Blue shade
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Further Reading –
2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Test Drive Review
2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Video Review
Hyundai Elite i20 Long Term Review – Initial Report
Hyundai Elite i20 Long Term Review – Final Report