Hyundai i20N (2023) Review

IT SEEMS wrong somehow to have an old geeza in a hot hatch – but then why not?

Afterall GTIs were born when I was a young man and today only the more mature motorist can afford the insurance.

So while being a bit sporty is frowned upon nowadays, with the current fixation with health and safety, it’s left to me to try out the new i20N, a car inspired by Hyundai's rally-winning i20 Coupe WRC.

Its silhouette, and many of it features, started life in the rally rocket-ship and it has been softened only slightly to look at home on the roads.

Approaching the i20N it screams ‘performance’. Sharp lines, big black alloys, huge honeycomb grille and red detailing on the extended sills and brake callipers leave you in no doubt that this particular i20 is built for speed.

I don’t speed so the top end of 143mph is irrelevant really. More important is the sprint time of 6.2 seconds to 62mph and the in-gear time of just 5.5 seconds from 50-70mph. What does that mean? It means it is seriously rapid off the mark and brilliant for overtaking safely.

You can choose your various performance modes and even the sound of the exhaust but if you just fancy a bimble it will return impressive miles per gallon.

The ride is rock hard, at least that’s how it feels at first after the squidginess of a normal hatchback. But it’s not unpleasant and results in fabulous handling. It corners flat, feels self-assured through the bends, has razor sharp steering and stunning stopping power.

N’s six speed gearbox and light clutch are sublime making cog-swapping an absolute pleasure. Even when you are getting long in the tooth like me and start to prefer automatics, the N reminds you that a great box can be immense fun.

If you are wondering why no ‘GTI’ moniker, that’s because the N in the name stands for Namyang, Hyundai Motor’s global R&D centre in Korea.

N is also for the Nürburgring, that iconic German race and test track, which is home to Hyundai Motor’s European Test Centre, where the N was further developed and tested.

Inside is sporty too courtesy of a stylish cockpit, embracing sports seats and great dash and controls which are clear, attractive and very easy to use.

Either side of a small chunky steering wheel sit a couple of paddles with which you can change the car’s nature and a red button which matches revs for downshifts – they are all great fun to use.

Specification and quality are top drawer too. The trim is well fitted and finished giving an air of solidity. The main functions are on buttons, which I prefer, but then there’s a decent touchscreen for the satnav and infotainment. Rear legroom is fine and the boot sufficiently large for this class of car.

For me i20N evokes memories of my youth, when cars were about spirited driving and judged on their bon viveur, or at least the Korean equivalent.

The Hyundai makes you feel alive when life can dull your senses. It’s good as a run around but the bonus is that when you feel in the mood it has all the ingredients to become a pleasure ride.

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