Hyundai i20 Review 2025

Rightly so, much has been made of Hyundai's climb from budget brand to mainstream carmaker that occasionally nibbles on the heels of premium models. But, in many ways, the Hyundai i20 feels like a car that's caught back in time, its generous equipment list and excellent warranty designed to make up for the fact that it's fundamentally off the pace. We'll find out in this full review if it's enough for the Hyundai i20 to convince.

And the Hyundai i20 comes loaded with kit, gets decent infotainment and has a high-tech engine that provides nippy performance and decent fuel economy. In an uncompetitive class that would be enough to rocket it to the top of your shopping list, but the small car class is far from uncompetitive and, up against its rivals, the i20 struggles to shine. It matches a Volkswagen Polo for space, but gets nowhere near its interior quality and can't compete with its finely tuned balance between being comfortable and enjoyable to drive. As such, the i20's generous equipment list seems like an attempt to hide its deficiencies, rather than enhance its qualities. 

If that sounds harsh it shouldn't do because the i20 is up against cars that are pound-for-pound some of the best currently on sale. When you're up against the MINI, the Peugeot 208, the Skoda Fabia, the Toyota Aygo X, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo... You get the picture.

First introduced in 2020, the latest generation of i20 got off to a shaky start with its looks. Early versions had piercing headlights, an angular grille and a variety of overlapping body creases that made for a fussy overall appearance, which the neat back end – complete with its wraparound rear lights – didn't quite rectify. The 2024 facelift tidied things up with new bumpers, a slimmer grille, a sharper lighting signature and new wheel designs, giving it a cleaner and more modern look without changing its basic character. More striking than the old model? Certainly. Genuinely good looking? That’s for you to decide.

Things get better once you step inside the latest i20, although earlier versions still showed the cabin’s budget roots. The 2020-2023 cars had a mixture of cheap-feeling plastics and hard surfaces that made them look and feel less sophisticated than a Volkswagen Polo or Toyota Yaris. The facelifted 2024 model improves matters with new ambient lighting, fresh interior trims and better colour choices, but the underlying plastics remain the same, so it still can’t match the best for perceived quality. You do, however, get a 10.25-inch central touchscreen and matching 10.25-inch digital driver’s display as standard on all trims, which goes a long way to making the i20 feel more up to date.

Where the i20 matches the Polo and has the measure of the other two is interior space. Upfront, the range of seat adjustment means whether you're tall, small, have long arms or short legs – you'll be able to get a comfortable driving position. Meanwhile, try out the back seat and you'll find your passengers get a surprising amount of knee room in what is, remember, Hyundai's second smallest car.

What you don't get is a wide range of engines because for most of the line-up (ignoring the now-discontinued i20 N hot hatch) there's only one option – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol. Earlier UK cars were available with 100PS with or without and 48V mild-hybrid hardware, and a 120PS version that was mild-hybrid only. The facelifted UK range has only a 100 PS version, now without the mild-hybrid assistance.

In its various states, the engine delivers decent performance and fuel economy but isn't as characterful as similar units fitted to other small cars. However, there is the option of a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

The driving experience also wants for defining features. The Hyundai's composed and grippy in bends, just as previous i20s managed. However, it lacks the cheeky nimbleness of a Ford Fiesta or the well-behaved fluidity and comfort of a Volkswagen Polo, because of this the Hyundai's not very memorable.

And that sums up the i20. There's nothing glaringly wrong with it in isolation but what it fails to serve up is that little bit of magic that separates a good car from a great car. Unfortunately for the i20, more than one of its rivals hits on that winning formula.

Taken by the scruff of its neck on a country road, the Hyundai i20 has a reassuring amount of grip and well-contained body roll that makes it a predictable car to push into bends. Trouble is, it's not a huge amount of fun. Compared to a Ford Fiesta its steering feels numb and inconsistently weighted and its suspension doesn't iron out bumps with the Ford's panache.

The i20 we tried (on 17-inch wheels) had a brittle, unsophisticated edge to it over surface changes and poor quality Tarmac that you'd barely notice in a Volkswagen Polo – the small car you should choose if you want the most cosseting ride possible.

Out on the motorway, the Hyundai loses out on the more sophisticated driving aids that are fitted to the Toyota Aygo X as standard and it isn't as quiet as the Toyota or the Volkswagen at the UK's legal limit.

Perhaps it feels at its best in town. There the steering sheds its fake weight and feels light and precise, visibility is excellent and all models come with a reversing camera and rear sensors so you won't have any heart-in-mouth moments backing into tight spaces.

Looking for a second opinon? Why not read heycar's Hyundai i20 review

When it was first introduced, one of the biggest talking points of the latest Hyundai i20 was its mild-hybrid, three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine. Its 48V power supply means it can do clever things like give you a gentle electrical boost when accelerating and decouple the engine so the car can coast. It also allows the engine's stop-start to activate before you've come to a complete halt. They all bring marginal improvements to fuel economy and emissions and, like the best systems, most of the time you'll barely notice it doing its thing.

Most of the time it feels like any other 100PS three-cylinder. You get spritely performance for a car this size – 0-62mph takes 10.4 seconds and top speed is 117mph – along with the vibrations through the pedals and steering wheel that you come to expect from an imbalanced triple. Go for the auto 'box and 0-62mph takes 11.4 seconds, with a top speed of 115mph.

Torque sits at a relatively punchy 172Nm from just 1500rpm but it's masked by the Hyundai's land-speed-record-like gearing – it'll do 70mph in second – and you do sense a pause between pressing the accelerator pedal and said acceleration chiming in. It's also a shame that it doesn't sound as characterfully throbby as the engines in a Ford or Volkswagen.

However, from 2024 the mild-hybrid system was dropped. The reason hasn't officially been confirmed, but it was likely to be for cost-saving reasons. We've yet to try the new setup, but we'd be surprised if it was dramatically different in terms of feel.

We've only tried the car in six-speed manual form and the gearchange is the nicest single aspect of the car's character – snickety, tight and precise it seems like a good reason not to go for the optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.  

This version of the Hyundai i20 was tested by indepenent safety organisation Euro NCAP in 2021 and was awarded four stars from a possible five. Well, technically it was the very similar Bayon that was tested, but they're so close that Euro NCAP concluded the score applies to both.

All models come with Hyundai's SmartSense range of safety features so you get multiple airbags, intelligent speed warning, automatic emergency braking which detects cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, and an eCall system that can send the emergency services your location if you have an accident. Regular cruise control is also a standard fixture as is a basic lane assist system that'll stop you drifting out of lane but not actually steer the car - that's kept for the Ultimate trim alone.

For that added layer of sophistication you'll need that Ultimate model. They can steer themselves in lane and around corners (so long as you keep your hands on the wheel) and, courtesy of active cruise control, accelerate and brake, too. Ultimate models also add a blind-spot warning system that can warn you of approaching vehicles obscured from view. This trim comes with Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, too, in order to help when pulling out of junctions and spotting vehicles approaching from the side.

The Hyundai i20 can tow an unbraked trailer weighing 450kg and a braked trailer that tips the scales at up to 1100kg – both these figures are towards the higher end of what you'd expect of a small car like this. It's worth noting that the sportier N Line S trim has a lower braked limit of 910kg.

The Hyundai is a very easy car to get comfortable behind the wheel in. Its driver's seat and steering wheel have loads of adjustment, your feet don't feel crushed in the pedal box and there's a rest to lay your hoof on when you're not pushing the clutch.

The seat also slides miles back on its runners. The only oddity is that you have to depress the clutch and brake pedal with the car in neutral to start the engine.

You can only have the i20 as a five-door so access to the back is excellent even if the rear doors are small – no surprise in a car this size - and once you're in you'll realise you have an impressive amount of legroom even if you're tall and sitting behind someone of a similar height.

Factor in generous headroom and loads of elbowroom and this is one of the most spacious back seats you'll find in a car this size.

All post-facelift models offer 352 litres of luggage capacity with the seats in place, expanding to 1165 litres with them folded – among the largest in its class. The boot opening is wide and square, and there’s a two-level adjustable boot floor. In its higher position it creates a near-flat load bay when the rear seats are folded, while the lower setting maximises overall depth for taller items. There’s also a small storage well beneath the lower deck for smaller objects or valuables.

Early 48V mild-hybrid versions (2020–2023) had smaller boot volumes – 262–310 litres – due to the location of the hybrid battery under the boot floor. On those cars, the false floor sits higher and reduces overall depth, but space remains about average for a small hatchback. Fold the 60:40 split rear seat and you free up as much as 1075 litres of cargo room.

All versions of the i20 come with a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, so the parts of the cabin you touch the most feel decent.

It's the parts you don't often touch that are the problem. There's a distinct lack of soft and squidgy plastics that make rivals like the Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris feel a cut above. Even competitors that lack spongy plastics (we're looking at you, Skoda Fabia) feel more robust than the Hyundai and there's a milk-carton like quality to some of the i20's materials that it's fancy ribbed trims don't shake off.

Unfortunately, the blue, '90s Hi-Fi-like glow to the infotainment screens don't do it any favours next to the more colourful screens you get in a Volkswagen Polo. Facelift cars added ambient lighting and revised trims, but the underlying plastics haven’t fundamentally changed.

All in all, you might feel that the i20's high equipment levels (more on those later) offset the cheap interior, but if you're looking for the kind of 'suprise and delight' that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside, you won't find much of it here.  

Blue glow notwithstanding, there's plenty to like about how the i20's infotainment screens go about their business.

Basic models now get a 10.25-inch central touchscreen with built-in navigation plus a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as standard (post-facelift ‘Advance’ trim). Earlier SE Connect cars had an 8-inch screen with smartphone mirroring. 

Premium versions of the i20 go a step further giving you the same 10.25-inch centre screen with built-in sat-nav. Like the basic system, its graphics are clear and it responds to iPhone-aping gestures like 'pinch' and 'swipe' very quickly.

This uprated system also includes a five-year subscription to Hyundai's connected services so you can 'talk' to your car using the Bluelink app to do things like set the navigation remotely or check the car's location and range.

Range-topping Ultimate models upgrade the stereo giving you a Bose system with eight speakers and subwoofer, plus wireless phone charging.

Your cheapest entry to brand-new Hyundai i20 ownership comes in the form of the £22,100 Advance, which replaces the old SE Connect. It's almost identically priced to the entry-level Volkswagen Polo Life, which comes in at £22,040.

Layout the two cars' brochures in front of you and the Hyundai's advantage is plain to see. It comes with a 100PS engine compared to the Polo's 80PS unit, plus the i20 adds useful kit you don't get in the Volkswagen including a a reversing camera and 16-inch alloy wheels – an inch larger than the Polo's.

You also get a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty that compares favourably to the three-year/60,000-mile cover you get with the Polo.

If you want the Hyundai i20 with the seven-speed automatic gearbox, it comes with a £1250 premium.

To move up from the Advance to the Premium means you're looking at a list price from £2,2500. The sporty looking N Line S goes from £24,750, as does the feature-packed Ultimate trim.

On the used market, early examples of this generation i20 (launched in 2020) start at around £10,000 to £12,000 for well-kept SE Connect models, with 2022-on Premium or N Line cars typically £13,000 to £16,000 depending on mileage.

When the third-generation i20 launched in the UK , it was offered with the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine, often paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system. Official combined fuel economy figures were from around 52 mpg.

After the 2024 facelift the range was simplified to use the 1.0-litre T-GDi 100 PS non-hybrid engine, but quoted economy was still around 52 mpg.

If you’re buying a used 2020-23 car with the 48V mild-hybrid, you may see slightly better real-world economy than the later non-hybrid versions , although the difference is likely to be minimal in everyday driving.

Hyundai servicing is priced at a very reasonable level compared to rivals, and that five-year warranty is stronger than a lot of the competition, and help to boost resale values, although the i20 is not a strong on the used-car market as some of the best-performing rivals.

Unsurprisingly, this small car won't break the bank when you come to insure it. Depending on the model, the i20 sits between insurance groups 12 and 16 or 50, which should ensure very reasonable premiums.

Hyundai has tweaked the trim levels on the i20 since its introduction, so the exact list of kit will vary depending on the age of the car you're considering.

Early cars, from 2020 to 2023, came in four trim choices, starting with the entry-level Hyundai i20 SE Connect, which features:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• LED daytime running lights
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Audo
• 10.25 digital instrument cluster
• Manual air conditioning
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Cruise control 

The mid-spec Hyundai i20 Premium features:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• LED taillights
• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheek
• Front arm rest
• Power folding mirrors mirrors
• 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation
• Bluelink telematics system
• Lane Follow Assist

The top-spec Hyundai i20 Ultimate trim adds:

• Two-tone roof
• Smart key with keyless entry
• Engine start/stop button
• Wireless charging pad
• Blind-spot collision warning
• Forward Collision Assist
• Bose premium sound system with eight speakers

Added to the portfolio in 2021, the Hyundai i20 N Line features:

• 120PS engine
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• N Line exterior styling kit
• Tinted glass
• Dual exhaust
• Red interior accents
• N-branded seats and steering wheel
• Black headlining
• Optional two-tone paint finish

The i20 was given a facelift in late 2023, with revised exterior looks and some trim tweaks. The range now started with the Hyundai i20 Advance, featuring:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• LED head and taillights
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• 10.25 digital instrument cluster
• Manual air conditioning
• Cruise control with speed limiter
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear-view camera
• Power heated side mirrors

The mid-spec Hyundai i20 Premium features:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Front fog lamps
• Power folding door mirrors
• Privacy glass
• 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation
• Apple Carplay
• Android Auto
• Bluelink telematics

The top-spec model remained the Hyundai i20 Ultimate, which builds on the Premium trim with:

• Smart key with keyless entry
• Engine start/stop button
• Wireless charger
• Blind-spot collision warning
• Forward Collision Assist
• Bose premium sound system

In 2024 the Hyundai i20 N Line S model was added, featuring:

• 17-inch black alloy wheels
• N Line exterior styling
• Rear spoiler
• N Line steering wheel
• N Line cloth seat trim with red stitching
• LED daytime running lights, headlights and taillights
• Keyless entry
• Engine start/stop button
• 10.25 touchscreen with navigation
• Heated front seats
• Ambient interior lighting
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Heated steering wheel
• Wireless charging
• Bose sound system