Small bodywork and low weight? Check. A sportier and more aggressive look that doesn't leave anyone indifferent? Check. A powerful gasoline engine (204 hp)? Check. On paper, the new Hyundai i20 N it has all the ingredients that make a good pocket rocket, but are they enough to be the reference?
If we take into account the “tradition” inaugurated by its “older brother”, the successful and highly praised i30 N, everything indicates that it has. After all, ever since Mr Albert Biermann switched from BMW's M to Hyundai's N, the South Korean brand's models have seen their dynamic behavior change.
In view of all this, there is a question that “raises”: is all this enough to beat the Ford Fiesta ST or the renewed Volkswagen Polo GTI? It was precisely to answer this question that, in this video, Guilherme Costa took the i20 N to the Kartódromo de Palmela.
All for the driving experience
The arguments of the new i20 N go far beyond the 1.6 T-GDi with 204 hp and 275 Nm that allows it to reach 230 km/h and sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7s and are mostly focused in providing a driving experience that lives up to the expectations created by such a model.
First, we have the fact that the engine only appears coupled to a manual gearbox with six ratios; in addition, Hyundai has not only equipped the sportiest of the i20s with a Launch Control but also offers a mechanical locking differential (the N Corner Carving Differential) as an option.
The carbon emissions from this test will be offset by BP
Find out how you can offset the carbon emissions of your diesel, gasoline or LPG car.
With five driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, N and N Custom (which lets you select Eco, Normal, Sport or Sport+ specifications for various components), the i20 N “crowns” this focus on dynamics with a 12-inch-reinforced chassis. different points, new shock absorbers, new springs, new stabilizer bars and even a revised camber and brakes with an additional 40 mm in diameter.