Hyundai i20 N (2021 - 2024) - ride and handling
A top job from start to finish: it’s pointed, rambunctious and hilariously good fun
The i20 N gets the basics right from the start. The seats are supportive, and thankfully not set too high. The steering wheel has a nice feel to it, and while there’s always a risk that digital instrumentation is over-elaborate just because it can be, in this instance it’s clear and attractive. Switch to the N mode and the rev counter gains prominence, but with oil and coolant temps equally easy to read. It’s a small touch, but it shows N understands what a driving enthusiast wants to know.
Even from the first few yards you can sense how taut the i20 N feels: solid of shell, and firm of suspension. In a modern world where many of the larger hot hatchbacks can feel like everyday luxury cars when so configured from the driver’s seat, the i20 N – much like the Fiesta ST, it must be said – makes no apology for being firm riding. In that regard it feels like a hot hatch from the old school, an effect amplified by its low weight and small size. It feels nimble and agile – a car you want to throw around right away, albeit one that details the complete picture of the road’s surface through to the cabin.
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Switch to N mode and the car really comes to life, a flickering red flame effect around the rev counter signifying much sharper throttle response, more weight to the steering and the pops, growls and bangs of the exhaust. Soon I’m into Custom mode, tweaking it slightly by going back a step on the steering weight and switching off the ESP – it’s all very easy to achieve. The little 1.6-litre engine rips through the rev range, pulling from low revs with vigour but also building revs in a fizzy, boost-heavy way. The shift quality is direct, but allows very quick changes, while the brakes offer a nicely firm pedal feel.
Brake hard for a 90-degree corner and turn in and the rear of the i20 steps out a few degrees but in a very predictable, controllable fashion, while the inside rear wheel hangs in the air. The car is now nicely turned in, ready for an application of power – except that the first time you do so doesn’t produce quite the effect you might be expecting. Instead of holding its line, or pushing wide under power, the diff drags the nose tighter into the corner and round. It’s an exhilarating feeling, because even if you feel you’re working right up to the limits of the chassis the car always seems to be able to generate more grip than you had imagined precisely at the point you want to get on the power.
The process is repeated all the way along a good B-road. The sheer amount of traction mid-corner that the i20 N can generate from its bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres is startling, and on this early evidence seems to position the car as a true giant killer. Its power and performance are entirely adequate, but it’s the cornering speed that sets it apart. Of course, a hot hatch needs to be a lot more rounded than that, and while the i20 N is from a smaller class it doesn't feel cramped inside, and the cabin design and equipment sheet are very grown up. It’s a car that easily gets under your skin.
