Hyundai has unveiled a proper N version of the i20, a 201bhp pocket-sized hot hatch that might finally give Ford Fiesta ST owners a viable alternative. It’s the second full-fat Hyundai N Division model for the UK market following the bigger i30 N hatchback, a car that surprised everyone at its 2017 launch with its sense of track-honed dynamism.
The i20 N here is, we’re told, “track capable” and has been developed with the i20 World Rally Championship car in mind. It’s powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with 275Nm, which means a 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds and a 143mph top speed. By comparison – you know what’s coming here right – the Ford Fiesta ST’s numbers are…
…yes, you’ve guessed it, 6.7 seconds and 144mph. It’s almost as though Hyundai was benchmarking the Ford or something. Despite that similarity, the Hyundai has a better power-to-weight ratio than the 197bhp Fiesta because it’s lighter, boasting 169bhp per tonne compared to the Ford’s 156bhp per tonne. At 1190kg it’s a surprisingly light car, weighing little more than a Mazda MX-5.
It’s front-wheel drive, with power getting there via a six-speed automatic gearbox that includes rev matching, which blips the throttle automatically when the driver downshifts. It’s a system derived from track driving, mimicking the ‘heel-and-toe’ technique used by race drivers.
The car additionally includes a, says Hyundai, “left foot braking calibration” in another nod to motorsport, and will also tell you how much wear the brake pads have left.
The styling is, as you can see, fairly aggressive and notably the i20 N is coloured with the Performance Blue paintwork that also marks out the i30 N. Other colours are available. The bumper is redesigned as compared to a standard i20, incorporating larger air intakes, and the rear ‘diffuser’ (it’s fake) is punctuated by a wide bore tailpipe. There’s a large rear spoiler too, mounted on the roof and highlighted with red. The N-specific alloy wheels are especially fancy and house red painted brake callipers – brakes whose discs are 40mm bigger than a standard i20’s, for good reason.
The cabin features sports seats, a digital instrument display and drive mode select buttons painted in Performance Blue. The red engine start button is incorporated into the steering wheel.
The i20 N has had plenty of non-aesthetic work done to distinguish it from a common i20 on road and track, some of the work even bestowed with its own silly name; the styling, we forgot to mention, is called “sensuous sportiness”. Seriously.
The driving modes are called the “N Grin Control System” and they incorporate steering feel, engine response, stability control and exhaust sound. The cabin features sound augmentation for a louder note to passengers, although the exhaust itself is active meaning it’s louder in sport mode. It also has an optional mechanical limited slip differential, also with a name: “N Corner Carving Differential”. Yep.
We don’t know how much it’s going to cost yet but we can guess at around £23,000 because that’s about where the Fiesta ST starts. It goes on sale early next year.
Keyword: Hyundai unveils Fiesta ST-chasing i20 N