The i20 N Line will go down in history as one of the most special test cars to have been part of the TURBOCHARGED garage! Obviously, a big reason behind the same is the erm…the turbocharged petrol engine under its hood. But jokes apart, the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine is what made it everyone’s favourite in the office over the past year. With 120PS on tap and its kind of linear power delivery, the i20 N Line was the car almost all team members (me included!) preferred driving around town over the bigger and more powerful cars we’ve had in our long term fleet! Okay, it may not be a hot hatch going by the textbook definition of the word, but the N Line version of the i20 has been one of the most exciting hatchbacks to get launched in the country in a while.
Besides the stonker of an engine it is powered by, the well-tuned suspension and the weighted and more responsive steering are what made it a favourite in the office. There were numerous instances when I’ve left the office late at night and preferred driving the i20 N Line back home over sedans and SUVs to make the most of the empty streets! It’s a hoot to drive and handles the way a performance hatchback should, and also sounds sporty enough to make you roll the windows down and break into a smile on a late night sortie. Admittedly though, despite the convenience it offers in traffic, I wasn’t a fan of the iMT or clutchless manual transmission. My biggest grouse was the effort required to change gears when driving spiritedly. This also meant that gearshifts take a fraction of a second more than conventional, three-pedal manual transmissions.
Good news though is that you can now have the i20 N Line with a three-pedal manual as Hyundai has finally launched that version! Besides the gearbox the i20 N Line hasn’t really given me or anyone else a chance to complain though. It’s got a great mix of space, features and of course, it also looks brilliant. In fact, I’ve always been conflicted whether I like the i20 N Line more in the blue with red accents or our test car, this white with red accents! The sharp design looks fresh even two years after the car was launched and the N Line is still one of the best looking hatchbacks in the country in my opinion. And despite its sporty intent, the car has also returned favourable fuel efficiency numbers. This, of course, when not giving it the stick, something we were always tempted to do! Thou shalt be missed, dear i20 N Line!
