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| This is not the car in discussion, but its competitor, the new Kia Rio. The car... focus on the car! |
Just think how Jong-Un, who had his defence minister publicly shot
to bits with an anti-aircraft gun for falling asleep during military meetings,
would have reacted to Hyundai Automotive South Africa’s demand for a new
1,4-litre auto priced to help us beat the rand blues by selling for R25 000
less than the current i20 Auto, but that still has a raft of standard
features.
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| This is the car under discussion, the R25k cheaper auto i20 now on sale in South Africa. |
Audio does USB and still a CD too
The standard features list include a
multi-function steering wheel that adjusts for rake and reach; a Bluetooth audio
system that links with ease to a cellphone for handsfree phone calls; USB and
AUX connectivity for the audio system that also still has a CD player; aircon
and remote-locking.
Hyundai said in a statement the fresh looks and neat design lines
of the i20 hatchback model were introduced in the local market in 2015, and it
has since been a backbone in Hyundai’s impressive sales that has earned it
fourth position among automotive brands in South Africa. “Customers are in for a
surprise when they take the i20 for a test drive, because Hyundai’s engineers
have created a fine car with solid, surefooted dynamics on the road,” says Oscar
Makola, marketing director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
“The addition of the new i20 derivative creates another appealing
option for the discerning buyer in this very competitive market segment.”
Engine and transmission
Power in the new i20 1.4 Motion comes from its Kappa 1,4 litre
engine that delivers 74 kW at 6 000 r/min and 133 Nm at 3 500 r/min through the
front wheels via a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The 1,4 litre engine delivered
fuel consumption of 7,5 litres/100 km in a combined test cycle, and CO2 emissions of 160 g/km. Apart from its
power source, the new i20 1.4 Motion derivative shares the specification level
of its sibling in the i20 range, the i20 1.2 Motion manual, which is equipped
with the smaller 1,2 litre engine that delivers maximum power of 61 kW at 4 000
r/min, and maximum torque of 115 Nm at 4 000 r/min. The 1,4 engine comes with a
three-year or 30 000 km service plan. Hyundai’s Roadside Assistance for five
years or 150 000 km is a standard inclusion in all the i20 packages.
Price and competition
The new i20 1.4 Motion automatic sells for R249
900, while the established i20 1.4 Fluid auto goes for R274 900.
The new 1,4 Hyundai competes head-on with its
Kia stablemate, which sells for almost R254 000, but there are seven other small
hatches with auto transmissions that will give the new i20 auto a go in terms of
base model pricing. The list is topped by SA’s best selling Vivo 1,4 Trendline
auto at just over R195 000, Ford’s Figo from just over R210 000, ditto the
surprising Smart Forfour.
Then come the Toyota Yaris 1,3 at R232 000,
Opel’s Corsa 1,4 Enjoy for about R235 000, the Mazda 2 for R249 000 and the
Honda Jazz for some R252 000. But none offers Hyundai’s seven-year or 200 000 km
warranty, which makes the new i20 auto a rather special deal.
