Hyundai Elite i20 9,000km long term review

Its been a while since I took the Hyundai Elite i20 for a long run on the highway. In fact, in the past month, its just been the routine drives to work and running some errands in the city. But, this has really helped gauge the car better, as a majority of our driving happens in the city.

And a city like Mumbai, where traffic can be quite a nightmare, the Elite i20 can be quite easy to drive. Yes, in my previous reports I have mentioned the tall gear ratios and the constant demand for shifts, but once you look past that, the Elite i20 is in fact quite easy to drive. The visibility all round is good too and the reversing camera makes it easy to park. The clutch is absolutely light, much unlike most of the diesel cars we've driven. The gear shifts are smooth and the steering is light which makes the easy to maneuver through traffic.

Talking about the steering, yes it does feel comfortable in the city but push the Elite i20 around a series of bends and you wish you had some feedback on it.

But, before you get into the car and experience it live, the design wins half the battle for the car. The long bonnet leading into the hexagonal grille, the swept back taillights, the swooping roofline and yes the black Cpillar.Unlike most manufacturers, Hyundai has been smart not to share the design of its premium hatchback with its sun 4metre sedan and it is surely a step in the right direction in this age of family design language.

Total km till date: 10,944

Date Acquired: September 2014

Fuel consumed: 114.9 litres (Total distance since last report 1,966km)

Efficiency: 17.1kmpl

Cheers: Ease of driving

Sneers: No steering feel