• To be had for £21,500
• 1.6-litre inline 4 petrol turbo, front-wheel power
• 3- and even two-wheel cornering in the most efficient scorching hatch custom
• Experience now not plush on deficient roads
• Speedy sufficient, and routinely sturdy, however a couple of high quality problems
• They’ve stopped making them, boo  

Boxing is a tricky recreation. On the professional stage, it’s now not with reference to with the ability to take repeated punches within the mush for three-quarters of an hour. It’s additionally about choosing the right fights, i.e. those that maximise your handbag whilst minimising your ache.

All credit score to Hyundai, then, for difficult automobiles just like the GR Yaris and Fiesta ST with its i20N. Taking up those champs of the carrying supermini elegance gave the look of a handy guide a rough technique to hit the car canvas however, emboldened by means of the nice and cozy reception given to its i30N in mid-2017, Hyundai obviously felt it was once price a move. 

The i20N – N status for Nürburgring – was once printed to the Ecu marketplace in October 2020. At its middle was once an N Turbo Smartstream G engine, which in English was once a 1.6 turbo 4 with 204hp and 203lb feet powering the entrance wheels by the use of a six-speed handbook gearbox (no auto choice) and a mechanical limited-slip diff. The i20N featured a considerably stiffened-up frame and stiffened passive suspension (the i30N’s was once adaptive). Its geometry was once aggressivised, the journey top reduced by means of 10mm and the brakes embiggened by means of 40mm. Hyundai threw numerous apparatus into the N’ed-up cabin at the side of a whole lot of driving force data and using modes. 

All of it seemed like a bang-up recipe for a small package of amusing and so it proved. The i20N charmed the pants off the clicking, who discovered that it sat very easily along the Fiesta ST in a category of 2 beneath the GR Yaris, and slightly above the remainder (208 GTi, Polo GTI, Cooper S and so forth) relating to sportiness. The Fiesta was once nominally £3k or so inexpensive than the Hyundai however that was once as it didn’t include an LSD as same old. With the non-compulsory diff suited to the Ford there was once most effective £500 or so between them, at £24.5 and £25k respectively. In the event you went for the top-spec Version ST with the diff and manually adjustable coilovers you’d be as much as just about £29k, while there was once in reality no want to spend to any extent further than the usual RRP of £25k on an i20N as a result of they had been so neatly supplied out of the field. 

Small marvel that it gained such a lot of awards and garnered this type of scramble of orders. Sadly, the i20N was once destined to have a brief lifespan, in Europe a minimum of. On the finish of 2022 Hyundai introduced that Euro 7 emissions regulations that had been because of come alongside in July 2025 had been going to drive it to kill off maximum of its N fashions right here. For UK fans that intended the i30N in addition to the topic of this purchasing information. 

On the time of writing (December 2023) you couldn’t position an order for a brand new i20N. You need to get a brand new one from current inventory or from the ‘Pipeline’, which we wager is Hyundai-speak for cancelled orders, however except for that your best choice is to head used. Would that be a suave transfer even though? Let’s examine. 

Engine: 1,598cc 16v inline 4 turbocharged petrol
Transmission: 6-speed handbook, front-wheel power
Energy (hp): 201@5,500-6,000rpm
Torque (lb feet): 203@1,750-4,500rpm
0-62mph (secs): 6.7
Best pace (mph): 142
Weight (kg): 1,190
MPG (WLTP): 40.4
CO2 (g/km): 158
Wheels (in): 18
Tyres: 215/40
On sale: 2021-2023
Worth new (2021): £24,995
Worth now: from £21,500

Word for reference: automobile weight and gear knowledge is difficult to pin down with absolute sure bet. For consistency, we use the similar supply for all our guides. We are hoping the information we use is true extra incessantly than it’s unsuitable. Our recommendation is to regard it as relative somewhat than definitive.

For extra mature PHers particularly it would appear a little bit mad {that a} supermini will have to weigh just about 1,200kg, however this is certainly what an i20N weighed. Ahead of you get too indignant about it even though you will have to realise that it was once in fact lighter than a Fiesta ST or a Polo GTI. Even the godlike RenaultSport Clio 200 Cup of the past due 2000s was once in the similar weight ballpark because the i20N. Indicators o’ the days, and some distance from the featherlight days of early Golfing GTIs (810kg) and 205 GTis (850kg).

One repair for the belief of extra weight (despite the fact that now not essentially for wonderful dealing with) is after all extra energy. 200hp in a small automobile, even a 1,200kg one, will have to be just right for thrillls aplenty, and that was once unquestionably the case with the i20N. It went throughout the 0-62mph within the mid-six 2nd bracket, occurring from there to a peak pace of greater than 140mph.

But even so eco, commonplace and recreation modes and release keep an eye on the i20N presented you the chance to arrange two customized modes from your personal mix of engine, guidance, balance keep an eye on, auto-blip rev matching (one thing you didn’t get within the Fiesta ST) and exhaust sound settings. As soon as programmed in, both of those two customized modes may well be in an instant engaged by means of the 2 sky-blue ’N’ paddles at the guidance wheel. All just right up to now. 

In reality, the engine was once workmanlike somewhat than wondrous. It didn’t in reality inspire you to construct a whole lot of revs, and for those who did it was once fairly sluggish to shed them. Same old auto-blip were given you round that heavy flywheel impact on downchanges by means of easily matching engine revs to avenue pace so long as you had the rev-matching serve as in certainly one of its two sportiest settings. Within the different modes, it wasn’t 100 in line with cent correct. In the event you idea your ft could be higher at it, the blipper was once switch-offable. When bloodless the motor did have a slight roughness at idle however that went away because the temperature rose. The handbook gearbox is slick and durable however some homeowners did understand once in a while not up to candy engagements of first or opposite gears. 

If a thrilling engine notice was once essential to you, the spitting, parping, sound-enhanced exhaust that Hyundai suited to the i20N was once simply the task – however provided that you had been sitting at the floor subsequent to it. An even-sized bite of aural pleasure appeared to get misplaced someplace between the tailpipe and the cabin, and going into one of the vital extra excessive using modes didn’t in reality repair it. The spring used for the exhaust opening valve printed itself to be vulnerable, inflicting a rattle. Hyundai would both substitute the whole exhaust below guaranty, through which case it could most likely occur once more, or it’s essential to go for a extra everlasting resolution by means of purchasing a greater aftermarket spring for round £65. 

Jerky throttle reaction in sluggish site visitors was once spotted by means of some. One proprietor repair for this was once to take away the exhaust valve fuse to be able to, neatly, de-restrict the fuel glide. You be the pass judgement on. Another way, the drivetrain turns out to were very dependable despite the fact that we did to find one proprietor whose gas pump had expired at six months. Homeowners’ stories with the Hyundai broker community have various between excellent (that being the norm) and, much less ceaselessly, ‘now not very helfpul’. One proprietor was once complaining about having to peak up the coolant two times when the engine was once scorching however he were given little greater than shrugs from the broker. 

Hyundais include a five-year guaranty so even the oldest used i20Ns will nonetheless be coated. Even if they didn’t in reality want to do patrons any favours as a result of call for was once exceeding provide, some sellers did be offering loose i20N servicing for the primary 3 years and nil in line with cent finance. 3-year servicing add-ons had been to be had from £299.

On a regular basis gas intake could be within the top 30s to low 40s. Hypermiling would take you into the 50s. Even an vigorous driving force may simply peak 35mpg. Getting the ones numbers within the slightly thirsty i30N wouldn’t be really easy. 

Again within the mists of time, it was once a motoring truth that you simply couldn’t have just right dealing with and a just right journey on the identical time. Jaguar broke that mold with its first XJ6 and Ford introduced top of the range using traits to the hundreds within the Focal point. Then again, as automobile weights have crept up with the addition of increasingly more protection, emissions and cabin tech apparatus, that dealing with/convenience candy spot has been shifting clear of the inexpensive automobiles in a producer’s fluctuate and in opposition to the dearer fashions which will extra simply undergo the additional prices of lively damping programs. 

The i20N completed its tight, flat dealing with with out pricey suspension. As a substitute, it went down a extra conventional direction involving larger anti-roll bars, competitive camber angles, a mechanical limited-slip differential (the i30N had an digital one), stiffer springs, a stiffer rear torsion beam, and a chassis stiffened at twelve issues. All that stiffness resulted in a raft of web movies appearing i20Ns being earholed round quite a lot of circuit bends with the interior rear wheel or certainly each inside of wheels waving about within the air, similar to within the just right previous scorching hatch days.

Or, to make use of an accurately previous phrase, it was once very chuckable. In the event you get a minute, take a look at Misha Charoudin’s Ring lap right here. For a extra road-based view right here’s Dan Prosser evaluating it to the Fiesta ST.  

The associated fee that’s in most cases levied for stiff-chassised amusing is a company journey, and that’s what you were given within the i20N. The dampers had been passive, not like the i30N’s adaptive ones, and the journey was once now not plush. That wasn’t an issue for many 20N patrons who relished its keenness to rotate into corners, egged on by means of tools that in fact instructed you there was once a delectable bend forward whilst suggesting that it’s possible you’ll wish to have interaction N mode for additonal laughs. The journey high quality factor is most effective price taking into account for those who’re averse to being jiggled and your native council hasn’t invested a lot cash within the roads you’re going to be the usage of.   

Guidance was once fascinating. Multiple long-term tester set the numb-ish electrical helm to most lightness on certainly one of their customized N modes and located it very habitable. In recreation modes, it weighted up by means of fairly a point, possibly an excessive amount of for some, however on a observe the guidance squirm below energy regardless of (or possibly extra as it should be on account of the tugging of) the restricted slip diff most effective added to the sensation that this little Hyundai would now not most effective take care of you but additionally entertain you when the copious grip sooner or later began to peter out. 

18-inch alloy wheels, Pirelli P 0 tyres particularly evolved for the i20N and red-calipered ’N’ brakes had been all same old. The discs had been 320mm on the entrance and 262mm on the rear. They labored in reality neatly within the dry however some homeowners weren’t so prepared at the additional preventing distance required when it was once raining. The handbrake was once an old-school steel stick between the seats. 

Now not everybody was once inspired by means of the Pirelli tyres both, bringing up early degradation or deficient grip in wintry stipulations. That loss of cold-weather grip was once extra of an issue in the United Kingdom the place homeowners had been most likely extra prone to make use of their i20Ns at the identical rubber all yr spherical, while drivers in some portions of Europe are obliged by means of regulation to modify to iciness tyres. Anyway, Michelin Pilot Game 4s or 5s in most cases solved that downside. Alternative tyres from an outfit like Blackcircles will probably be round £50 for finances, round £100 for mid-range (Kumho, Falken, Toyo and so forth) or £135 for P Zeros or Pilots. 

The N20’s turning circle was once beautiful huge and there is usually a reasonably surprising juddering and noise from the entrance finish right through the appliance of complete lock when bloodless. This entrance diff-related factor was once not at all unique to Hyundai. At the i20N it was once reportedly a lot much less pronounced when Michelins had been fitted. 

You need to most effective have an i20N as a five-door, which didn’t spice up its enchantment amongst those that felt that efficiency hatches will have to most effective ever have 3 doorways. A minimum of the entrance vents had been genuine, which hasn’t at all times been the case with costlier automobiles, however no choice of N wings, facet skirts or diffusers may hide the truth that the fundamental i20 frame form wasn’t vastly inspiring. When you’d spotted the atypical place of the rear door handles and the overall confusion of traces in that rear-three-quarter space it was once arduous to like or overlook it.

The Efficiency Blue (PB) paint that has grow to be related to ’N’ automobiles was once a £550 additional, and it was once any other £500 to get the contrasting black roof. In the event you didn’t opt for that, the non-colourmatched black sharkfin aerial may glance a little bit Halfords. lf you didn’t just like the crimson stripe accents at the bodykit portions it’s essential to opt for Dragon Crimson frame paint which removed them, however then it’s possible you’ll feel sorry about having authorized heart age fairly so readily. 

Some automobiles got here out of the manufacturing unit with paint lacking in quite a lot of puts, resulting in rust. Those had been in most cases PB automobiles, despite the fact that black and crimson ones had been additionally affected. In the event you noticed the defects Hyundai looked after them out below guaranty, even though now not at all times all that promptly. 

The i20N wasn’t a large automobile so the boot wasn’t large both at 352 litres. The headlights had been annoyingly feeble on dipped beam and condensation may well be a subject matter in each the entrance and rear lenses. There have been additionally cases of water ingress previous the plastic trim piece between the rear lenses. A minimum of one proprietor reported a clunking noise from the again of the auto that took place on corners in bloodless climate. It sounded suspension-y however any other proprietor with a bit of luck said it was once the tailgate damn on account of looseness within the lock mech. 

You’ll’t have the whole lot, as any person who had the whole lot most likely mentioned. On the subject of the i20 the stuff you couldn’t have had been peerless cabin high quality or award-winning inner design, however at the plus facet you probably did get numerous apparatus on peak of the traditional driving force lend a hand tools belongings you’d be expecting like cruise keep an eye on and lane-keeping. Highlights of the supplementary N listing had been heated seats, a heated guidance wheel (a bespoke ’N’ one with the ones paddles for the modes and a large crimson button for the auto-blip), parking sensors and a reversing digital camera, and wi-fi tool charging. 

The information display integrated quite a lot of real-time monitoring circuit maps, together with after all the Nürburgring, however you needed to pay £500 additional for Bose audio. This added two extra audio system and a sub-woofer in addition to the Bose amp and was once neatly price having, however ticking that Bose field added between 3 and 6 months to the brand new automobile supply time so fairly a couple of patrons gave it a swerve. Used automobiles that experience it due to this fact command a small top class. There were reviews of the wi-fi charging gadget most effective running intermittently. It does seem to be fairly finicky concerning the positioning of the telephone at the pad. Smartly ahead and neatly centralised appears to be favorite, at the side of taking the telephone out of its protecting case. Some USB sticks have now not been found out by means of i20Ns, some horns have now not at all times labored, and a few infotainment displays have blanked out. The display factor would in most cases reply to a instrument replace that it’s essential to obtain from Hyundai’s web page. 

The seats had been relaxed sufficient and rather well reinforced for enthusiastic bend-swinging, however some i20Ns have had to return to sellers to rectify early-onset put on to the bolster subject matter. Within the rear, a Polo GTI had a little bit extra headroom for passengers than the Hyundai. If i20N back-seaters sought after a view forward they needed to lean over to see across the built-in headrests at the entrance seats. The rear passenger occupancy caution beep went off on some automobiles even if there was once no person there.  

There was once a good bit of tyre and wind noise, pointing up the auto’s humble origins, however the cruising refinement was once greater than appropriate because of a usefully top 6th tools. Despite the fact that one or two homeowners have spotted some seat squeak, the i20N has got no popularity for trim rattles even if it’s been continuously beasted on corrugated roads similar to the ones present in Australia. Or the United Kingdom, come to consider it.

Somebody out there for a significantly just right, no-expense spared carrying supermini would most likely have one automobile on their shortlist, and that will be the Toyota GR Yaris. Sadly, for those who didn’t get onto the GR ready listing once they had been introduced you had been instantly too past due. As this piece was once going to press in December 2023 Toyota was once polishing off GR Yaris manufacturing with a load of remarkable orders nonetheless to be fulfilled. After all, it’s essential to purchase a used one, however unsurprisingly given how sensible they’re those are skinny at the floor. 

In the event you don’t fancy the theory of removing after which paying £28k or extra for a used GR, the i20N is without a doubt worthy of investigation. Just like the GR it too has come to an finish, however the distinction between it and the GR is that this is a lot inexpensive used. The Hyundais get started at £21k-£22k, and also you’ll have a large selection in the United Kingdom with 70 or so examples to be had at any given second. A 15,000-mile automobile will have to price you round £21.5k, whilst £22.5k will drop the miles all the way down to the single-figure hundreds. New, zero-miles i20Ns are to be had for only £27,000 however as discussed previous they are going to be on a inventory stock/cancelled order foundation most effective.