IX20 is an affordable mini MPV from Hyundai.
Taller than an I20 the IX20, also offers a higher driving position and greater headroom for occupants than conventional superminis. IX20 is, in essence, the sister car to Kia’s Venga. It shares the same platform and many of its hidden parts with the Peter Schreyer-designed Venga – so we know it is good. Hyundai has styled IX’s exterior and interior plus tweaked the suspension and settings to help distinguish it from the Kia.
The five-seat hatchback IX20 features Hyundai’s ‘Fluid Sculpture’ design language. In reality, this means IX20’s exterior is a little softer and curvier compared to Venga. The front-end is dominated by two large light clusters, while there are a few nice creases in the bodywork on the bonnet and flanks that help identify the IX20 as a new model. For family motoring IX20 ticks most boxes, having scored five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing. ESP is standard as is ABS with EBD. Six airbags and front seatbelt pre-tensioners also feature as standard.
Inside the cabin is both bright and airy with a huge amount of legroom. The driving position is very good too as it offers an elevated view of the road compared to lower-set superminis like the I20. The only cabin downside is a slight blind spot caused by the ‘A’ pillars that is noticeable when cornering. The boot holds a useful 440 litres and if you fold the seats down there are up to 1,253 litres of cargo space available. The rear 60/40 split bench can slide forwards and backwards and the seat backs can also tilt. This allows you to prioritise rear legroom or boot space as you see fit.
My €18,995 test car is powered by a 1.4-litre band ‘A’ CRDi diesel that pushes out 90bhp and 220nm of torque. Kia’s Venga is only available here as a 1.4 diesel whereas Hyundai’s IX20 has engine options: an entry-priced, band ‘B’ 1.4-litre petrol version with a five-speed gearbox for €17,495 and a band ‘C’ 1.6-litre automatic (€20,495) petrol version is available too. The 1.4 diesel makes most sense in a car like this, as the figures imply you need to encourage the car up to speed using the manual six-speed gearbox. 0-100km/h takes 14.5 seconds but once at speed the IX20 will give a good account of itself.
On the road IX20 is comfortable and the suspension does a good job of soaking up bumps on B roads. The steering feels heavy at speed and adds a sense of quality to the drive, which is nice in such a well-priced machine. If you have to spend any length of time in the IX20, you’ll have a lot of standard kit to help you pass the time like Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, air conditioning and iPod connectivity.
Hyundai is very proud of its five-year triple care warranty and points out that it is superior to Kia’s seven-year warranty in some respects.
IX20 shows us clearly that the Korean car industry is producing machinery that is as good as Japan’s - if not better these days!
Michael Sheridan
