I think big,therefore i20

This car offers more space than its competitors and its boot space may even beat some sedans

While Hyundai's Getz didn't make much impact in this segment, the i20 is another matter. The i20 is vastly better than Getz, and it is longer, wider as well as lower than this car. On the outside it's a pretty package a bold design that looks muscular and appealing at the same time.

The car looks big and radiates an aura of being spacious on the inside as well and this is no illusion. To begin with, the i20 offers more space than its competitors. There's more room for the occupant's legs, knees and shoulders, especially in the back seat. And the head room isn't bad either. All said and done, it can seat five people comfortably.

Sheer space

But the best thing about this vehicle emerges when you take it out of town and need space for luggage. The i20 has probably got the biggest boot in its class, with enough capacity to beat even some sedans. The boot space presents more usable luggage space thanks to the rear seats' 60:40 split. Apart from its spacious and practical interiors, it also comes with enough gadgets and gizmos like a five-occupant seat belt indicator, airbags, steering mounted controls for the music system that also has Aux and USB compatibility and electrically adjustable mirrors that fold in with the touch of a button.

Under the hood is the 1197cc Kappa petrol type power-house that cranks out 79 bhp and a torque of 110 nm. With 80PS of max power on tap and 112Nm of max torque, the i20 is adequate for most city jaunts.

Easy handling

The suspension does a great job in averting body roll and keeping it planted. Even though this car may not have a big-on-cc's engine, it is still very pleasurable to drive with a steering that's light in the city and also offers adequate feedback on the highway. The immensely well-sorted-out ride quality and safe-and-sure feel will appeal to driver enthusiasts and family-oriented car users. The handling is sharper, the steering is spot-on and the brakes are progressive, yet do not skid.

u00a0The i20 with a light throttle returned 13.5 kmpl in the city, with the figure climbing to 18.5 kmpl at a steady speed of 80-90 kmph. An overall figure of 14 kmpl is satisfying for a 'big' small car.

The i20 is available in three variants the base model Magna is priced at Rs 4,79,900; the i20 Asta costs Rs 5,59,900 and the Asta (O) the option pack which includes ABS, EBD and six airbags comes at Rs 5,81,900.

The fact that the i20 is priced even above the basic Skoda Fabia (1.2) rules this out in the minds of those who thought it to be a good credible alternative to the Suzuki Swift. Swift is almost Rs 1 lakh lower in price when the base models of both cars are compared, and almost Rs 60,000 less when the top end versions are compared.

Had the car been priced better, this segment could have gathered even greater momentum.

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