Hyundai Elite i20 CVT (2018) Ownership Experience


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Hello guys This is my first topic here.Long write up so kindly bear wth me.

A brief background about me - I am a Mechanical engineer working in the Finance. Cars and bikes, however, remain my first love. My current drive a 2011 Chevrolet Beat Petrol which has barely done 20 k km since I mostly prefer to commute on my Bullet, except the monsoons and long distance duties done by a first gen Dzire my father owns.

The need for a new car - My wife , who works too was keen on switching to a car for commuting. The initial plan was that my wife would learn to drive first and use our barely driven Beat whereas we would upgrade to a SUV of my choice as the primary vehicle. Was always keen on the Mahindras - Scorpio , Thar and even the humble Bolero was on my radar. Couldn't care less about practicality or the rustic image of some of these vehicles. I have always been a heart over mind person. My wife had learnt to drive almost a decade back so we hired the services a trainer to refresh her driving knowledge.She would teach my wife on weekends. This however was frequently interrupted as the schedules did not match. In parallel , I would teach her within our Housing Society premises to speed up her learning. That is when I found out , the driving styles of her teacher and mine vastly differed.These contrasting styles only added to her confusion. Even at the end of 4 months , I did not see her making satisfactory progress nor did she seem confident.

That's when we took a decision to go for an automatic car in exchange on the Beat. It was a difficult decision to make since the car was barely used and we were hoping to make good use of it before we sold it. This would also mean my SUV purchase would get postponed by at least a couple of years.But practicality was the first priority also since Chevrolet had shut down operations, the resale value of the Beat would exponentially drop over the next few years.Made sense to to let it go.

The old faithful. It is a great car for the cities with it's compact dimensions and peppy 1.2 lt engine. Also the build and ride quality is much better than other hot selling cars in it's segment .

IMG-20180729-WA0009.jpg

So the online research had begun . We decided to go for an entry level car and zeroed in on the Kwid and the Celerio automatic. The Kwid was a great package but the Renault's lackluster service experience of owners in my city and lack of a manual shift option made me drop it.So we headed out to test drive Celerio automatic at Chougule - a dealer in Pune.

The Celerio is nice, spacious and has a pleasant & airy cabin.However, parked next to the Celerio was this.

IMG_20180714_183626.jpg

The difference was immediately obvious. The space and luxury were a notch above the Celerio. So then and there ,the decision was made to go for the Swift. Test drove it. Very easy to drive, big glass areas and a very light steering. Took the quotation and returned.On road ZXI automatic came to around 8.2 lacs. Had almost finalized on the Swift when my wife suggested we should also check out the Grand i10. We went to the dealer and checked it out . Neither of us liked it compared to the Swift. Hyundai was offering heavy monsoon discounts and exchange bonus of the car but that still didn't make us choose it over the Swift. Also I had read reviews that the automatic version had a very dismal mileage of around 9-10 kmpl in the city, which is extremely less for a car of this size.

A week or so passed and both the dealers were following up with us. Just as a random thought I mentioned the I20 to my wife. It would cost about 1.5 lakhs extra which was a stretch on our budget .My wife is not a car enthusiast and needed it just as a means to get from A to B. I had barely managed to convince her for the upgrade from Celerio to Swift and now I was pushing her for an even more expensive buy. I managed to convince her for a test drive by mentioning it would be a more worthy upgrade .

The same weekend we took a test drive of the I20. The difference was immediately obvious. The build seemed superior, ride is plush and the best thing I liked that the NVH levels were very less. There was barely any outside noise filtering in and it seemed like travelling in an expensive car.

So after much deliberation, the decision was made to go for the I20 CVT. This also meant the cost would increase by 30 to 40% over our initial budget of 6.5 lacs. Also since it was a hot seller , the dealer was not offering much in discounts and exchange bonus was less by 20k. Decided to keep the Beat for the time being .

The new Ride

IMG_20180902_174111.jpg
 
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Congratulations on your new buy Rohit.

You made the wisest choice perhaps, even this car is in my radar, however only for its automatic CVT for my wife as she's not that comfortable with my manual Santro Xing Petrol 2013.

CVT is a better up over the budget AMT's and grand i10's conventional 4 speed slushbox was totally out of question only because of the amazing fuel efficiency reported by real owners (my friends), whcih is 7-8 kmpl in Bangalore city.[gun]

Normal viral opinion on any Elite i20 Petrol is that the car is underpowered. But a genuine owner, a colleague of mine, has one and said it is not that under powered, however slight lag is felt only while overtaking, which can be managed by an additional downshift as per the need.

Car is a plush according to him, as you said and is a real luxury. But still he feels a Diesel i20 elite would be much much better.

He felt that CVT Elite i20 in petrol 1.2L engine would multiply the lag and under-powered feeling, but I am not sure on this.

I would love to hear lot of updates on your ownership experience, including drivability, in city mileage with and without AC, power & pickup at slow speed, low end torque experience, etc.

Keep updating. Wear Seat Belt. Drive Safe.

Wishing you millions of happy and smiling miles on your Elite..

Regards
Kumar
 
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Thanks Kumar & Vishnu

Yes the I20 CVT makes a strong case for itself now with the reduced prices. The Jazz is almost a lakh more expensive . The Baleno might be cheaper and more spacious but the light build did not inspire confidence in me as far as safety is concerned , I could be wrong on this- a heavier car may not be more safe.

I do not find the car to be sluggish, response is adequate for normal city driving, though there is a slight lag which needs getting used to but it is very minimal. It's like a CVT scooter - a slight rubber band effect will always be there. Depends on what cars you're driving currently. The other 2 cars I am used to driving are 7-8 years old and I find the acceleration of the I20 better than both of them. That said, I haven't had the opportunity to test the car on a highway. Have not faced any issue in overtaking or climbing inclines, even in the auto mode. I have barely used the manual mode so far. The mileage is hovering around 9 -10 kmpl with the ac on almost all the time . That was expected since the car is not yet run in and my wife is still practicing to drive, almost at crawling speeds at times.

Will update more as I get to drive more - with pics. Currently driving it only on weekends . It would be a good online backup for me too :)

Cheers , Rohit
 
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Thanks Kumar & Vishnu

Yes the I20 CVT makes a strong case for itself now with the reduced prices. The Jazz is almost a lakh more expensive . The Baleno might be cheaper and more spacious but the light build did not inspire confidence in me as far as safety is concerned , I could be wrong on this- a heavier car may not be more safe.

I do not find the car to be sluggish, response is adequate for normal city driving, though there is a slight lag which needs getting used to but it is very minimal. It's like a CVT scooter - a slight rubber band effect will always be there. Depends on what cars you're driving currently. The other 2 cars I am used to driving are 7-8 years old and I find the acceleration of the I20 better than both of them. That said, I haven't had the opportunity to test the car on a highway. Have not faced any issue in overtaking or climbing inclines, even in the auto mode. I have barely used the manual mode so far. The mileage is hovering around 9 -10 kmpl with the ac on almost all the time . That was expected since the car is not yet run in and my wife is still practicing to drive, almost at crawling speeds at times.

Will update more as I get to drive more - with pics. Currently driving it only on weekends . It would be a good online backup for me too :)

Cheers , Rohit



Thanks Rohit. Happy to know that you are content with your I20 CVT and that's what is primarily needed after spending north of 0.8M INR.

9-10 kmpl mileage is good considering your car is new and the driver is a newbie. However, this may increase to a maximum of 12 kmpl on more ideal driving habits (all figures in city only with AC on).

Highways should fetch you more than 15 kmpl, for sure, when you are sedate, and you have to be sedate driving a CVT [clap], as any sudden surge of power is a total No-No in any CVT. Linear power driving is excellent for relaxed cruising, and that's what I beleive, you expect and like to drive as.

Many more Happy Miles Rohit.
 
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"and you have to be sedate driving a CVT [clap], as any sudden surge of power is a total No-No in any CVT."

Cant stress on this point enough. You have to be careful and I've had a few scary moments. You dont have the safety of the clutch to cut the engine off like you do in a manual vehicle . Sometimes the engine has too much momentum and braking has to be more urgent than normal. However once you get used to it , it is not a big deal. For a newbie , this might be a bit unnerving in some situations.

Congratulations on you new buy Rohit.

So how's the new car ? Do share more pictures [:D]

Happy Driving!
Yes sure will do it soon.
 
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Comparing Swift Automatic (AMT)v/s Elite i20 CVT - its no doubt , Elite i20.

But you didn't look many other options -
1.Baleno CVT ( Better performance when compared to swift automatic , better driving dynamics than Elite i20)
2. Figo TiVCT( 1.5L petrol engine , Figo 1.2L has mileage of 12kmpl , whereas 1.5L automatic also has same mileage , Ford's driving dynamics , words aren't enough to say that)
3.Polo GT TSI (If budget wasn't a constraint , best in segment - don't say about Maintenance costs , as all cars these days have Extended warranty and AMC packages)
 
Thread Starter #8
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Comparing Swift Automatic (AMT)v/s Elite i20 CVT - its no doubt , Elite i20.

But you didn't look many other options -
1.Baleno CVT ( Better performance when compared to swift automatic , better driving dynamics than Elite i20)
2. Figo TiVCT( 1.5L petrol engine , Figo 1.2L has mileage of 12kmpl , whereas 1.5L automatic also has same mileage , Ford's driving dynamics , words aren't enough to say that)
3.Polo GT TSI (If budget wasn't a constraint , best in segment - don't say about Maintenance costs , as all cars these days have Extended warranty and AMC packages)

Figo was out of question as it is a slow selling car and also low on space.Don't know anyone who has owned the auto but I have extremely high regard for the diesel sports version as well as the Freestyle . Also performance was not a priority for me Baleno as I mentioned earlier was too light for a premium hatch, it has better space, resale and performance but had traveled in one before - didn't seem very solidly built. Also as we had owned 3 marutis before , I was keen on a different brand.

Polo is anybody's first choice , easily the best here but since my wife would be the primary user , I was a bit concerned it would be too powerful for her . Also , it was beyond my budget.
 
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managed to click some pics - thanks to a rare combination of a holiday , some spare time and a clean car all at once :)

1) the front remains largely unchanged except for the fog lamps

IMG_20181215_135429260 (1).jpg


2) Front 3/4

IMG_20181215_135423235.jpg


3) Side view similar to outgoing model

IMG_20181215_135414808.jpg

4) Rear 3/4

IMG_20181215_135408583.jpg


4) Rear is where the significant changes are seen . The lack of a rear viper is a glaring omission by Hyundai on this 2nd top trim ( once the top ), remains my main gripe in this car. Do note the asymmetrical rear reflectors / reverse lamps. Initially I thought it was some manufacturing defect in my car. Turned out it was the same for other cars too.

IMG_20181215_135402402.jpg

5) Alloy design - would have preferred a contrasting color

IMG_20181215_140027059.jpg


6) The only external indicator of the CVT version

IMG_20181215_140217369.jpg


7) Antenna - not a shark fin type, can cause hindrance in multi level parking systems

IMG_20181215_140231224.jpg


8) The new rear tail light cluster - I liked the previous design more , was sharper but these have started to grow on me . Seem to be heavily inspired by the current gen BMWs though

IMG_20181215_140008854.jpg
 

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"and you have to be sedate driving a CVT [clap], as any sudden surge of power is a total No-No in any CVT."

Cant stress on this point enough. You have to be careful and I've had a few scary moments. You dont have the safety of the clutch to cut the engine off like you do in a manual vehicle . Sometimes the engine has too much momentum and braking has to be more urgent than normal. However once you get used to it , it is not a big deal. For a newbie , this might be a bit unnerving in some situations.


Yes sure will do it soon.
Hi Rohit

Nice to see your pics. Great beauty of i20 in blue, specifically the refreshed version in design.

Yes, CVT's have rubber band effect while driving. and yes, lack of clutch would mean much to you if you come from a manual. But that's how all Auto's are including the slushbox (conventional torque convertor automatics). However I love the linear acceleration in city in my cousin's City CVT which earlier came without paddle shifters. It's an ease on knees to drive around in city. But however, highway driving didn't please me that much as I could hear the engine more, compared to a manual transmission Honda City.

Since your's is a city drive car, CVT would be very comfortable for you and your better half (actual driver).

Best, happy and safe miles ahead.

Wear Seatbelt. Drive sedate. All the Best.

Regards
Kumar
 
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@rohitt4ever, Congrats on your car. This car looks elegant, with good features. Especially audio system, when I had a test drive I was totally impressed with sound quality (with Arkamys settings)

Also another thing I liked about this is throttle response. I did test drive of polo gt tsi and its too powerfull that made my right leg nervous during heavy traffic as even slight pressing gives more power whereas I was totally comfortable with i20 cvt

Even I'm considering this car. I have a question though. Could you please let me know?

what will happen if you don't give acceleration in manual mode? for eg: If set the manual gear in 6th step and don't give acceleration then will the car move at a higher speed than usual crawling speed? I am just curious as I am thinking if this will act like cruise control for city
 
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what will happen if you don't give acceleration in manual mode? for eg: If set the manual gear in 6th step and don't give acceleration then will the car move at a higher speed than usual crawling speed? I am just curious as I am thinking if this will act like cruise control for city

Generally for the modern cars, as soon as you lift off from the gas pedal, fuel injection stops. So the rpm starts falling and the speed of the vehicle will also reduces.
It will continue till the rpm reaches around the idle rpm of that vehicle. At this point fuel injection will start again to keep the engine from stalling. Still it will lug the engine and finally shuts off after some distance. A diesel engine may still pull the vehicle because of it's massive torque availability. But it gets helpless when a small incline or uphill comes especially when the vehicle is fully loaded.

Depending upon the torque and the amount of fuel injection(without the throttle input). It may continue pulling. But it's not going to be a healthy practice as the engine will be lugging being in the wrong gear for it's speed.

Regards.,
 
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Hope you have taken Extended warranty .
Yes opted for 2 years additional Warranty

what will happen if you don't give acceleration in manual mode? for eg: If set the manual gear in 6th step and don't give acceleration then will the car move at a higher speed than usual crawling speed? I am just curious as I am thinking if this will act like cruise control for city
yes I too had the same doubt which was cleared in the test drive . In the manual mode only the up shifts need to be manual, downshifts happen automatically according to speed. It has to else the car will stall. The car also has a creep function where it will move forward in crawling speeds if no accelerator input is given.
Especially audio system, when I had a test drive I was totally impressed with sound quality
Yes it is quite good . Took me by surprise since I didn't find any mention of it in the countless reviews I saw.
 
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