We've been saying it for years now, but if we had to name one country which is constantly improving their cars in big steps, it's South Korea.
Both Kia and Hyundai are incredibly successful these days. Also, both manufacturers are constantly innovating.
Take this brand-new i20 for example. Only six years ago, I tested the then-new second generation of i20, which was a big leap forward...
compared to the first i20, which in turn was a big leap forward compared to the Hyundai Getz. Do you remember that one?
That was the predecessor of the i20. Anyway, this i20 goes even further than before. The design is very different, but it's bigger as well.
The wheelbase is one of the largest in its class. Hyundai is no longer aiming at a cheap entry-level car, but this is meant to challenge the top...
of the segment. And that's where it will have to fight the Volkswagen Polo, which is still up there. That's why I'm comparing them today.
And a large wheelbase is very good for rear passengers. Just look at the legroom. Especially for the B-segment. Headroom is decent too.
And that's not particularly standard in cars like this. The Corsa, Peugeot 208, the Yaris, they're pretty cramped. Nothing like the i20.
In such a spacious car, you'd expect a very big boot. Well, it's a little bit disappointing. It's only 262 litres,
which is less than in the Polo. However, that's different in other i20's, because this 1.0-litre T-GDI is a mild-hybrid, with a 48V-system aboard.
Very good, but that needs additional electricity which is generated by a battery pack, which is fitted beneath the boot floor.
That's a few litres right there.
Then, the Polo. I can also say it's more spacious than the average car in this segment. There's a tad less legroom than in the Hyundai,
but my feet fit beneath the seat, so the seating as a whole is a tad better in here. The headroom is a bit better as well.
As a whole, the Polo together with the i20, Ibiza and even the Clio, are the more spacious cars in this segment. Cars like the...
208, Yaris and Corsa are the more cramped cars. Then, the boot. It's 351 litres, so it's not even a battle with the Hyundai.
It's just a lot bigger.
I think it's a lot of fun to see how much Korean brands are growing. They take all of the criticisms and make their cars better with it.
And in a rapid pace as well. Just take this i20. When the news arrived, I really thought it was a facelift. I was like 'I reviewed this car just now',
even though it was six years ago. It feels so incredibly fast to release a completely new version. And it's been completely overhauled.
It looks great on the outside, and the inside feels very grown-up. There's some hard plastics, I do have to admit,
but the screens look very good. The digital instrument cluster shows very handy information, the multimedia system has a very pleasant...
screen with good shortcuts. I mean, there are cars which don't do that good of a job with their systems. Also, you can use Apple CarPlay...
and Android Auto, which immediately work as well. It's very easy to feel at home in here.
I already briefly mentioned the drivetrain when I was talking about the boot, so let me elaborate.
It's a 3-cylinder engine producing 100 horsepower, with a 48V mild-hybrid system aboard. That means that it has a starter generator with a...
little extra punch, which makes the engine turn over even more smooth. That way, you're able to coast at certain speeds. Also, it helps you setting...
off, which works pretty well. This automatic gearbox, with a double clutch, is able to turn on and turn off the engine seemlessly.
Especially for a 3-cylinder engine. You won't notice unless you look at the rev counter.
It's quiet, the engine runs silky smooth, and it'll do 0-100 km/h in around ten seconds. More than quick enough for a 3-cylinder.
I really think they did a good job with the drivetrain. The automatic gearbox isn't the fastest, but it's incrredibly smooth.
And that makes for a good bridge to talk about the drive, because this is one of the most comfortable cars in this segment.
That's clearly what Hyundai is aiming at. Kia does things differently, but this has very light steering as well.
That's a matter of taste. If you know me, you'll know that I prefer dynamic cars, but for people who are looking for comfort, this is a very good solution.
It's quiet, it's smooth, it has very light steering, and I think there are lots of people who are looking for that kind of car.
The chassis is so comfortable that it has difficulties processing some of the harder imperfections. Bangs when driving over potholes and such,
which make you think why a comfortable car is this weak. When it comes to that, the Volkswagen does a bit better.
But the way the i20 has grown up compared to its predecessor, and especially if you compare it to the car before that,
that's where the steps are. This particular car has the Premium-trim level, which has all of the options selected. Everything has been selected.
So next to the beautiful multimedia system and the good audio system, I've got a heated steering wheel, heated seats, all kinds of safety systems,
automatic cruise control with lane keeping and distance manager, blind spot detector, you name it. When it comes to features,
the Koreans aren't behind anymore. On the contrary, as total packages they usually are at the front.
If I had to mention something I don't like, I'd go with the fact that it doesn't really have a personality. Besides the chassis being too weak.
A dynamic car won't have that as quickly. If it had a tad more feeling in the steering wheel, it would have more of a personality.
This i20 is a good car, but it's a very goody-goody car.
And that brings us to the Volkswagen Polo, which is about the best B-segment-car there has even been. Together with the Corsa maybe.
And what can I say? It's a relatively comfortable car within the segment, because the Polo has moved towards comfort in the past few generations.
But now that I drive it, I think the i20 is softer. But looking at comfort as a whole, the Polo isn't necessarily worse. That means the chassis...
is of a higher level than the i20. Without a doubt. You can already notice that in the steering, which offers much more feedback.
It's not a dynamic car at all, but if you were to drive on a intersection at a higher speed, the handling in the Polo is a lot better.
Actually, it's a pretty grown-up car for the B-segment. It's goody-goody \as well, but compared to the i20, this offers more personality.
There's more feeling in it, a better handling, something which is a clear translation of experience in the segment.
Then, the engine. It's the familiar 1.0-litre TSI producing 95 horsepower. However, you're able to tell it's been around for longer than the Hyundai,
because it's louder and there's a shake in the drivetrain when you start it up. I can remember that back in the day when it was new,
it was a very good engine with a nice amount of torque to propel it forwards. Especially for its size.
However, the mild-hybrid drivetrain in the Hyundai is so much quieter, so much more refined. Even the automatic gearbox in the Hyundai...
is smoother than in here. DSG-gearboxes connected to smaller engines usually aren't the most refined.
So when it comes to the drivetrain, the Hyundai wins, but the Volkswagen will take the victory when it comes to the chassis.
If I take a look around me, it immediately becomes clear that the used materials are of a higher level. It feels more solid than the...
plastics in the Hyundai. Of course, that doesn't say anything about the reliability, but it looks and feels that way.
The multimedia system looks very good, but the system in the Hyundai is easier to operate. Quicker as well.
So it's really close. Maybe the price will decide a victor? Well, both cars will cost you around €26.500, with the difference...
between these particular cars only being around €10. So it's incredibly close. You do get more car for your money if you get...
the Hyundai. You won't get a heated steering wheel and heated seats for this price, you do need an additional package for that.
However, I do have to say that the Polo isn't as expensive as it used to be in this segment. There are lots of relatively cheap...
packages available, which remind me of the way how Opel and Ford dress their cars.
Because the cars score good on different area's, I find it very hard to declare a clear winner.
The drivetrain is better in the Hyundai, whilst the Polo is more spacious. Both in the back and in the boot.
The Polo has a better chassis, but the Hyundai is more comfortable. Also, the i20 offers more car for your money.
So I'm going to have to tally-up the points. And then I have to look at things like fuel consumption, and I haven't been driving them...
long enough to say something about that. You'll have to read that in the magazine. However, the fact that the i20 is able to take on the...
Polo on points, without there being a clear winner after around 100 kilometres, just goes to show how big the steps are the Koreans are taking.
Back in the day, the Polo would've easily crushed any Korean competition. I'm able to say that those days are over.