Hot on the heels of Hyundai confirming the 2021 i20 N, a couple of Australian publications have had the opportunity to test it out in prototype guise.
When Hyundai released the i30 N, it put the hot hatch market on notice by providing excellent performance, incredible handling, and the reliability the company is known for. The South Korean automaker has taken what it has learned with the i30 N and brought it into a smaller package for the i20 N.
Read Also: Hyundai Teases Long-Awaited 2021 i20 N With 201 HP
While the prototype tested in these videos isn’t a production-spec model, both the reviewers love the way that the car drives. Sure, it isn’t as fast as its bigger brother but it is heaps of fun and instills confidence in the driver. We can’t wait to get behind the wheel of one next year.
Powering the i20 N will be a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 201 HP and 203 lb-ft (275 Nm) of torque. Coupled to this engine is a six-speed manual transmission that sends power through the front wheels courtesy of a mechanical limited-slip differential. One of these reviews also reveals the hot hatch will come equipped with high-end Sachs dampers that should ensure it handles just as well on the road as it does on the track.
Designed to directly compete with the Ford Fiesta ST and VW Polo GTI, the i20 N seems to have a lot of things going for it and that includes some very aggressive looks and a modern interior with a digital instrument cluster.