Discussion
So, after years of varying commuter cars (inherited 1.4 Megane, 1.2 Corsa, 1.4 Ibiza), I finally get to pick one of my own.
At the grand old age of 31, after my 20's being an absolute shambles of mental health issues and lack of work as a result, I've worked my way into a position where I could afford something fun and something where I don't need my parents' help or my dad's bargaining skills to go in and get my own car. Was a big 'I'm an adult' moment and one I didn't take lightly but I stuck to a budget and made sure the dealer (Johnson's in Bootle) knew that if I couldn't afford it I'd walk away.
I'd started looking at used cars of any variety (and had been saying for years beforehand that 'when I get sorted I'll get x or y) but with the current crisis in chip production affecting the quantity of new cars about, used prices have shot through the roof. I wanted an i30N and had done since they came out but it's just out of my price range now because of the current state.
One day perhaps when the PCP deal is done I'll get a Giulia or something similar (I say something similar but a Giulia is where my heart is, at least after this thing, if I can ever bring myself to part with it).
Anyway, a quick spec up on Carwow and a bunch of dealer offers later, I ended up with an i20N. PCP, 4 years, affordable monthlies and I've got some saved up thanks to my dearly departed grandad for the payment at the end. Holy s
t this is real, I've worked hard and done this. I've just bought myself a car.
Picked it up last Friday, nearly one week later I've nearly done the run in period of 600 miles. I've not stopped smiling, either just through sitting in it and appreciating it and what it represents for me, the little touches (like the flames that light up the digital display when you go into N mode) or the sound of that wonderful exhaust. If anyone knows where the Hyundai dealer is in Liverpool, you'll know you come out of the car park onto a two lane road going back into Liverpool city centre and all the way along there it was a mixture of people staring at it because they're still new and rare, me laughing my head off in happiness and childishness enjoying the sounds and the comparative power compared to a 85bhp Ibiza and people laughing their head off at me laughing wondering what was going on.
On the Saturday morning, me and my friends met up for coffee, one has a modded Fiesta ST, one a Mini Cooper S, we did a squad photo (including the other mate's rather smart but not sporty 1.0 current Fiesta) and just appreciated our cars. The talk beforehand had been that the back end of the i20N is ugly and admittedly it's something that you have to get used to because it's a bit full on but all agreed that it's a good choice.
Saturday afternoon was spent going to visit my old flatmate from uni in Heanor near Derby which meant, thanks to sat nav deciding it wanted to avoid traffic, the Cat and Fiddle pass. I hadn't had it for 12 hours before I was tackling my first well known pass in it. I suspect this might be a habit forming.
My god it's good. I'm in love. It just grips and grips and grips, the gear change is wonderfully weighted and slick, the steering hefty and perfectly judged and the engine, for a four pot, sounds fantastic and is eager and willing. Auto rev-matching meant downchanges were met with giggles and smiles and driving through the scenery round the peaks made it a properly special first big drive in it. What a beautiful part of the world.
I'm still learning about it, and having written both the aforementioned Megane and Corsa off through driving like a dhead with no sense of self preservation back in the day, I am being very careful with it but picking my moments to have a little hoon and feel like I've learnt a hell of a lot in how to drive a car responsibly but quickly over the years since my last crash.
Once run in is completed I'll stretch it's legs a bit but given how proud I am of it and how good of a car it is, I don't want to be recapturing my stupid past so I'll look after it. Something feels different when you're financially responsible too I guess.
Already planning a Nordschleife trip next year albeit I'll have to make sure it's allowed within the PCP regs and I'll likely pay the penalty for going over the mileage agreed for the year but it's worth it. Obviously watched far too many videos of people going wrong on the Green Hell so I'll be stting it at first and being very careful anyway but it'll be good to get over there after well over a decade (cheers Gran Turismo 4) of wanting to drive it in real life.
I implore you all to give them a shot, you won't regret it. I've driven supercars on experience days and had access to similarly powered but less focused cars through family but this just feels right, the weight of the controls, the attitude of the car, everything about it is spot on. It's also got more kit than I ever thought possible, you can't spec many options because it pretty much has everything.
And it's in the most perfect blue. Hyundai, you nailed that blue for your motorsports and your N cars.
More to follow as I get further into it and take more photos when I get the chance, for now I've just been driving it and then smiling and turning back when I've parked up. I hope that feeling never goes away. Apologies for the wall of text but it means a lot.
Cheers!
At the grand old age of 31, after my 20's being an absolute shambles of mental health issues and lack of work as a result, I've worked my way into a position where I could afford something fun and something where I don't need my parents' help or my dad's bargaining skills to go in and get my own car. Was a big 'I'm an adult' moment and one I didn't take lightly but I stuck to a budget and made sure the dealer (Johnson's in Bootle) knew that if I couldn't afford it I'd walk away.
I'd started looking at used cars of any variety (and had been saying for years beforehand that 'when I get sorted I'll get x or y) but with the current crisis in chip production affecting the quantity of new cars about, used prices have shot through the roof. I wanted an i30N and had done since they came out but it's just out of my price range now because of the current state.
One day perhaps when the PCP deal is done I'll get a Giulia or something similar (I say something similar but a Giulia is where my heart is, at least after this thing, if I can ever bring myself to part with it).
Anyway, a quick spec up on Carwow and a bunch of dealer offers later, I ended up with an i20N. PCP, 4 years, affordable monthlies and I've got some saved up thanks to my dearly departed grandad for the payment at the end. Holy s
t this is real, I've worked hard and done this. I've just bought myself a car.Picked it up last Friday, nearly one week later I've nearly done the run in period of 600 miles. I've not stopped smiling, either just through sitting in it and appreciating it and what it represents for me, the little touches (like the flames that light up the digital display when you go into N mode) or the sound of that wonderful exhaust. If anyone knows where the Hyundai dealer is in Liverpool, you'll know you come out of the car park onto a two lane road going back into Liverpool city centre and all the way along there it was a mixture of people staring at it because they're still new and rare, me laughing my head off in happiness and childishness enjoying the sounds and the comparative power compared to a 85bhp Ibiza and people laughing their head off at me laughing wondering what was going on.
On the Saturday morning, me and my friends met up for coffee, one has a modded Fiesta ST, one a Mini Cooper S, we did a squad photo (including the other mate's rather smart but not sporty 1.0 current Fiesta) and just appreciated our cars. The talk beforehand had been that the back end of the i20N is ugly and admittedly it's something that you have to get used to because it's a bit full on but all agreed that it's a good choice.
Saturday afternoon was spent going to visit my old flatmate from uni in Heanor near Derby which meant, thanks to sat nav deciding it wanted to avoid traffic, the Cat and Fiddle pass. I hadn't had it for 12 hours before I was tackling my first well known pass in it. I suspect this might be a habit forming.
My god it's good. I'm in love. It just grips and grips and grips, the gear change is wonderfully weighted and slick, the steering hefty and perfectly judged and the engine, for a four pot, sounds fantastic and is eager and willing. Auto rev-matching meant downchanges were met with giggles and smiles and driving through the scenery round the peaks made it a properly special first big drive in it. What a beautiful part of the world.
I'm still learning about it, and having written both the aforementioned Megane and Corsa off through driving like a d
head with no sense of self preservation back in the day, I am being very careful with it but picking my moments to have a little hoon and feel like I've learnt a hell of a lot in how to drive a car responsibly but quickly over the years since my last crash. Once run in is completed I'll stretch it's legs a bit but given how proud I am of it and how good of a car it is, I don't want to be recapturing my stupid past so I'll look after it. Something feels different when you're financially responsible too I guess.
Already planning a Nordschleife trip next year albeit I'll have to make sure it's allowed within the PCP regs and I'll likely pay the penalty for going over the mileage agreed for the year but it's worth it. Obviously watched far too many videos of people going wrong on the Green Hell so I'll be s
tting it at first and being very careful anyway but it'll be good to get over there after well over a decade (cheers Gran Turismo 4) of wanting to drive it in real life.I implore you all to give them a shot, you won't regret it. I've driven supercars on experience days and had access to similarly powered but less focused cars through family but this just feels right, the weight of the controls, the attitude of the car, everything about it is spot on. It's also got more kit than I ever thought possible, you can't spec many options because it pretty much has everything.
And it's in the most perfect blue. Hyundai, you nailed that blue for your motorsports and your N cars.
More to follow as I get further into it and take more photos when I get the chance, for now I've just been driving it and then smiling and turning back when I've parked up. I hope that feeling never goes away. Apologies for the wall of text but it means a lot.
Cheers!
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Saturday 30th October 17:53
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Sunday 14th November 16:27
I’ve made this account just so I could reply - I’m in the exact same position as you.
My i20N has just reached 2000 miles and I’ve been smiling for each and every one of them.
Finally able to see someone else put into words just how I’m feeling is amazing.
Here’s to many more smiling miles ????
My i20N has just reached 2000 miles and I’ve been smiling for each and every one of them.
Finally able to see someone else put into words just how I’m feeling is amazing.
Here’s to many more smiling miles ????
Edited by Harrison_0X on Thursday 14th October 20:40
Congrats on your purchase, cracking little car I’ve heard and you seem to be in love with it already which is good 
I do love that colour, Hyundai have got it right for sure.
I quite like the rear but then I like the Civic Type R too so some would say I’m a bit weird
Enjoy happy motoring mate
I do love that colour, Hyundai have got it right for sure.
I quite like the rear but then I like the Civic Type R too so some would say I’m a bit weird
Enjoy happy motoring mate
Agree this might very well be a future classic. For me it's the a classic case of a car being better than the sum of its individual parts. Its pleasant to live with in daily life while still being quite focused and special (as in non-boring). These are somewhat conflict goals that hyundai have managed to balance brilliantly. That's why they now rake in multiple fairly impressive wins (eg top gear speed week and Autocar test against 128 gti and golf R).
Had been over the Snake Pass yesterday to Sheffield. Came back via the Woodhead today. What a thing.
No photos of it being up there due to far, far too much fun being had driving it. What an insanely grippy, exhilirating, perfectly sized for British roads car it is.
And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
After dropping a mate off on the way home, spotted an i30N in that most wonderful colour round the corner from him and had to dip onto the drive next to it and take a few quick snaps. I do love the 30 but I'm glad I've got mine.
Nearly 1000 miles in already. Enjoyed every minute of it.
No photos of it being up there due to far, far too much fun being had driving it. What an insanely grippy, exhilirating, perfectly sized for British roads car it is.
And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
After dropping a mate off on the way home, spotted an i30N in that most wonderful colour round the corner from him and had to dip onto the drive next to it and take a few quick snaps. I do love the 30 but I'm glad I've got mine.
Nearly 1000 miles in already. Enjoyed every minute of it.
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Sunday 14th November 16:20
F1GTRUeno said:
What an insanely grippy, exhilirating, perfectly sized for British roads car it is.
And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
I’m inclined to agree after using my wifes for a long weekend. Does everything you need and is great fun when you want it to be.And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
I’m debating if we could just have two in our household…
djgritt said:
F1GTRUeno said:
What an insanely grippy, exhilirating, perfectly sized for British roads car it is.
And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
I’m inclined to agree after using my wifes for a long weekend. Does everything you need and is great fun when you want it to be.And then you go into eco mode when you need to post-N mode blast, settle down, cruise control on, Bose system turned up with Carplay providing nav and Spotify and it's absolutely reasonable. Why don't we all have one? You don't need anything else.
I’m debating if we could just have two in our household…
Anyways, did a tank of mostly motorway miles on Shell V Power and ended up with this:
Think if I did a run purely in eco mode up the M6 to Scotland from Merseyside I’d get a bit more out of it but certainly happy with that range.
Too tempting to go into N-mode though…
1500 miles in, what a bloody thing. I’m in love.
Top Gear think it’s better than a GT3, SF90 and so on. I’m more than willing to swap with an owner of one of them for a quick go but I think I’ll be taking mine back afterwards.
Edited by F1GTRUeno on Sunday 14th November 15:15
Hello. I'm getting v close to pulling the trigger on an i20N order, but very difficult to find one at a dealer to sit in. I have two kids (4 and 6 years old), and although we have a 3 series as a family car I would like to be able to put the kids in the i20N for short journeys, plus the occasional long run. Does anyone have experience of carrying kids in the back of an i20N, and is it essentially a no-go? I'm 6'1". The other question is whether the Bose upgrade is worthwhile? Jealous of all you current owners!
bigyoungdave said:
Hello. I'm getting v close to pulling the trigger on an i20N order, but very difficult to find one at a dealer to sit in. I have two kids (4 and 6 years old), and although we have a 3 series as a family car I would like to be able to put the kids in the i20N for short journeys, plus the occasional long run. Does anyone have experience of carrying kids in the back of an i20N, and is it essentially a no-go? I'm 6'1". The other question is whether the Bose upgrade is worthwhile? Jealous of all you current owners!
All the reviews seem to say it’s surprisingly spacious in the back.I’ll let you know how my 4 year old gets on when I get mine some time over the next couple of months!
it's a normal sized A segment car. You wouldn't ask this question if it was a Polo, and it's basically the same size. My teenage kids fit in the back of mine, with no problems.
Bose is probably worth it, but it'll mean you have at least a 6 month lead time. If you want one (much) sooner than that you'll need to be flexible on colour and spec and have a pro active dealer who is made aware of cancelled orders. I got mine in August, with approx 1 month lead time.
Bose is probably worth it, but it'll mean you have at least a 6 month lead time. If you want one (much) sooner than that you'll need to be flexible on colour and spec and have a pro active dealer who is made aware of cancelled orders. I got mine in August, with approx 1 month lead time.
bigyoungdave said:
Thanks for your help re: size. Yes I guess the key point is that it's the same same as a Fiesta and Polo, and thousands of families cope with them
You should find the size is fine.I’m 6’2 and a chunky monkey to put it nicely, and have no problems whatsoever.
We’ve done days out with 3 adults in the car without any complaints and the bootspace is surprisingly good too.
In terms of ordering, as mentioned above, if you want all of the possible limited options you will be looking at a long and seemingly very ‘dynamic’ lead time… if you can be flexible then consider any available car - pretty much all of the colours look good so far, the only one I’ve not yet seen proper photos of though is Brass.
I would also suggest keeing an eye out for dealers with Demos - we tapped up our local dealer groups at the time unregistered demo car and had it a week later
lb3nson said:
bigyoungdave said:
Hello. I'm getting v close to pulling the trigger on an i20N order, but very difficult to find one at a dealer to sit in. I have two kids (4 and 6 years old), and although we have a 3 series as a family car I would like to be able to put the kids in the i20N for short journeys, plus the occasional long run. Does anyone have experience of carrying kids in the back of an i20N, and is it essentially a no-go? I'm 6'1". The other question is whether the Bose upgrade is worthwhile? Jealous of all you current owners!
All the reviews seem to say it’s surprisingly spacious in the back.I’ll let you know how my 4 year old gets on when I get mine some time over the next couple of months!
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