Hyundai i20 Hatchback

1.0T GDi N Line S 5dr [2025]

Hyundai has been around since the late 1960s - though it wasn’t until 1982 that it finally decided to take the plunge here in the UK. Remember the Pony? Yep, that was ushered into the UK the same year Spain hosted the FIFA World Cup.

Anyhow, it took time to gather momentum on these shores, but Hyundai’s patience began to pay off just after the turn of the millennium.

In 2002, it became the first manufacturer to break ranks with the industry default ‘three-year, 60,000-mile warranty’ – backing up a transforming reputation for poor build quality with one of reliability, offering a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. That turned heads and, ever since, Hyundais have been famed for their dependability.

Investment in UK dealerships and customer service further transformed the company’s fortunes - and reputation. The i20 hatchback was one of the company's earliest models to benefit from its turnaround, launched in 2008 at the Paris Motor Show. It is now on its third generation, although the Covid pandemic hampered the launch in early 2020.

Hyundai took an unusual step by discontinuing mild-hybrid models when it facelifted the i20 in 2023. This was partly to make the car more affordable and to simplify its range, trying to regain ground as more people switched to SUVs.

But the i20 has a decent reputation - and we’ve taken the latest version for a test drive to find out why.