Hyundai has revealed the first-ever N Line that has come to India and we have the i20 N Line now. Although the prices are yet to be revealed, it surely is a major cosmetic and a slight performance upgrade to the normal i20. But, wouldn’t it be great if we get the actual Hyundai i20 N? From what all has changed in the Indian automotive arena, it seems like we surely need a real performance hatch and not some 80-90ps car claiming to be a gold standard in terms of performance. Let’s take a look at the comparison of Hyundai i20 N Line vs the global i20 N or should I say the comparison of what we get vs what we deserve?
Hyundai i20 N Line vs i20 N: The major performance gap!
| Hyundai i20 N Line | i20 N | |
| Engine | 1.0-litre T-GDi Petrol | 1.6-litre T-GDi Petrol |
| Power | 120ps | 204ps |
| Torque | 172Nm | 275Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed iMT / 7-speed DCT | 6-speed Manual |
| 0-100kmph | 9.9 seconds | 6.7 seconds |
| Maximum Speed | – | 230kmph |
Actually, the N Line is inspired by the N series. But, we already had the same engine under the same car with a less graphic appearance. And frankly speaking, most of the changes that we see on the i20 N Line can be done to the normal i20 with kits and graphics. It’s time that the companies listen to the real enthusiasts who want a proper performance machine that delivers power at every tap. What’s most saddening to see at the i20 N Line is that Hyundai is not providing a manual transmission at all. You do get an intelligent manual transmission but when it comes to showcasing power, you do want to go old school. And just take a look at the zero to hundred of i20 N. We Indians are seriously missing out on real fun here.
What else are we missing?
Just listen to the exhaust note. We get the not-so-bad exhaust note with the N Line but the one at N is just amazing. We miss on much sportier-looking design, a rev button at the steering wheel, sporty N metal pedals, a host of safety features, limited-slip differential for power transfer, customizable exhaust sound, launch control, heated steering wheel, and much more. Another major missing is the bigger tires and sportier-looking alloy wheels.
Hyundai i20 N Line vs i20 N: What are we getting?
We do get the N Line badging all around, the black interiors with red accents that do look good, disc brakes at all four corners, a sportier steering wheel, a bigger rear spoiler, red brake calipers with N badging, front grille with a checkered flag pattern, upholstery and gear knob with N badging and some good looking alloy wheels. Actually, all we get is a major cosmetic upgrade and a very minor performance upgrade.
Why India actually needs a performance-oriented car?
Gone are the days when the Indian automotive industry was still in the cradle. The market has grown exponentially and cars are slowly becoming a necessity than a luxury. Carmakers like Mahindra are trying really hard by launching cars like XUV700 which are at par with the global cars in India in the segment.
But, the laws in India restrict us to modify our cars and pump up the performance a bit. This leaves a majority of enthusiasts stuck with 100ps cars with minimal torque output. Or, they do modify cars and render them street illegal thus restricting the fun. If carmakers start providing stock cars that have enough juice to grind, the real enthusiasts will be able to enjoy what the world does already. We do have performance-based cars in India such as the AMGs from Mercedes or the M Sport from BMW. But, we do need something that lies in the budget of ₹15lakhs to ₹20lakhs.
It would be great if the carmakers start selling actual performance-oriented cars and not just graphically upgraded ones in the name of performance.
