Hyundai had launched the Elite i20 facelift in India at the Auto Expo 2018. And now, three months later, the South Korean carmaker has launched its automatic version as well. The Elite i20 automatic is available in two variants: Magna Executive and the Asta, priced at Rs 7.05 lakh and Rs 8.16 (ex-showroom Delhi), respectively, which is a premium of around Rs 1 lakh over their manual counterparts. As confirmed by a dealer, the Elite i20 CVT is available on order only, which means the waiting period for this model is likely to be longer than expected.
Hyundai is offering the option of CVT only with the petrol engine this time around. This petrol engine is a 1.2-litre motor that makes 83PS of maximum power and 114Nm of peak torque. This is not the first time that Hyundai is offering an automatic transmission with the Elite i20. The pre-facelift i20 was also available with a 4-speed automatic transmission (torque converter) coupled to the 1.4-litre petrol engine. The powertrain was discontinued with the launch of the facelift this year as the 1.4-litre engine didn’t help the Elite i20 qualify as a ‘small car’, as a result of which it attracted higher taxes. The 4-speed torque converter unit was also outdated compared to the CVT that’s on offer now. So the new powertrain makes more sense.
In terms of features, the automatic variants of the i20 are similarly equipped as their manual counterparts. The Magna Executive CVT gets dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, 2-DIN music system, all four power windows, manual AC with rear AC vents and electrically adjustable ORVMs.
The Asta, on the other hand, gets additional features such as reverse parking camera with sensors and dynamic guidelines, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, tilt-telescopic steering, height adjustable driver’s seat and electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs.
Hyundai offers the Elite i20 in the Asta (O) variant as well. It packs features such as side and curtain airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, automatic projector headlamps with LED DRLs and push-button start over the Asta variant and costs about Rs 79,000 more. Had the carmaker offered the CVT with this variant, it would have nearly touched the Rs 9 lakh mark. Those opting for the Elite i20 Asta CVT would miss the top variant since the Asta (O) does pack some important features, especially when it comes to safety.
The introduction of the CVT will help the Elite i20 take on its arch rivals, the Maruti Baleno and the Honda Jazz, both of which are already being offered with a CVT with their petrol engines. While the Baleno CVT is available in three variants: Delta (Rs 7.09 lakh), Zeta (Rs 7.70 lakh) and Alpha (Rs 8.40 lakh), the Jazz CVT is offered in two variants: S CVT (Rs 7.70 lakh) and V CVT (Rs 8.46 lakh) (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). The introduction of CVT with the 1.2-litre petrol engine now makes the Elite i20 automatic competitively priced against its rivals.
