Hyundai has revised its i20 N Line hot hatch pretender but the changes are so small it probably took longer to write the press release about the updates than to implement them. But as far as we can see, the main mod the design team did implement is a backward step.
Before we get to that, it’s probably worth reminding ourselves what the i20 N Line is, starting with the N bit. N Line is Hyundai’s equivalent to Ford’s ST-Line, Audi’s S-Line, Merc’s AMG-Line and BMW’s…M Sport (why can’t those Munich boys just toe the line?). N Line cars have some of the same kind of interior and exterior styling details you might expect on a full Hyundai N performance car, but without any of the performance, or the efficiency and insurance penalties.
So the i20 N Line does a passable impression of the real i20 N hot hatch when parked, and you might even say it looks better because it doesn’t have the true N’s gaudy red pinstripes. The N Line also looks convincingly sporty inside with chunky seats, perforated leather on the N-branded wheel and shifter and flashes of red on the controls and on the upholstery stitching.
Driven: Hyundai i20 N Is Fun But Not Without Fault
All of that good stuff is carried over to the refreshed car. What has changed is the grille, which now has a more conventional egg-crate pattern instead of the chequered-flag effect used on the old car. We’re not sure why Hyundai swapped out a vaguely interesting grille for a more boring one, unless it was to placate i20 N buyers who complained that the pretender looked too much like their car. All we know is it looked better before the fiddling, though overall, the N Line is still a visually appealing package.
Other changes include a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels and the addition of multicolor ambient lighting in the cabin where you’ll also find that the map, interior and sun visor lights have all been upgraded with LED tech. Hyundai hasn’t mentioned any under-hood updates, which means it still makes do with a 118 hp (120 PS) 1.2-liter mild-hybrid four that needs 10.1 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 kmh). The true N, meanwhile, gets a 201 hp (204 PS) turbo’d 1.6 and only requires 6.2 seconds.
Or at least it did. The same day that Hyundai revealed the i20 N Line’s nip and tuck news emerged that the company had killed off its ICE-powered N hot hatches in Europe. Both the i20 N and critically acclaimed i30 N have been dropped, leaving the electric Ioniq 5 N as the sole full N car in Hyundai’s lineup.
