Hyundai i20 VS Skoda Fabia
Hyundai i20
Likes
- Dynamics
- Powertrain
- Practicality
Dislikes
- Firm ride
- Flaky launch control
- Turning circle
Skoda Fabia
Likes
- Playful and capable
- Ergonomics and ‘Skoda’ touches
- Fresh exterior design
Dislikes
- Interior styling still looks sub-$30K
- Low-speed DSG hesitancy
- Rear seat space
Summary
Hyundai i20
Start occupying the top step of the World Rally Championship podium and the brand benefits are huge. Just ask Audi, Ford, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and the many others which have done exactly that to great effect over the years.
And Hyundai’s most recent foray into the WRC has focused on the compact i20, and here we have that rally weapon’s civilian offspring, the much-anticipated i20 N.
It’s a lightweight, high-tech, city-sized, hot hatch designed to steer you away from Ford’s Fiesta ST or VW’s Polo GTI, and add even more lustre to Hyundai’s N performance badge.
Read more Hyundai reviews
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.9L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Skoda Fabia
The smallest car in Skoda’s local line-up is also its most affordable, but only just.
When the current generation Fabia launched with the halo Monte Carlo variant at almost $40,000, it was a bit of a surprise for a small hatch from what’s seen as an affordable brand.
Now, there’s a new entry-level version of Skoda’s bub and, while it’s not nearly as cheap as it once was, it offers a choice that’s more within reach for anyone keen on a premium small car.
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Can the Fabia Select convince customers looking at the likes of the Mazda 2 or Suzuki Swift to go Euro and cross the $30,000 threshold?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Hyundai i208.4/10
The i20 N hatch is so much fun, and not in a special occasion kind of way. It’s an affordable, compact performance car that’ll put a smile on your face no matter where or when you drive it. The Fiesta ST and Polo GTI have a worthy new playmate. I love it!
Skoda Fabia7.6/10
Once you get past the shock of the Fabia no longer being a sub-$25K car (because let’s face it, what is anymore?), the fact that it remains refreshingly simple to live with and engaging on the road should be celebrated.
It has its downsides if you need space, and you can buy a light (or even small) SUV for the same price, but you’ll be compromising in other areas.
The Skoda Fabia can’t do everything, but what it can, it does well. Plus, it’s certainly less common than the similarly priced Toyota Yaris.
Design
Hyundai i208/10
Hyundai’s current WRC challenger may be a coupe but this angry little five-door hatch absolutely looks the part.
We’re assured the N is the only current-generation i20 we’ll see in the Aussie market, and it runs with a relatively low (101mm) ground clearance, a grille pattern inspired by a chequered flag, black mirror shells, and menacing, angular LED headlights.
The ‘Satin Grey’ 18-inch alloys are unique to this car, as are the side skirts, raised rear spoiler, darkened LED tail-lights, a ‘sort-of’ diffuser under the rear bumper and a single fat exhaust exiting on the right-hand side.
There are three standard paint options - ‘Polar White’, ‘Sleek Silver’, and N’s signature shade of ‘Performance Blue’ (as per our test car) as well as two premium shades - ‘Dragon Red’, and ‘Phantom Black’ (+$495). A contrasting Phantom Black roof adds $1000.
Inside, the N-branded sports seats, trimmed in black cloth, featuring integrated headrests and blue contrast stitching, are unique to the i20 N. There’s a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, handbrake lever and gear knob, as well as metal finishers on the pedals.
The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and same-sized multimedia screen look slick, and ambient lighting heightens the hi-tech mood.
Skoda Fabia
The Fabia’s design hasn’t departed dramatically from its predecessor, but the evolution into the current generation has the little Skoda looking more mature and smoother than before.
Some elements like its grille and headlights are a little sleeker and the car looks less boxy, but still has a unique Skoda design language that’s instantly recognizable.
Its chrome grille trim and its set of unusual 16-inch alloy wheels are the clues that this is the entry Select, plus the lack of much badging.
Inside, the change in generation is most obvious in the step-up in materials and some of the aforementioned tech (screens in particular), though the steering wheel is a carry-over even if it doesn’t look dated.
The new instrument display cowl which features the model name on its side, the round air vents, and the fabric across the dash bring the interior into the current decade, though the centre stack’s modernity is betrayed by climate controls that could have existed in 1998.
There are a fair few hard plastic surfaces, though none of them are in poorly thought-out places and don’t let the cabin down too much.
Practicality
Hyundai i209/10
Although it’s just 4.1m long, the i20N is impressively space efficient with decent room up front and a surprising amount of head and legroom in the back.
Sitting behind the driver's seat, set for my 183cm position, I had plenty of head and legroom, although, understandably, three people across the back will need to be kids or understanding adults, on a short journey.
And there are plenty of storage and power options, including the wireless device charge pad in front of the gear lever, which doubles as an oddments tray when not in use, two cupholders in the front centre console, door bins with room for large bottles, a modest glove box and a lidded cubby/armrest between the front seats.
No armrest or air vents in the back, but there are map pockets on the front seat backs, and again, bins in the doors with room for bottles
There is a media USB-A socket and another for charging, as well as a 12V outlet in the front, and another USB-A power socket in the back. Hyundai suggests the latter could be handy for powering track day cameras. Great idea!
Boot space is impressive for such a compact hatch. With the rear seats upright there’s 310 litres (VDA) available. Fold the 60/40 split-folding rear backrest and no less than 1123 litres opens up.
A dual-height floor can be flat for long stuff, or deep for tall stuff, there are bag hooks provided, four tie down anchors, and a luggage net included. The spare is a space saver.
Skoda Fabia
There are cars in the market that, for around or not much more than $30,000, seem like a bargain given the perceived value of features like big touchscreens and (synthetic) leather.
The Fabia Select doesn’t have those things, but everything in it makes sense and, more importantly, everything works well.
For example, as much as I point out the dated-looking air conditioning controls, the reality is they're much easier to use than an in-screen menu requiring the same amount of attention as replying to a text while driving - something that is rightfully illegal.
Simple controls on the steering wheel, a touchscreen that doesn’t require much attention, a clear driver display and a few shortcut buttons around the gear selector mean you can focus more of your attention on driving, without lacking any of the convenience or features you’d expect in a new car.
Wireless phone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto add to this, as you can bypass Skoda’s (fine, but basic) multimedia software easily.
The lack of wireless phone charging is a shame, but not a deal-breaker, as the space under the centre stack is conveniently sized. The same can’t be said for the tiny storage bin under the centre armrest, though.
However, the glove box and door card storage is generous and there’s the Skoda-standard umbrella in the door that’s accessible when open.
The seats in the Fabia have decent bolstering and are ergonomically sound, manual adjustment is easy enough and there’s a turning wheel rather than a lever with increments to adjust the backrest.
Given the Fabia’s diminutive stature relative to most vehicles on the road, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the back seat isn’t the most spacious. But as an average-sized adult it feels like the kind of space I’d be comfortable in for a short trip, with adequate headroom, knee room and even a vent.
There’s no centre armrest, though, and the seats aren’t as comfortable as the fronts.
Behind the 60/40 split-fold there’s a generous (for a hatch this size) 380-litre boot with bag hooks, though the floor has some mildly intrusive angled plastic elements.
Impressively, the Fabia has a spare tyre rather than a repair kit, so kudos to Skoda for not taking the cheap (and less safe) option.
Price and features
Hyundai i208/10
At $32,490, before on-road costs, the i20 N is to all intents and purposes the same price as Ford’s Fiesta ST ($32,290), and the VW Polo GTI ($32,890).
It’s offered in one spec only, and aside from the standard safety and performance tech, this new hot Hunday boasts a solid standard features list, including: climate control, LED headlights, tail-lights, daytime running lights and fog lights, 18-inch alloys, Bose audio with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and digital radio, cruise control, nav (with live traffic updates), rear privacy glass, keyless entry and start (as well as remote start), sports front seats, the leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, handbrake lever and gear knob, alloy-faced pedals, auto rain-sensing wipers, power-folding exterior mirrors, plus 15W Qi wireless smartphone charging.
There’s more, like the 10.25-inch ‘N Supervision’ digital instrument cluster, plus a same-size multimedia touchscreen in the centre of the dash, a track maps feature (Sydney Motorsport Park is already in there), as well as an acceleration timer, g-force meter, plus power, engine temperature, turbo boost, brake pressure and throttle gauges.
You get the idea, and it goes toe-to-toe with the Fiesta ST and Polo GTI.
Skoda Fabia
The Skoda Fabia has fallen prey to the same upward-creeping prices as many other light cars have, quite hard.
What was a sub-$25,000 car in its previous generation’s entry grade is now a $32,390 offering, plus on-road costs.
For an entry-level light hatch, the Fabia Select has a decent list of features, though is decidedly more basic than the already-launched Monte Carlo ($39,690 MSRP).
The headline tech features in the base Fabia include an 8.25-inch touchscreen covering multimedia functions, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8.0-inch driver display, two USB-C ports, plus drive mode selection and a host of safety features (covered later in this review).
For reference, the Monte Carlo gets a larger 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 9.2-inch multimedia touchscreen.
The Select makes do with manual-adjust cloth seats, but does have keyless entry and start, a leather ‘sports’ steering wheel, automatic windscreen wipers, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and auto LED headlights and LED tail-lights.
Skoda says the Select’s features list aims to line up as “similar to rivals’ mid-specification models” and it’s about bang on. But its price might still be a turn-off for some seeking a budget-friendly light car.
Under the bonnet
Hyundai i209/10
The i20 N is powered by a turbo intercooled 1.6 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and Torsen-type mechanical limited slip differential.
The all-alloy (G4FP) engine features high-pressure direct-injection and an overboost function, producing 150kW from 5500-6000rpm, and 275Nm from 1750-4500rpm (rising to 304Nm on overboost at max throttle from 2000-4000rpm).
And the engine’s mechanical ‘Continuously Variable Valve Duration’ set-up is something of a breakthrough. In fact, Hyundai claims it as a world’s first for a production engine.
Not timing, not lift, but variable duration of valve opening (managed independently of timing and lift), to strike the optimal balance between power and economy across the rev range.
Skoda Fabia
The Fabia’s turbocharged 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, petrol engine makes 85kW and 200Nm in this guise, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels only.
Given the Fabia weighs 1265kg, getting to 100km/h in under 10 seconds - which it should be able to do, just - might depend on how many passengers you have.
While it’s not very fast or powerful, the Fabia’s outputs sit about average for its class and price.
Efficiency
Hyundai i208/10
Hyundai’s official fuel economy figure for the i20 N, on the ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban cycle, is 6.9L/100km, the 1.6-litre four emitting 157g/km of C02 in the process.
Stop/start is standard, and we saw a dash-indicated average of 7.1L/100km over several hundred km of city, B-road and freeway running on the occasionally ‘spirited’ launch drive.
You’ll need 40 litres of ‘standard’ 91 RON unleaded to brim the tank, which translates to a range of 580km using the official figure and 563 kays using our launch test drive number.
Skoda Fabia
The Fabia has a 5.0L/100km combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption figure under WLTP testing, with a minimum 95RON premium fuel grade required.
With its 42-litre fuel tank, that means you could hypothetically expect to cover a touch more than 800km before running out of fuel, though that seems unlikely in the real world.
Despite a particularly lively drive undertaken purely for testing purposes, the highest fuel consumption the trip computer displayed was 7.7L/100km, which isn’t so bad when you consider the Fabia’s not likely to be driven hard most of the time.
Driving
Hyundai i209/10
Unusually for a manual car, the i20 N features a launch control system (with an adjustable rpm setting), which we found fiddly to get working, but with or without it, Hyundai claims a snappy 0-100km/h time of 6.7sec.
And it’s such a pleasure to steer a car with a slick-shifting manual gearbox. The six-speed unit features a rev-matching function accessed via the press of a racy red button on the steering wheel.
Buf for those who prefer an old-school, double-shuffle, heal-and-toe tap dance across the pedals, the relationship between the brake and accelerator is perfect.
And if you’re keen on Walter Rohrl-style left-foot braking, to help steady the car or steer it in fast cornering, the ESC is switchable through to Sport mode or completely off, allowing fuss-free simultaneous brake and throttle application.
There’s even a shift-timing indicator near the top of the instrument cluster, with colour bars closing in on each other as the tacho needle pushes towards the rev limiter. Fun.
Engine and exhaust noise is a combination of a raspy induction note and adjustable crackle and pop out the back, courtesy of a mechanical flap in the exhaust system, adjustable through three settings in N mode.
Traditionalists may not be thrilled by the addition of in-cabin synthetic enhancement of all of the above, but the net effect is thoroughly enjoyable.
It’s worth remembering in this context N stands for Namyang, Hyundai’s sprawling proving ground south of Seoul where the car was developed, and the Nürburgring where this go-fast i20 was fine-tuned.
The body has been specifically reinforced at 12 key points, along with additional welds, and “bolt-in underbody structures” to make the i20 N stiffer and more responsive.
The strut front, coupled (dual) torsion beam rear suspension has also been set up with increased (neg) camber and a revised anti-roll bar at the front, as well as specific springs, shocks and bushings.
A compact, mechanical LSD is added to the mix, and grippy 215/40 x 18 Pirelli P-Zero rubber was produced specifically for the car and is stamped ‘HN’ for Hyundai N. Impressive.
The end result is outstanding. Low-speed ride is firm, with suburban bumps and lumps making their presence felt, but that’s what you’re signing on for in a hot hatch at this price point.
This car feels balanced and well buttoned down. Power delivery is agreeably linear and at a fraction over 1.2 tonnes the i20 N is light, responsive and nimble. Mid-range urge is strong.
Steering feel is good, with assistance from a column-mounted motor taking nothing away from an intimate connection with the front tyres.
The sports front seats proved grippy and comfortable over long stints behind the wheel, and playing with the multiple N drive modes tweaking the engine, ESC, exhaust, and steering just adds to the involvement. There are twin N switches on the wheel for quick access to custom set-ups.
And that Torsen LSD is brilliant. I tried my best to provoke a spinning inside front wheel on the exit of tight corners, but the i20 N just puts its power down without so much as a chirp, as it rockets towards the next bend.
The brakes are 320mm vented at the front and 262mm solid at the rear. Calipers are single piston, but they’ve been beefed up and fitted with high-friction pads. The master cylinder is bigger than the standard i20 and the front rotors are cooled by lower control arm mounted air guides blowing through vented knuckles.
The launch i20 N fleet of around half a dozen cars copped an hours long hot lap pounding at Wakefield Park Raceway, near Goulburn NSW without drama. They’re well up to the task.
One niggle is a large turning circle. The data sheet says 10.5m but it feels like the car is carving a wide arc in U-turns or three-point turns.
A 2580mm wheelbase between the bumpers of a 4075mm car is substantial, and the steering’s relatively low gearing (2.2 turns lock-to-lock) no doubt has a lot to do with it. The price you pay for quick turn-in.
Skoda Fabia
If you’re someone who doesn’t need a big car and likes an engaging drive, the Fabia ticks those boxes.
In fact, it feels like it punches above its weight. Well, not literally, because while it actually weighs in at over 1.2 tonnes, it feels lighter than even that.
Tight corners don’t faze the Fabia, and its steering and suspension both feel more dialled-in than a car with 85kW has any right to.
Yep, even though its engine is only slightly more powerful than some budget sports cars from the 1980s it feels peppier than it should.
It has some low-speed hesitancy thanks to its transmission - taking off from a stop sign if you’re not in Sport mode can be annoying - but with shift paddles (or a manual gearbox… ) the Fabia could be a hidden gem for enthusiasts.
Its suspension is firm, but not sharp enough that it allows bumps and rough roads to make their way into the cabin as shocks or rattles, and even holds its own on unsealed surfaces at sensible rural speeds.
The Fabia feels playful even on a commute, and the follow-through from the rear-end on a spirited bit of cornering speaks volumes about its chassis, even in urban driving.
Safety
Hyundai i208/10
Although it hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, the headline on active safety tech in the i20N is the inclusion of ‘Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist’, which is Hyundai-speak for AEB (city and urban speed with pedestrian detection).
And from there it’s assist city, with ‘Lane Keeping Assist’, ‘Lane Following Assist’, ‘High Beam Assist’, and ‘Intelligent Speed Limit Assist.’
Followed by all the warnings: ‘Blind Spot Collision Warning’, ‘Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning’, ‘Driver Attention Warning’, and ‘Parking Distance Warning’ (front and rear).
The i20 N also features a tyre pressure monitoring system and a reversing camera. But if, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable there are six airbags on-board - driver and front passenger front and side (thorax), and side curtain - as well as three top tether points and two ISOFIX locations across the back row for child seats.
Skoda Fabia
The Fabia wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from assessment in 2021, under recent but now-surpassed criteria.
That’s not to say its safety kit is outdated, as occupant protection scored well (58 per cent for adults, 81 per cent for children) while pedestrian and active safety were also adequate (70 ad 71 per cent, respectively).
The Fabia Select comes with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian and cyclist detection, multi-collision braking, driver monitoring, lane assist, rear cross-traffic alert and six airbags - though no front-centre airbag.
It also features cruise control, though it’s not adaptive and requires a little more attention than most new cars - not necessarily a bad thing, mind you.
On the road, its safety tech is unobtrusive, leaving you to focus on driving while knowing there are features there to keep you safe should the unexpected happen.
Ownership
Hyundai i208/10
Hyundai covers the i20 N with a five year/unlimited km warranty, and the ‘iCare’ program includes a ‘Lifetime Service Plan’, as well as 12 months 24/7 roadside assist and an annual sat nav map update (the latter two renewed free-of-charge each year, up to 10 years, if the car is serviced at an authorised Hyundai dealer).
Maintenance is scheduled every 12-months/10,000km (whichever comes first) and there’s a pre-paid option which means you can lock in prices and/or fold service costs into your finance package.
Owners also have access to the ‘myHyundai’ online portal providing details on the car’s operation and features as well special offers and customer support.
Service for the i20 N will set you back $309 for each of the first five years, which is competitive for a hot hatch in this part of the market.
Skoda Fabia
Skoda offers a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on all its cars, which is becoming more common in the industry but is quite competitive for a European brand.
The Fabia is also able to be covered by a seven-year servicing pack for $3650, that being the total price you’d need to pay for the first seven years of servicing (occurring every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever comes first). In other words $521 per workshop visit.
Skoda also offers 12 months of roadside assistance from the new vehicle warranty start date, and another 12 months is topped up every time you service with Skoda.