Sporty new Hyundai i20 N Line on sale now from £22,395

The new Hyundai i20 N Line is on sale in the UK now, with prices starting from £22,395. The trim-level broadens the appeal of the Korean firm’s brand-new supermini, by serving up a sporty looking new rival for the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST-Line and the Peugeot 208 GT.

Buyers get a host of performance inspired add-ons, including a new set of 17-inch alloys, a deeper front splitter and wider side skirts. Its rear end is also influenced by the new i20 N hot hatchback, sharing a similar diffuser with an identical triangular fog lamp mounted in its centre. The styling tweaks are rounded off with a new twin-exit exhaust tip.

Inside, there’s a pair of N-Line branded sports seats, a new leather steering wheel, a leather gear knob and a black headliner. There are also some red accents for the heater controls and door cards, while a pair of 10.25-inch screens are used for the car’s instrument cluster and infotainment system.

Standard equipment includes automatic LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, electrically folding and heated door mirrors, climate control and a reversing camera. There’s also a host of standard safety equipment, including rear parking sensors, cruise control, lane keeping assist and autonomous emergency braking.

Buyers can also spec either metallic, pearlescent or two-tone paint finishes as optional extras. The first two options cost an extra £550, while the latter option adds £500 to the i20 N Line’s starting price, finishing the hatchback’s roof in Phantom Black.

There’s only one engine on offer. It’s a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol unit, which produces 118bhp and 172Nm of torque. The cheapest model sends drive through Hyundai’s six-speed Intelligent Manual Gearbox, which unlike a conventional manual, can automatically disengage the clutch to improve fuel economy.

The unit serves up a 0–62mph time of 10.1 seconds and a top speed of 118mph. Hyundai hasn’t yet confirmed fuel economy figures for the new trim-level but, in the standard car, the brand claims upwards of 50mpg and emissions figures of between 115 and 121g/km.

Hyundai also offers the same engine with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The transmission adds £1,250 to the i20 N Line’s starting price, but also unlocks an extra 28Nm of torque from the engine. The car’s 0–62mph time also falls slightly to 10.3 seconds.

Now read our review of the full-fat Hyundai i20 N hot hatchback…