Hyundai Elite i20 Facelift vs i20 Active: What’s different between the two?

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL)recently launched a facelift for the i20 Active. This facelift comes just a few months after the updated Elite i20. Both the cars carry some changes that make them look fresher and better kitted out. However, there’s always been a clear difference between the Elite i20 and its pseudo-crossover sibling. Our Hyundai Elite i20 Facelift vs i20 Active comparison post will highlight the differences between the two recently facelifted cars.

 

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift vs i20 Active – Prices

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift prices

• Petrol – Rs 5.35 lakh to Rs 7.37 lakh
• Diesel- Rs 6.73 lakh to Rs 9.15 lakh

Hyundai i20 Active facelift prices

• Petrol – Rs 7.0 lakh to Rs 8.66 lakh
• Diesel – Rs 8.96 lakh to Rs 10.01 lakh

The Elite i20 facelift is a lot cheaper than the i20 Active, which was true even in the case of the pre-facelift models. However, the Elite i20 received a decent price cut with the launch of the facelift. The i20 Active, on the other hand, doesn’t benefit from any sort of price reduction. At a starting price of Rs 7.0 lakh, the new car is much more expensive than its hatchback sibling. This price gap gets even wider if you compare the diesel variants. Hence, this is one aspect in which the Elite i20 has a clear advantage over its crossover sibling.

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift vs i20 Active – Specs

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift specs

• Engine Displacement – 1197 cc (Petrol); 1396cc (Diesel)
• Max. Power  –  81.86 [email protected] rpm (Petrol); [email protected] rpm (Diesel)
• Peak Torque – [email protected] rpm (Petrol); [email protected] rpm
• Ground Clearance – 170 mm

Hyundai i20 Active facelift specs

• Engine Displacement – 1197 cc (Petrol); 1396cc (Diesel)
• Max. Power  –  81.86 [email protected] rpm (Petrol); [email protected] rpm (Diesel)
• Peak Torque – [email protected] rpm (Petrol); [email protected] rpm
• Ground Clearance – 190 mm

Both the cars offer the same engine options. Hence, in terms of performance, there’s really little that’s different. The engines offer the same maximum power and torque figures for both the cars. They also offer the same transmission options, which means both the cars don’t come with an automatic gearbox at the moment. So, basically, the i20 Active doesn’t have any performance advantage over its hatchback sibling in spite of being much more expensive. There is one area where the Active has a definite advantage over the Elite i20. The regular i20 already comes with a pretty high ground clearance of 170 mm. The Active takes it a notch higher by offering a ground clearance of 190 mm. Hence, those looking for a car that’s more suitable for use on rough roads can pick the i20 Active over its hatchback sibling.

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift vs i20 Active – Design

The Hyundai Elite i20 and the Active i20 have always looked slightly different from each other. The i20 Active has always looked more rugged due to its crossover-ish traits. However, the facelifts of these cars look more different from each other than the pre-facelift models. The Elite i20 was launched with new paint schemes and updated styling at the front and the rear. The front-end of the Elite i20 comes with a cascading effect grille, which gives the car the latest Hyundai family look. Even the headlamps and the fog lamps are new. However, it’s the car’s rear end that carries the bigger change. The new tailgate carries the registration plate housing, and even the bumper and the tail lamps are new. This gives the Elite i20 a much fresher appearance as the pre-facelift model’s rear registration plate was present on the bumper.

We expected the i20 Active facelift to carry similar styling changes. However, the i20 Active crossover-hatchback gets a really minor facelift. The highlight of the car’s exterior is the new blue and white dual-tone paint job. Other than the new paint job, the car also gets some subtle styling changes. The radiator grille has been updated but it doesn’t have the cascading effect unit that the Elite i20 comes with. Apart from this, the new i20 Active comes with a silver finish near the front fog lamps. There’s a new black rubber strip on the boot lid. The taillamps have also been updated.

On the inside, both the cars now come with a new touchscreen unit and new upholstery. While the Elite i20 comes with a dual-tone, beige-black interior setup, the i20 Active comes with an all-black cabin with Alps Blue interior trim. The new touchscreen unit on both the cars supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto Connectivity. Moreover, the air-con vents of both the cars have been altered a little. Even the dials of both the cars have a slightly different shape than what the pre-facelift versions offered.