Hyundai I20 vs BMW i Series

What's the difference?

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!

The thing that really grabs you from behind the wheel of a car like this is just how far EVs have come. The fact you can get a ridiculous range and have a really, really good time on the right twisting road is a pretty good deal and solidifies the fact EVs like this one are the future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

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.

It's hard to talk about the design of the BMW iX3 without spending some time at the front end. This is a bold, bold take on a BMW grille, and one that is entirely devoid of chrome or metallic lashings.

That’s not to say it’s boring. The iX3 has a light theme that runs inside and outside, the latter of which is called the Iconic Glow exterior package, which replaces the physical embellishments with white lighting that frames the kidney grille and the other inserts. It looks very cool and very modern.

In the cabin, the lighting theme continues, this time under the dash inserts that illuminate from within. But that’s not what really draws your eye.

That honour goes to the Panoramic Vision, which replaces the traditional driver’s screen with a pillar-to-pillar display that stretches the width of the cabin and displays all your key driving info.  It seems like a strange thing to get your head around but it felt natural almost immediately, with everything you might need (including a g-meter in its sportiest mode) on display.

Also new is the funky and chunky BMW steering wheel, which reminds me a little of one of those double-sided lizards, in that it can be hard at times to figure out which way is up, and which features 'Shy Tech' (features and controls stay out of sight until the driver or passenger needs them).

All in all, I like the space. There are just enough traditional-feeling elements mixed with new tech to make it feel futuristic and familiar.

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.

The BMW iX3 is 4782mm in length, 1895mm in width, 1635mm in height and it rides on a 2897mm wheelbase.

It doesn't feel huge, but there's certainly enough space in the back seat for me. At 175 centimetres I have enough knee and headroom sitting behind my own driving position, plus you can adjust the angles of the rear backrest to get a little more comfy.

But while the front seat feels very modern, the rear is more a traditional back seat experience. Back seat riders get their own air vents and temperature controls, twin USB-C charge ports and a pull-down divider with twin cupholders, but that's about it.

The auto-opening boot reveals a 520-litre luggage space (1750 with the seats folded), all of which is unencumbered by charging cables and the like, which are housed in the 58-litre frunk.

Towing and electric vehicles are never the greatest of matches, such is the drain on the battery, but the iX3 can be fitted with a standard tow ball, unlocking a braked trailer capacity of 2000kg.

There are two iX3 options for now. Or at least there will be when the 40 model joins this 50 xDrive in a couple of months. Happily, aside from the smaller battery and single motor in the 40, the feature list is identical.

In terms of pure spec, the 50 xDrive gets a lot. It’s only colours, interiors and alloys to choose as extras. 

The tech is the highlight, though. There’s a big, crisp central screen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the showpiece is what BMW calls its Panoramic Vision, which swaps the traditional driver’s screen and gauges for a vast display that stretches the entire width of the cabin.

What cost for all that, you ask? Probably less than you think. The 50 xDrive is $109,900, before on-road costs, and for that you get a massive drive battery, lots of range and plenty of dual-motor punch. But the bang-for-buck bargain will be the incoming 40 eDrive, which will arrive at a LCT-busting $89,900, MSRP.

EXTERIOR:

• M Sport Package
• Blue M Sport brake calipers
• 20-inch M Sport wheels
• Body-coloured M rear roof spoiler
• BMW Iconic Glow exterior package
• Intelligent charging flap
• Panoramic glass sunroof with glazing
• Automatic boot

INTERIOR:

• Tri-zone climate control 
• Ambient lighting
• Sports seats with heating for driver and passenger 
• M Sport steering wheel with heating
• Verganza (synthetic leather) upholstery

TECH:

• BMW 3D Head-Up Display
• BMW Panoramic Vision
• 17.9-inch central screen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Digital radio
• Harman Kardon stereo
• Wireless charging

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.

We’ll focus on the 50 xDrive, as that’s the one we’ve driven, and because the powertrain is a peach. Its twin-motor all-wheel drive set-up delivers a total 345kW and 645Nm, which is a lot. And because there is no traditional transmission to step through, and because all that oomph arrives at once, it feels plenty punchy indeed.

BMW says the sprint to 100km/h takes 4.9 seconds, and we believe them. Top speed is a claimed 210km/h.

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.

As we mentioned at the top of this review, this is another big plus for the iX3. Its massive 108.7kWh net NMC battery delivers a maximum driving range of 805km, which is frankly ridiculous. To get it, you need to engage Efficiency Max, which dulls the drive experience, but that is an impressive number all the same. Engage the sportier settings and the figure drops to more like 650km-plus. 

Charging is 22kW AC and an impressive 400kW DC – or 300kW in the upcoming 40 model — which means a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 21 minutes when plugged into the fastest of chargers.

BMW says to expect 15.1-17.1kWh/100km in terms of energy usage on the WLTP cycle.

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.

BMW spent a lot of time describing this car as being of revolutionary importance to the brand. It was designed as an EV from its inception, but is also the flag bearer for the New Class gen of cars, and so it has all sorts of features and tech that will roll out across the rest of the BMW range.

Does it feel overly revolutionary from behind the wheel? Not really. I mean, it drives forwards and backwards, and turns around corners when you move the wheel, all of which is to be expected.

But it does mostly feel very BMW, which I think is what they meant. The Jekyll-Hyde nature of the iX3 becomes apparent the moment you engage its sportiest driving modes and flatten your foot. This is proper push-you-back-in-your-seat acceleration that feels slightly more violent than the iX3's claimed zero-to-100km/h time suggests.

Then there's the flip side of that coin. Engage Efficiency Max and you can seemingly drive forever (or at least more than 800km), sipping battery juice and riding in peace, quiet and comfort. 

But at its core, and no matter the drive mode, it feels like a BMW. Crucial to that is a thing the brand calls the Heart of Joy, which sounds utterly sci-fi but really is a computer brain that works on traction and power to make sure you never lose grip.

If you've ever been in a car where the traction control light is flashing on a dash, you'll know what usually happens is it cuts engine power until you find grip, and it gives you power again, then cuts it, then gives it to you as required to find the grip, and it can give you that kind of jerky, stop-starty kind of feeling.

The iX3 doesn't do that. Instead, it plays with traction and is far more subtle without ever cutting power, and gives you the feeling of being able to tip into a corner and then power out without ever feeling like you're going to lose grip, or power.

The bigger electric motor is at the rear axle, which delivers most of your performance unless you need extra grip. So, when you are powering out of a bend, it feels a lot like a rear-wheel drive car and really well sorted from behind the wheel.

If that's the driver's side of the equation, the other side of it is pretty good, too. We took to the town at city speeds, and it was super comfortable, quiet and absorbed most of the road imperfections pretty easily.

Interestingly, the suspension isn't high-tech. There's nothing adaptive about it, and there's no air cushioning or anything like that. But it feels well tuned, and is pretty comfortable, even on dodgier road surfaces, while still delivering a sense of connection.

My favorite kind of mid-size SUVs are ones that have that dual nature. Something that has space for the family and all of their things, but also something that can be a fair bit of fun on the right twisting road, and this one absolutely nails that brief. It is a hoot to drive on twisty stuff. 

Downsides? Well, you can't entirely disguise more than two tonnes of weight. If you're going downhill, especially on a twistier road, you can feel the weight around you, especially when you go to pull up in a hurry, despite the strong-biting brakes.

The other thing is the steering, which is direct and lovely but quite light. It doesn't have that meaty heft some BMWs offer, and as a result, it can be interesting to place the vehicle. You can find yourself a bit further over in the lane, or further away from an apex than you're expecting, because your light inputs have really shifted the vehicle. 

But BMW has nailed the brief here. Do keep an eye out for the cheaper one that's coming, though. It could be a bang-for-bucks, rear-drive bargain.

The iX3 is fitted with all the active safety stuff you might imagine – things like active lane keeping, dynamic cruise control and more cameras than were used to film The Odyssey. Happily, only the driver attention monitor chirped me on my test drive, and usually when I had my head turned to the far side of the Panoramic Vision display.

It also has a self-parking function you might actually use, given how quick it is to pick a spot then park in it.

There are eight airbags and three top tethers across the rear for child seats (as well as ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions. But the big news is that its maximum five-star rating was achieved under ANCAP’s super-strict 2026 protocols, which is something few, if any, cars on sale in Australia can claim.

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. 

BMW offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is about right for the traditional premium players, but off the pace elsewhere. The traction battery is then covered for eight years or 160,000km.

The service intervals are condition based, rather than timed, and BMW sells a pre-paid package for the iX3 which is $1614 for four years, or $2420 for six years.

You can upgrade either to what BMW calls Service Inclusive Plus, which includes high-wear stuff like brake discs and pads and it is $5535 for four years or $6615 for six years.

There are around 50 BMW dealers across Australia covering mainly cities and key regional centres.