Pigeonholing cars nowadays can be challenging as the days of being trying to appeal to just one demographic are long gone. The Hyundai ix20 is a perfect example of this with its MPV classification.

It’s not just aimed at those who want something comfortable to drive around town, it also aims to please those who need practicality, good interior quality and low running costs. 

Although this may seem very niche, other manufacturer have followed in suit with their own MPVs, including Kia and its Venga, a near-identical model to the ix20, and the Vauxhall Agila. 

So, let’s see what the ix20 has to offer.

Performance

There are four engines available with the ix20 with a 50/50 split between petrol and diesels. No engine is breath-taking in terms of pure performance, obviously geared towards economy and efficiency than scorching performance returns. 

That’s why the popular 115bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine has a 60mph sprint time of 11.1 seconds and a top speed of 113mph. All engines, bar the smallest 89bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine which has to be pushed hard for decent returns, provide enough performance for city driving and motorway cruising.

There is a 1.6-litre petrol on offer that produces 123bhp, but to be honest, this engine doesn’t really make sense if you are truly considering the ix20 for its easy-to-live-with characteristics.

Ride and Handling

The ix20 is good around town thanks to its combination of light and agile steering as well as its small size. 

The ix20 is good around town thanks to its combination of light and agile steering as well as its small size. Unfortunately as the speed increases, the ix20’s ability deteriorates with body roll evident around bends and steering requiring some guesswork. Despite its city-focus, the ix20 copes well on motorways without ever being exciting, delivering when it comes to driver and passenger comfort on long distance trips. In a nutshell, around town the ix20 is light and comfortable – ideal for city driving. On the motorway and at speed it feels planted and comfortable – again, ideal. Hyundai went out of its way to tailor the ix20 to UK roads and it is definitely noticeable.

Interior and Equipment

As well as sharing looks and a platform with the Kia Venga, the Hyundai ix20 also shares the same platform as the Hyundai i20 and Kia Soul. 

The ix20’s interior is solid and well put together, extending the Asian manufacturer’s reliability and solidity reputation. Otherwise, the interior is basic and uncomplicated – an often underrated attribute for modern cabins and dashboards. There are decent levels of kit and equipment on all three trim levels in the ix20 range. All models get air conditioning, start/stop technology and USB inputs. The high-end models get reversing sensors, Bluetooth and a panoramic glass sunroof. Practicality is one area where the ix20 truly excels. For such a small car, room inside is excellent. With a high roofline there’s lots of headroom and legroom for passengers in the front and rear. There’s also a 440-litre boot at the rear which expands to 1,486-litres with the seats folded down – a class leader in terms of practicality.

Cost

The most economical option in the ix20 is the 89bhp 1.4-litre diesel, returning an average of around 65mpg and emitting just 114g/km of CO2. 

Fuel economy and efficiency is one of the biggest selling points of an MPV. The most economical option in the ix20 is the 89bhp 1.4-litre diesel, returning an average of around 65mpg and emitting just 114g/km of CO2. However, when it comes to the best overall balance of efficiency and performance, you may want to consider the 1.6-litre diesel as it just falls behind its smaller stablemate, emitting 117g/km and returning around. As the ix20 and Kia Venga are so similar, you may expect their price tags to be nearly identical. The ix20, however, is around £2,000 more expensive than its Kia lookalike.  The ix20 is always a hefty amount more than the Vauxhall Agila.

Our Verdict

The Hyundai ix20 certainly does a good job of ticking all the major MPV boxes, including practicality and low running costs. A comfy drive is also a great boon of the ix20 and I’m sure if you are using it as a family run-around, everyone will appreciate this. Unfortunately its list price lets it down a little against some very similar competition. Hyundai does benefit from a slightly classy interior though, so make sure you evaluate whether this is really important to you. It is not particularly stylish, but knockout style is a rarity in the MPV market. Nevertheless, if a flexible MPV is what you want, the ix20 will not disappoint.