The Hyundai i20 range has been updated for 2018. This lightly facelifted version of the small hatchback is available to order now, but if you plan to replace your next company car with one of these, it may not be as affordable as it used to be.
Opting for the cheapest 1.2-litre S will mean a jump in retail price from £11,910 to £13,995 – a price that used to be even cheaper for buying customers as it was offered with a discounted price of £10,545.
For company car drivers, the updated price means a P11D value of £13,775. As a result, the entry-level 1.2-litre S with its 75hp engine and five-speed manual gearbox will command just under £62 per month in BIK tax under 2018/19 rates.
BIK tax bands change every year, but for argument’s sake, the 1.2-litre S back in 2015 had a P11D of £10,640 and sat in a lower BIK tax band of 15%. This equated to a cost of under £27 per month.
What is BIK? Find out more here
If you fancy more kit and have your eyes set on the SE, the more powerful 1.0-litre turbocharged engine with 100hp will cost £62 per month in BIK tax. This makes more sense as it undercuts the less powerful 84hp 1.2-litre engine available in the same spec; costing over £66 per month in BIK tax.
|
|
P11D value |
Bik rate (%) |
Monthly BIK cost (20%) |
mpg |
|
1.2-litre S 75hp |
£13,775 |
27 |
£62 |
48.7 |
|
1.0-litre SE 100hp |
£16,175 |
23 |
£62 |
56.5 |
|
1.2-litre SE 84hp |
£15,275 |
26 |
£66 |
51.4 |
This is the same scenario if you opt for the flagship Premium Nav SE, although the margins for both are far smaller – with each squeezing themselves just below the £74 per month figure in BIK tax.
On the contrary, opting for the 1.2 in Premium Nav spec will cost £1 less in BIK over the 1.0-litre, although it’s worth noting that this engine achieves 50.4mpg rather than 56.5mpg on the 1.0-litre in this spec.
What comes with the price hike?
The changes made on the exterior of the i20 extend to new bumpers front and rear and a tweaked tailgate with updated tail lights.
One of the big changes to the facelift involves the introduction of a seven-speed, twin-clutch automatic gearbox available for the 1.0-litre. This replaces the previous option of a 1.4-litre engine and four-speed automatic gearbox, bringing CO2 emissions down from 143-148g/km to 114g/km. Based on 2018/19 rates, this equates to a drop in BIK tax band from 29-30% to 23% for a 20% taxpayer.
All models come with electric front windows, air-conditioning, 7.0-inch touchscreen media system, USB connectivity and auxillary port. For 2018, you also get Bluetooth, Apple Carplay, Android auto, DAB radio, and rear-view camera.
Stop-start is also fitted across the range, as well as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, driver attention alert and automatic high beam from SE models upwards.
So which should you go for?
Generally speaking, the 1.0-litre, turbocharged engine makes the most regardless of which model you go for.
If your budget is tailored towards the more affordable models in the i20 range, the 1.0-litre SE is almost identical in BIK costs to the base 1.2-litre S, so opting for the smaller engine brings more equipment and better mpg.
The 1.0-litre is also cheaper in Premium Nav SE trim and even though it costs slightly more than the 1.2-litre in mid-range Premium Nav trim, the savings in fuel should offset this.
Read about the i20’s rivals below
