Those who want an automatic hatchback should thank Hyundai’s export commitments. Because they produce the automatic versions of the i10 and i20 for other countries, they pass along some to the Indian market as well. Otherwise where do you go if you want an automatic hatchback? Maruti Suzuki had the Wagon R AT, but the nation’s largest carmaker doesn’t think giving automatic small cars to Indians is worth their while. So if you want one, you have the choice of two cars, depending on your budget.
The i20 comes with a four-speed automatic that sends power from a bigger 1396cc inline-four to the front wheels. (So no excise duty benefits for the AT customer to help cut this car’s huge price-tag – it retails at Rs 7.84 lakh in Mumbai). The gearbox would sap all the effort of the smaller 1.2 motor in the heavier i20 anyway.
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