Comparison: Ground clearance Hyundai i20 vs. competitors 2025
Fancy a bit of a lifted sensation while pottering around town? Or perhaps you’re the adventurous type who views every kerb as a mountain to be conquered. Well, my motoring friends, ground clearance isn’t just a number—it’s the thin line between scraping the belly of your car like a belly dancer on a poorly placed cobblestone, and gliding over it like a levitating monk. Enter the Hyundai i20 - a sprightly hatchback that has tiptoed its way through urban jungles and the odd rural escapade since 2009. Splendid creature, but how high does it stand? Let's put on some thick-rimmed glasses, a lab coat, and dive into the nerdy paradise of automotive undercarriage altitudes.
Table of contents:
Hyundai i20 - How has the ground clearance changed over the generations?
Now, ground clearance isn’t typically something that evolves like a Pokémon; it remains fairly static through a model’s life. The first generation i20 that emerged on the streets in 2009 came with ambiguous ground clearance, but Hyundai soon realised that specificity is rather appreciated, marking it at a respectable 150 mm after the 2012 facelift. Fast forward to the second-gen i20, where the car seemingly went on a slight diet, trimming down to 140 mm, which it maintains in both its original and facelifted forms. This, by the way, is not just a number—it's enough clearance to dodge most speed bumps with a nonchalant shrug. With the third-gen i20, Hyundai firmly held onto that 140 mm ground clearance, probably thinking 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. Marvellous consistency, Hyundai!
The difference in Ground clearance between first generation (1.Generation) from 2009 and last generation (i20 3. Generation (1. Facelift)) from 2023 is 14cm mm.
The ground clearance of the current generation of i20 is 140 mm.
The ground clearance compared to other Hyundai models
Even within the family, the i20 is a bit like the middle child. It doesn't sit as close to the terra firma as the i10’s 149 mm height, but it doesn’t quite reach the lofty suspension heights of, say, the Bayon at 165 mm. The rest of the troop, like the i30 and its performance sibling, the i30 N, nip at its heels with 140 and 136 mm respectively. Want to talk proper off-roading credentials? Look no further than Hyundai’s beefy brothers: Tucson and Santa Fe strut at 170 mm and 176 mm, dwarfing the i20's respectable, but hardly monstrous stance.
Hyundai i20 vs other current cars by Hyundai
(Ground clearance)
1. i20 N
130 mm
2. i30 Fastback
135 mm
3. i30 N Fastback
135 mm
4. i30 N
136 mm
5. i30
140 mm
6. i30 Kombi
140 mm
7. i20
140 mm
8. IONIQ 6
141 mm
9. IONIQ 5 N
142 mm
10. i10
149 mm
11. Kona Elektro
158 mm
12. IONIQ 5
160 mm
13. Nexo
162 mm
14. Bayon
165 mm
15. Kona
170 mm
16. Tucson
170 mm
17. Kona N
173 mm
18. Santa Fe
176 mm
19. Staria
186 mm
How does the ground clearance of the Hyundai i20 compare to it's nearest competitors?
When you pit the i20 against the motoring gladiators beyond the Hyundai colosseum, it holds its ground quite valiantly. The KIA Stonic is a tad more elevated with 165 mm, as is the SsangYong Tivoli at 167 mm. Subaru plays in a different league; the Trezia’s ground clearance mirrors the i20's altitude, while the XV could practically hop curbs with its 220 mm. Let's not forget our French friends - Renault’s Kadjar floats with a celestial 200 mm ground clearance. The i20 isn’t the underdog of the story, though. Poor VW Jetta crawls at an abysmal 98 mm, practically snogging the tarmac, and the MINI Clubman is just 2 mm shy from the i20 with 138 mm. It’s a no-brainer for urban adventurers, the i20 walks the line of practicality, evading car park ramps of doom and the occasional rural rumble with poise.
Hyundai i20 vs. similar cars
(Ground clearance)
1. Citroen C5 Aircross 2019
230 mm
2. VW T-Cross 2019
190 mm
3. Skoda Kamiq 2019
182 mm
4. Toyota Proace City 2020
182 mm
5. Suzuki S-Cross 2022
175 mm
6. KIA XCeed 2019
172 mm
7. ARI Motors 902 2023
170 mm
8. Sono Motors Sion 2021
165 mm
9. Hyundai Bayon 2021
165 mm
10. Daewoo Nexia 1995
160 mm
11. Renault Express 2021
160 mm
12. ARI Motors 452/802 2019
150 mm
13. Fiat Topolino 2023
150 mm
14. Citroen Ami 2024
150 mm
15. MG MG3 2024
148 mm
16. Hyundai i20 2023
140 mm
17. GWM ORA 03 2024
135 mm
18. ARI Motors Soleno 2024
135 mm
19. BMW i4 2021
125 mm
20. GWM ORA 07 2024
105 mm
