After much ado, the long awaited diesel version of the Hyundai's large hatchback has finally arrived. Priyadarshan Bawikar takes the i20 CRDi for a spin and tries to figure out whether it was worth the wait

Interiors: As good as ever

Again, there is absolutely no change in the interiors of the i20 CRDi as compared to the Kappa. The driving position manages to be sporty, at the same time fairly relaxing, while the car offers plenty of room in the back for three regular sized passengers. Liberal use of beige and brown in the two-tone trim gives the interior a very modern look and adds oodles of feel-good factor, whether you're in the driver's seat or the passengers'. The interiors are nothing vastly out of the ordinary, but look really classy by all means. The instrument cluster follows the same tradition of the rest of the interiors where it doesn't feature anything exceptional, but is aesthetically pleasing none the less. The centre of the dashboard features a small digital console slanted towards the driver that displays useful bits of information such as outside temperature, trip metres, digital clock, etc.

The i20 comes with a wonderful 2-DIN MP3 player that is integrated into the centre console, and has USB and auxiliary input ports to plug in your iPod or any other portable music player. And it sounds really good too, so unless you're an absolute audiophile, you really don't need to upgrade the player or the speakers. One finds no compromises in the back seats either. The 60:40 split folding seats offer extremely flexible luggage options and the i20 is one of the few hatchbacks in the market that actually offers a 3-point seatbelt for the rear-centre seat as well. Boot space is rather cavernous and in the hatchback class, is probably topped only by the newly-launched Honda Jazz. Apart from the boot, Hyundai is famous for smart storage spaces all over their cars and the i20 is no different, with a generous amount of cubby holes where needed and even a cooled glove-box. Overall, once you step into the i20, it's difficult to be left wanting for more, though dual cabin lights and a vanity mirror for the passenger side sun visor would have been welcome additions.