Hyundai i20 hatchback (2009-2015) - Practicality & boot space

The Hyundai i20 is impressively practical for such a small car, thanks to its class-leading width and length, which applies to both the five-door and three-door models.

The 295-litre boot is bigger than what you get in either the Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta, expanding to an impressive 1,060 litres when the standard 60:40 split-folding seats are folded down.

Interior space and storage

The i20 is one of the largest cars in its class, so the interior is pretty spacious, although not quite on a par with the Honda Jazz's. However, drivers of all shapes and sizes should be able to find a comfortable driving position, as the driver's seat has height adjustment regardless of the model you choose and the steering wheel offers quite a lot of scope for adjustment.

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In the rear, three adults should be able to squeeze in for a short trip, while two could travel some distance in comfort, although rear legroom is a little on the tight side. The seats are a bit flat, both in the front and back, and can provoke the odd aching leg or lower back on a long journey.

The i20's interior is also very practical. The front door pockets are a decent size, but the rear doors don't have any. There's a cubbyhole just in front of the gearlever where you can dump your phone – which is especially useful if you connect it to the stereo using a cable, as the ports to connect it to are located just above.

The glovebox is a good size, too, and all models blow cool air into the space as standard, preventing chocolate bars from melting or drinks getting warm.

Boot space

Whether you choose the three or five-door body, all Hyundai i20 models have a 295-litre boot that has a wide, low opening, making it pretty easy to load. The i20's boot is a little bigger than what you get in both the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo, although it’s some way behind the Honda Jazz’s 379-litre capacity.

Drop the seats, and the i20 continues to impress. Boot space swells to 1,060 litres for both models – considerably more than the Jazz, Polo and Fiesta, which have less than 1,000 litres of space. All i20s have a 60:40 split-folding rear seat, and these tumble forward easily enough. However, you may have to remove the rear headrests, as they can make carrying large objects trickier than you’d think.

Towing

If you plan to use the i20 to tow a trailer, the 1.4-litre petrol automatic can haul a maximum of 800kg, while the 1.2-litre petrol can tow 850kg. The 1.4-litre diesel is the most capable in this regard, as it can tow up to 1,100kg. All models can also cope with a maximum roof rack load of 70kg.