The i20 is Hyundai’s entry in the ultra-competitive supermini segment and it’s clear that, with this model, the Korean firm means business.

It’s available in three body styles – three-door, five-door and Active – and with a choice of four petrol engines. There are a pair of 1.2-litre units with either 74 or 83bhp on tap or two 1.0-litre turbocharged units with outputs of 99 and 118bhp.

If you want the tough looks of the Active then you’ll have to settle for the lower-powered 1.0-litre engine.

Entry-level S Connect models ride on 15in steel wheels and come equipped with electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, hill start assist, tinted rear windows, remote central locking, 60/40-folding rear bench and USB connectivity as standard. S Air trim adds air conditioning and a chilled glove box.

SE models add 15in alloy wheels, Bluetooth, cruise control, DAB radio, lane departure warning, rear parking sensors and a smartphone dock to the list of standard equipment.

My review car arrived in middle-of-the-road Play trim with the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine supplying the driving force. Standard equipment includes 16in alloy wheels and a contrast colour roof on the outside, while inside you get satin chrome effect door handles, leather-bound gear knob and steering wheel, manual air con, automatic headlights with high beam assist, cruise control with speed limiter, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a seven-inch touchscreen multimedia system with sat nav and rear view camera.

Premium Nav adds auto wipers, power-folding door mirrors and, sitting at the top of the range is the Premium SE Nav. As well as a panoramic sunroof, you also get heated front seats and steering wheel for your money.

The Active is based on SE trim but with the addition on 17in alloys and a rugged body kit that includes lots of plastic mouldings around the sills and wheel arches, plus skid plates because, well, what if you end up stuck in a rut somewhere?

The interior is roomy and, though the materials might not measure up against some its more esteemed rivals, the build quality is decent. It’s roomy too, with a boot that risen to 326 litres – up from 295 in the previous generation – with the rear seats in place, or a useful 1,042 with them folded away.

High-strength steel has been widely used in the construction of the i20, adding some welcome torsional rigidity and improving the i20’s dynamic character.

Don’t expect Fiesta-level thrills though. There’s plenty of grip if you throw the i20 into a series of bends and it stays nice and flat too, but any lingering hopes of excitement are undone by the steering which, while reasonably well weighted, lacks precision and poise.

Where it still lags some way behind its rivals is in the quality of its ride. It handles speed bumps and lower frequency undulations with considerable ease but sharper-edged potholes and broken surfaces can send a rather uncomfortable thud through the cabin.

The little three-cylinder engine is spritely enough around town, which is the spiritual home of the i20. It’s quiet on tickover, rising to a playful thrum when you start demanding a little more from it. It’s safe to say that performance isn’t going to set the world alight but, of course, that’s not what this little car is all about.

The i20 is a practical, well-built supermini with a big boot and generous equipment levels. It lacks the dynamic polish of some rivals, and the plushness of others but as an everyday runabout it ticks all the right boxes and deserves a place on your shortlist.

Hyundai i20 Play 1.0 T-GDi 100PS five-speed manual

Price: £15,395

Engine: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Max power: 100PS

Max torque: 172Nm @ 1,500rpm

Max speed: 117mph

WLTP low phase: 40.9mpg

WLTP mid phase: 51.4mpg

WLTP high phase: 56.5mpg

WLTP extra high phase: 44.1mpg

Combined: 47.9

Emissions: 115g/km

For more information visit www.hyundai.co.uk