The global debut of the 2020 Hyundai i20 has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has now been spotted as a production-ready model in Korea. Raf Van Nuffel, Head of Product Marketing and Pricing, Hyundai Europe, has also given a detailed walk-around of the 2020 Hyundai i20 in an online presentation.
The Hyundai i20 has been one of the favourite hatchbacks in India over the years that it has been sold in India. The latest iteration of the Hyundai i20 was set to be launched at the Geneva Motor Show 2020 which has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. This means that the official launch of the car will be delayed until further notice. While we wait for the lockdown to get over, Hyundai Europe have uploaded a video on YouTube giving us a detailed walkaround of the hatchback.
To begin with, the fourth-generation Hyundai i20 is completely redesigned with the manufacturers ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language. The new design is edgy and dynamic from almost all angles with sharp cuts that further accentuate its aggressive looks. The front of the car has been fitted with a new grille, LED headlamps with integrated daytime lights, and larger triangular fog-lamps. There are also gloss black and chrome elements in certain places. The rear of the car too has been completely redesigned with the new tail-lamps connected with a light strip running across, that gives it a modern-day look. The car will also get 10 new colour options.
The interior of the 2020 Hyundai i20 has been designed to be more spacious. Hyundai say that they achieved this with a high dashboard and horizontal lines running across the length of the dash connecting all four air-vents. Ambient lighting has also been added to the interior for a premium touch. Two 10.25-inch displays make up the instrument cluster and the touch-screen infotainment system, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is also a Bose sound system with eight speakers available as an option.
The Korean manufacturers say that the electrification of the car is one of the main highlights. The Hyundai i20, at least in Europe, is set to come with a new powertrain option that incorporates a 48-volt mild-hybrid system into a 1.0-litre Turbo GDI petrol engine. This powertrain is mated to a new six-speed manual transmission called iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission). For now, we can’t be sure if this powertrain option will be brought to India but we will have to wait to find out. The other engine options include the 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual or a CVT, and the new 1.5-litre diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed torque-converter automatic.
On the safety front, the car is equipped with Hyundai’s ‘Smart Sense’ driving assist system, that has a forward-collision monitoring system. This package also assists with navigation-based intelligent cruise control, lane-keep assist and lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-traffic alert. Standard safety features on the car include airbags, ABS and electronic stability program (ESP).
When launched in India, the new Hyundai i20 will go up against the likes of the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Glanza, Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Tata Altroz.
Spy Image Source: Palisade Owners Club Korea
