2018 Hyundai Elite i20, 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 launch
2018 Hyundai Elite i20indianautosblog.com

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has been testing its new Elite i20 hatchback on the Indian roads for a while and is extremely cautious not to give away any details on the new avatar. Although the model has been caught on camera on numerous occasions undergoing test runs in different parts of the country, the test mules were hidden under distracting camouflages.

As the debut of the new Elite i20 comes closer, Hyundai seems to have let the guard down. A new set of images shared online by the folks at Indian AutosBlog provide its best look so far.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20, 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 launch
2018 Hyundai Elite i20indianautosblog.com

In the images, the new Elite i20 facelift was seen partly camouflaged; mainly covering the front and rear, suggesting the key changes in its new avatar would be focused in these areas. It gives a sneak peek into the new cascading grille of the model and the redesigned taillamps. It also indicates the change in the positioning of the number plates of the model. The test mule was spotted with plastic wheel cover, suggesting that this could be a lower variant of the new Elite i20.

Inside the cabin, the new Elite i20 facelift is likely to get dual-tone beige and black colour scheme with the same colour upholstery. It is likely to get touchscreen infotainment system with voice commands, 3-spoke, multi-functional steering wheel and centre armrest among others.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20, 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 launch
2018 Hyundai Elite i20indianautosblog.com

Under the hood, the 1.4-litre CRDi diesel, 1.2-litre and the 1.4-litre petrol engines are likely to be continued. In the current model, the diesel engine is tuned to generate 89hp of power and 220Nm of torque paired with the six-speed manual transmission; the petrol mills get five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission. There have also been reports of a new a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making to the new Elite i20.

The new Elite i20 facelift is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming Auto Expo 2018 in February with a launch expected to happen sometime later in the year.