Korean auto maker Hyundai has been testing its upcoming new generation i20 on Indian roads for quite a while now. Earlier last week, we saw the camouflaged test mule of the new i20 on test and the latest is the unobstructed view of the car by the folks at Team BHP, which was caught testing in the country.
In the new set of i20 spy shots, the car is seen undisguised and it appears like Hyundai is all set to pull the wraps off the vehicle in the domestic market. The new generation i20 seemed to have got several changes in its exterior styling while maintaining the super cool looks of the car's current model.
From the images, the new model i20 seemed to have got some elements of Grand i10, including the hexagonal airdam element and flared headlamps. The rear end design of the car also flaunts new details like reworked tail lights and wrap-around tail lamps. The car is also expected to get a re-worked bumper.
As far as the interior is concerned, the car is likely to accommodate features like climate control, keyless entry, steering mounted audio controls, reverse camera, parking sensors and automatic day/night interior mirror.
We are not yet sure what the car will carry under the skin. However, we expect the new generation i20 to pack the same 1.4-litre diesel and 1.2-litre Kappa2 engines of its outgoing model, which is likely to come mated to either a five-speed or a six-speed manual transmission in India.
While the petrol engine is expected to churn out 83 bhp of power and 113 Nm of peak torque, the diesel engine might give 89 bhp of power and 219 Nm of torque. In the international market, the car is likely to be offered with 1.1 litre 3 pot diesel engine, 1.2 litre 4 pot gasoline engine, 1.0 and 1.4 liter diesel motors.
The company hasn't mentioned the official launch date of the new generation i20 in India. However, rumours are rife that the launch could happen soon as the festive season is just around the corner. An earlier report had said that the Hyundai new i20 will reach Indian shores by the second week of August. If this rings true, the auto aficionados would be able to steer the new i20 in a month or so. Once it hits the market, new i20 will square off against Maruti Suzuki Swift, Fiat Punto, Tata Bolt, Toyota Etios Liva and Ford Figo.
Talking about the pricing of the new i20, it is likely to be priced higher than its current model. Previous report indicated that the top end model of the upcoming i20 will fall in the price range of ₹9 lakh-₹10 lakh.
