It is expected by residents of large cities looking for a stylish and technological city car: the new Hyundai i20. A single promise: that of being much younger than the previous generation, both in look and in spirit.
Hyundai unveiled the new i20 yesterday, posting some exclusive snaps. In short, enough to make those who impatiently await his arrival wait. It will be presented to the general public at the Geneva Motor Show which takes place in less than a month.
Now we have more information about the Korean city car. With its younger, sportier design, this new generation of the i20 makes a lot of promises, especially that of going upmarket compared to the previous version.
New grille, new light signature and above all, appearance of air intakes that give a much more dynamic air to the i20 cru 2020. Moreover, it is all the lines of the small Hyundai that reinforce its sporty character.
Among the other aesthetic highlights of this new city car, we notice a black roof that contrasts with the color of the body, a small spoiler above the tailgate, a ribbed hood and a thin light strip that connects the two taillights.
In terms of size, the i20 2020 version is 5mm longer, 30 mm wider and 24 mm lower than the previous generation. The wheelbase has also been stretched by 10mm.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the interior, Hyundai has only released a sketch. However, it promises to be much more advanced than the outgoing model, if only thanks to the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an infotainment system on another 8 or 10.25 inch screen.
Beautiful and techno!
More designer air vents that blend into the dashboard, LED ambient lighting and some colorful accents. In short, this interior promises to be clean, technological and intuitive to use. On the technology side, we can guess the presence of a wireless charger for smartphones, as well as wireless support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, all associated with a premium Bose audio system (which will not be certainly not standard on entry-level finishes).
Thanks to the increased dimensions, the i20 is more accommodating than ever. In addition to providing more legroom for rear passengers, the city car gains 25 liters of boot space, bringing the total to 351 liters.
Engines and finishes
Under the hood, we find two different blocks that come in three power levels. A 1.2-liter MPi 4-cylinder block 84 horses and a 1.0-liter T-GDi 3-cylinder unit available in 100 horses (with and without 48V light hybridization), as well as 120 horsepower. The most powerful variant also has a mild hybrid system that relies on a 48 volt battery, while it is optional on the 100 horsepower version. Hyundai says the system helps reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 3 to 4%.
Apart from the less powerful 4-cylinder, all can be combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox or to a DCT-7 automatic gearbox. Note, however, that the manual gearbox is new: it “decouples the engine from the transmission when the driver releases the accelerator, which allows the car to go into freewheel mode and save fuel”.
Finally, the i20 offers an assortment of driver assistance systems. Among the strengths are blind spot detectors, collision avoidance assistance, lane keeping system and reversing radars. There is also adaptive cruise control, parking assistance, and automatic high beams.
