2020 Hyundai Elite i20 is expected to make its domestic debut at the upcoming Auto Expo; comes with a raft of exterior and interior changes
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) made a strong impression this year with the launches of its brand new Venue and Grand i10 Nios. They have helped the South Korean company during these troubled times by garnering good volume sales and Hyundai isn’t settling with the numbers as the next generation Elite i20 and Xcent are in the pipeline for mostly next year.
The Elite i20, in particular, plays an integral part in Hyundai registering high volume sales every month and thus a big upgrade is in the works. The third generation i20 has already been spotted a number of times testing on Indian roads revealing some of the necessary details we need to know on the exterior front. Just a few days after the forthcoming i20 Active was caught on camera, the new spy images of the regular 2020 Hyundai i20 give us a more in-depth look.
The next-gen hatchback gets cosmetic changes resulting in a more matured facade. It adorns a prominent cascading grille with sharper headlamps and LED Daytime Running Lights. We can expect it to grow in dimensions as well leading to roomier interior than the outgoing model. Just as the front fascia, the rear gets bigger wraparound LED taillamps and updated bumper.
While the basic silhouette of the 2020 Hyundai Elite i20 remains identical, the inclusion of new machined alloy wheels add to the flare. The latest set of spy pictures show the side rear quarter and some glimpses of the interior. The high-end variants of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Honda Jazz rival will get a new centrally-mounted eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Alongside, the material quality of the cabin is also expected to be improved and we do not know if it will gain Blue Link connectivity or not as the i20 is positioned in a slightly lower price bracket than the Venue. With a thoroughly refreshed interior, the 2020 Hyundai i20 could have a definitive edge over its rivals. As for the powertrain, it will reportedly use the 1.0-litre turbocharged GDI engine from Venue making 120 PS and 172 Nm.
In the compact SUV, it is mated to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT automatic transmission. Hyundai might reserve this engine for performance-spec hot variant. The 1.2-litre petrol unit currently available will more likely be updated to meet BSVI emission regulations while the 1.4-litre diesel may not see the light as a de-tuned version of the Kia Seltos’ 1.5-litre mill could be employed.