The new-gen i20 is expected to be launched in India later this year, and will retain its rivalry with the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Honda Jazz, VW Polo, Tata Altroz etc
The i20 is one of the most successful nameplates for Hyundai, and the Korean carmaker was all set debut the third-gen version of the car at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in March. However, due to unprecedented circumstances, Hyundai ended up revealing the updated hatch online.
Now, the Korean automaker has officially started the production of the India-bound 2020 i20 at the recently revamped manufacturing facility at Izmit, Turkey. The said facility is expected to produce about 85,000 units of the new i20 per annum, which is almost 50 per cent of the total global production of the car.
The majority of units that will be produced at this particular facility are expected to be exported to European markets, according to Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology in the Republic of Turkey. Hence, the facility plays an important role in the carmaker’s expansion plans in Europe.
The Izmit facility is jointly owned and managed by Hyundai Motor Company and Turkish Kibar Group, with the possession of 70 per cent and 30 per cent stakes respectively. It is spread over an area of around 10 million square feet, and has a manufacturing capacity of about 2.4 lakh units per year. The facility is largely used for producing A- and B-segment Hyundai hatchbacks like i10 and i20.
Talking about the new-gen i20, the India-spec model of the hatch is expected to borrow its powertrains from the Venue, and hence, it is expected to be plonked with the same 1.2-litre NA petrol, 1.0-litre turbo petrol and 1.5-litre diesel powertrains.
The transmission options will likely include both manual as well automatic gearboxes. While the Venue’s 7-speed DCT could be used for the 1.0-litre TGDi powertrain, the newly-launched 6-speed iMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission) could also be on offer with the hatch.
The Euro-spec i20 comes equipped with features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, SmartSense driving assist systems, ambient lighting, wireless charging, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, Intelligent Speed Limit Information, an 8-speaker sound system from Bose, BlueLink telematics etc. However, Hyundai Motor India Ltd will likely tone down the equipment list when bringing the car to India.