Hyundai Elite i20 has been around for a while, In fact, it can pretty much be accredited as the pioneer of premium hatchback segment in India. Before the Maruti Baleno was launched, it was undisputedly the leader of the segment and even though it lost the top-selling spot to Baleno, it has consistently registered decent sales figure and has been a crowd puller.
Now that Hyundai is all set to bring the third generation i20 to India around the festive season. It can be expected to get off to a blazing start. The first looks of the car have definitely got us excited and we just can’t keep calm. Here’s why-
1. New Elite i20 to feature engine options available in superior Hyundai’s
With the third generation, the mechanicals on offer with the Hyundai’s premium hatch is expected to be completely rejigged. There is a high possibility of the hatchback borrowing engine options from its elder sibling – Venue.
It essentially means that the new i20 will be offered with a couple of petrol engine options (1.2L Naturally aspirated & 1.0L turbocharged). While the naturally aspirated unit will produce a power output of 83HP and a torque output of 117Nm, the turbocharged unit packs in the punch to blow the competition away with a torque output of 172Nm and range-topping power output of 120HP.
The third-gen i20 will also get the 1.5L diesel engine that puts out 100PS of power and torque output of 240Nm. Beside i20, Altroz is the only other car in the segment that is offered with a diesel option.
2. Will be offered with both manual and automatic gearbox
The third-generation i20 is expected to be offered with a variety of transmission options, similar to Venue. As mentioned above it will be offered with three different engine options, which in turn will be offered with different transmission choices.
While the 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol is likely to come paired with a 5-speed manual transmission only whereas the turbo petrol unit could receive the newly developed 6-speed iMT gearbox along with the option of the 6-speed manual as well as 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox.
The 1.5L diesel will surely get 6-speed manual gearbox and it is expected that the company will offer the choice of an automatic gearbox (DCT or torque converter). With this, the i20 will become the only premium hatchback to be offered with a diesel automatic option.
Also Read: Kia Sonet Vs Toyota Urban Cruiser: Which SUV To Buy?
3. Will be Better equipped
Based on what we saw with the third generation i20 that made a global debut this February and also the official statements, the new i20 will be better loaded as compared to the outgoing model and thus will fare well against its competition putting up a stern challenge for its rivals.
With the update, the Hyundai hatchback is likely to receive additions like ambient lighting, wireless charging and a bigger touchscreen infotainment unit with Bluelink connected technology providing the convenience of accessing a lot of important information on the fingertips.
4. Exciting Changes on the interior and exterior
The i20 has received a complete overhaul as it happens to be the generation update. It will strike as a completely new car inside out with significant changes in terms of design and layout.
If the leaked images and global model are to be thought of as the basis of comparison, everything ranging from headlights to rear design seems beefed up after the update.
The i20 has always been a great looking car but with the update, the standard will only get higher. Some of the prominent changes will include newly designed alloys, DRL integration in headlamps that looks much more beautiful, aggressively designed tail lamps that are integrated with a red stripe running along with the boot lid (reminds of the design that its cousin Kia Sonet gets).
The interiors will be classical Hyundai, aesthetically sound, easy to eyes, practical and based on Hyundai’s track record, they will be top-notch in terms of quality as well.
5. Definitely, be priced higher
With the host of feature inclusions, powerful engine options on offer and the inclusion of diesel engine to the line-up, the updated Hyundai i20 will definitely retail at a price much higher than the outgoing model. The i20 which is currently on sale in India is available only with a petrol engine option. Consequently, it retails between Rs 6.50 – Rs 8.30 Lakhs.
If the price increase due to all the feature addition is kept aside for a moment, the inclusion of a diesel engine to line up will definitely attract a price rise. Add to which the fact that the updated i20 is likely to be offered with a choice of superior iMT and DCT gearboxes.
Author's Take
Hyundai i20 has always been a pretty valuable premium hatchback offering, and with all the added goodness that the third-gen i20 offers, if it is priced competitively, it will pack in the punch to reclaim the best premium hatchback title by registering brilliant sales figures.
