Upcoming Hyundai i20 Elite expected to be a strong contender in hatchback segment

Hyundai i20 has been a strong contender against Maruti Suzuki's popular hatchback Swift. The Hyundai i20 has been known as a stylish and powerful hatchback that is loaded with interesting features and up-market interiors. After much speculations over anticipated launch Hyundai finally revealed that global unveiling of its 2015 ‘i20’ hatchback in India will be held on August 11. It is speculated that apart from the manual version the newer petrol version shall also feature 4-speed automatic transmission.

Official sketches of the front and rear profile of the hatchback have been revealed that shows that the vehicle has been designed in tandem with Hyundai’s new design philosophy, ‘Fluidic 2.0’ design language. Interior image of new i20 has been leaked and has gone viral on inter-web. The image shows that interiors are done in two-tone colour scheme beige and dark brown. As per sources, the face-lifted i20 hatchback shall available in petrol and diesel variants. The petrol version is expected to be powered by a 1.2 Litre Kappa 2 engine that generates about 83 PS of power, whereas the diesel version is expected to be powered by 1.4 Litre engine that generates about 90 PS of power. It is anticipated that all the engines may be mated to a 5 speed or a 6 speed manual transmission.

The top portion of the dashboard has been built using a soft-touch material, other interior changes such as a broad centre console could get a cool-blue back lighting as seen in Grand i10. A 2-DIN audio player and climate control are expected to be retained from the previous version in the 2015 Hyundai Elite i20. Some of the features have been borrowed from Grand i10 and Xcent compact sedan. Centre display for the head unit could be borrowed directly from Grand i10. High end trim of the all new Elite i20 will come embedded with push-button start as offered on other Hyundai offerings. Steering wheel will resemble with the one seen in Grand i10 and Xcent, however what will vary it is the narrow chrome line and buttons to curb Bluetooth telephony, audio, and multi-info display. A 12V power sockets for occupants sitting in front and a USB pocket will also be equipped inside the cabin.

The car appears to carry a longer wheelbase, thereby providing better cabin space in comparison to the existing version. Interiors seem to be left untouched for now, but better color shading and quality dashboard can be expected from the mass scale production version. At first look the front grill seems to be positioned at a lower angle. At the rear, the car sports tailgate-mounted spoiler, turn indicators on the rear-view mirrors as seen in the existing line, has also been retained in this upcoming version.