Scoop – 2018 Hyundai i20 Spied Inside-out (Video Included)
Hyundai has been hard testing the 2018 i20 which may be scheduled for an Auto Expo launch. The facelift Hyundai i20 was caught being tested by our ace sharp shooter Arya Borhade in Pune. From the pictures and the video that we have the 2018 Hyundai i20 is near its final production version and now carries minimum camouflaging which is limited to the front and the rear of the test car.
It maybe recalled that Hyundai had launched the 1st generation i20 way back in 2008 in India and at that time the premium hatchback segment was to young and they did not expect huge numbers for the model. The car was produced at the Hyundai Chennai plant mainly to carter to exports with limited sales meant for India. Later the segment was in demand and the i20 got an overwhelming response forcing Hyundai to shift its exports plan to other plants outside India and pumping up production at Chennai for the domestic market. Since then the Hyundai i20 has been one of the biggest seller in the segment.
Hyundai had launched the 1st facelift to the i20 in March 2012 and then the all new i20 was launched in 2014 as the Elite i20. Another variant of the i20 was launched in mid 2015 as the i20 Active which was the cross version for the premium hatch.
The 2018 i20 gets the latest Hyundai design language prominent on the face of the car, the Hyundai family Cascading single piece grill comes in, headlights come with DRL and the fog lamps are larger and also get a small LED strip under them. The front bumper looks redesigned. The wheels seen on the test car are not the ones that would make it to the final car, new design alloy wheels like the ones on the 2018 Verna may be seen on the 2018 i20. The tail lights LED tail lights get an all new design and LED lights in them. The rear license plate now sits higher on the tailgate instead of on the bumper as the current i20.
On the inside the dash looks like the current i20, upgrades are expected on the AVN unit which is already Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ready. A upholstery is also expected to get a refresh on the 2018 i20.
On the technical front the 2018 Hyundai i20 will continue to come powered with the same engine options, a 1.2L Kappa petrol with 5 speed manual, 1.4L Kappa petrol with 4 speed Automatic and the 1.4L CRDI Diesel with 6 speed manual transmission. Hyundai may also surprise the segment by bringing in an 1.0L T-GDI Turbo Petrol engine with 5 speed manual transmission that it currently sells in some overseas markets. The 1.0L T-GDI engine could be got into the i20 lineup to counter the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS that rivals the i20 in the segment.
The Hyundai i20 competes with the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Honda Jazz & Volkswagen Polo
Watch this space for more information and details on the launch of the 2018 Hyundai i20.
Pics & Video Credit – Arya Borhade
