i20-20

The new Hyundai i20 is out. Skoda Fabia, beware!

The wait is finally over. Forget the several renderings, spy shots, et al. What you see here is the real thing. Hyundai have released this sole photograph of the i20, its latest large hatchback. The i20, part of the i family, will slot between the smaller and ultra-successful i10 and the larger i30 super hatch.

The i20 will replace the Getz in markets the world over, except India where it will be positioned just above it. And just like the i10, India will be the export base of the car, but unlike the i10, the car will first be offered for export, before the localised right hand drive versions become available.

So what's new with the i20? Designed at Hyundai's Russelsheim, Germany centre, the i20 looks just like its other i brethren, but more mature and even more stylish. It retains the same chrome strip on the grille, the large tear drop headlamps and the sharp, inverted C-pillar design.

The most interesting aspects are the two ripples on the bonnet that lend it some solidity, while some traces of the Getz around the rear wheel arch can be seen.

On the inside, expect the i10-like integrated gear lever in the centre-console, integrated music system and the soft-feel buttons and controls. Expect more space on the inside, and a wheelbase that's longer than the Getz' 2455 mm.

The dramatic changes, though, are under the bonnet. Among the smaller engines, the 1.2-litre Kappa from the i10 and a new 1.4-litre engine, producing about 90 bhp, will power the hatch.

At the diesel end, a new 1.4-litre common rail unit, called iblue, with 89 bhp will be on offer. Its CO2 emissions – just 99 g/km! The oil-burner will be paired with 6-speed manual gearbox.

Now comes the crucial question – how will Hyundai price it? When it goes on sale in India early next year, we expect the i20 1.2 base variant to be priced just above Rs 5 lakh, going all the way up to Rs 6.5 lakh for the diesel variant.

That might push it above the Maruti Suzuki Swift, but it will undercut some of the Skoda Fabia variants.