South Korean automaker Hyundai has quite a lot in its bag to be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 that is coming up in a few days. There will be new sedans, electric vehicles and showcases that reveal Hyundai’s future plans in India, including the Hyundai Ioniq sedan in all three avatars: plug-in hybrid, hybrid and all-electric. But we have now learnt that among its launches scheduled for the Auto Expo 2018 is the facelift of the Hyundai Elite i20. The Elite i20 has been an important product for Hyundai these past years, but given the pace at which its competitors have moved forward, a refresh was to be expected. ALSO READ: Hyundai Elite i20 facelift spied testing again; new details emerge
The Elite i20 has already been spied a few times sans camouflage, which meant that it was pretty close to a launch in any case. And now it is confirmed that the Hyundai Elite i20 will indeed be coming to the Auto Expo, with full details of its price, specifications and features. Spy shots indicate that the new Elite i20 2018 has the same overall design as its predecessor. Hyundai seems to have decided to not fix what hasn’t been broken, with only a few refreshes to the front grille, bumper, fog lights and rear bumper and taillights. The headlights remain the same, with integrated LED DRLs. There are also new alloy wheels and a revised rear face for a sleeker look.
The cabin of the upcoming Hyundai Elite i20 will also likely come with little drastic changes and a few refreshes. There may be changes to the infotainment system to keep it up to date with the competition. The overall design of the cabin, including the dashboard design and the color scheme, will likely be unchanged or with few minor changes. ALSO READ: Hyundai Kona to be showcased at Auto Expo 2018; Price in India, Launch Date, Mileage, Interior, Images, Dimensions
And under the hood, expect the new Hyundai Elite i20 to come with a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine coupled with a CVT gearbox, instead of the 1.4-litre unit powering the current model. This engine will deliver 82 bhp and 115 Nm of power and torque, respectively. Diesel duties will be delivered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre unit, the same as the older one, delivering 89 bhp and 220 Nm and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The new Hyundai Elite i20 will take on the Ford Figo, Honda Jazz and Maruti Suzuki Baleno, along with other premium hatchbacks in contention right now in India.
