Hyundai i20, 2013

 

 

•  Hyundai i20, 2013

Hyundai is enhancing its European model line-up by unveiling the All New i20 at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The popular supermini has been revised and refreshed both inside and out, and is intended to appeal to a new, younger group of car buyers across the continent.

Building on the success of the original Hyundai i20 five-door hatchback, the all-new model progresses the development of Hyundai's passenger vehicle range, which continues to benefit from recent advances in powertrain and design.

Among the four powertrain options available to buyers of the All New i20 will be the new 1,1-litre, 3-cylinder 'U-II' diesel engine that generates 75 ps. When mated to technologies from Hyundai's Blue Drive sub-brand, this derivative emits just 84 g/km of CO2, a figure lower than any other car powered by a conventional powertrain on sale today. The engine was developed at Hyundai's Diesel Centre of Excellence - part of the European R&D set-up in Rüsselsheim, Germany - and showcases Hyundai expertise in clean diesel technology.

The ground-breaking new engine will be offered alongside another sub-100 g/km diesel. When combined with Blue Drive technologies, the upgraded 1,4-litre 'U-II' 90 ps engine emits 96 g/km.

Outwardly, the All New i20 takes its design cues from Hyundai's 'fluidic sculpture' design language, including the hexagonal grille common to all new Hyundai models. A sculpted body shape with bold lines invokes the appearance of constant motion, while LED headlamps with daytime running lights give a sense of luxury and technological sophistication.

All New Hyundai i20 has slightly increased length and the cabin benefits from upgraded materials and high-tech specification that represent a significant improvement over the original.

As with all newly-launched models in Europe, the All New i20 comes with Five Year Triple Care, comprising a five-year unlimited warranty, five years of roadside assistance, and five years of vehicle health checks.

Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, Allan Rushforth, commented, "The i20 has been very popular with European buyers since it came to market in 2009, thanks to its combination of efficiency, quality, practicality and value. With an enhanced powertrain line-up that includes the lowest CO2emissions for any internal combustion engine, and sharper styling influenced by fluidic sculpture, the All New i20 will appeal to a broader range of buyers, including younger consumers. The assurance of our industry-best, comprehensive Five Year Triple Care package will make All New i20 an even more attractive ownership proposition."

STYLING & DESIGN
Re-designed at Hyundai's European headquarters in Germany, the 4-metre long All New i20 has been styled using Hyundai's signature design language, 'fluidic sculpture'.

The front-end has been updated to feature a design element common to all new Hyundai models - the hexagonal-shaped grille. New headlights have been added to give the All New i20 a contemporary look. The hood, fender, front bumper - which incorporates fog lights - and wheel design have been updated, to bring this new model visually into line with the rest of the i-range.

At the rear, Hyundai's designers have modernised the car with a make-over that includes an updated bumper design, integrating a rear parking assist system. The rear lamps have also been restyled to ensure that design harmony is optimised all around the car.

For the European market, All New i20 will be manufactured in Turkey and India, and made available with a range of 10 exterior colours - two solid and eight metallic or pearl. Customer choices include Coral White, Twilight Blue, Electric Red, Black Diamond and Ember Grey.

The redesigned bumpers at the fore and rear of All New Hyundai i20 have added 55mm to the length (30mm at the front and 25mm at the rear), taking the overall length to 3.995mm. The overall width, height and wheelbase remain the same as the outgoing model, maintaining its dynamic proportions.

COMFORT & CONVENIENCE
Inside, All New i20 has been redesigned to provide drivers and passengers with an enhanced level of interior comfort and roominess.

Redesigned seat trim is available in either cloth or leather and cloth combination, with a grey cloth option offered for the first time. Furthermore, the centre fascia has been thoroughly reworked to incorporate more sophisticated switchgear. Stylish black, high-gloss inserts on the dashboard now benefit from a soft-touch finish, applied through the use of Nano P.U. cell paint.

All New i20's interior benefits not only from material upgrades, it also provides outstanding levels of roominess front and rear for a B-segment car - just like the original vehicle. Headroom in the front is a generous 1.005mm and 970mm in the rear. There is also 1.350mm of shoulder room in the front and 1.340 in the rear, while legroom is generous, providing 1.074 mm in the front and 845mm in the rear. The cargo bay has a capacity of 295 litres (seats upright).

Other new features available on All New Hyundai i20 include a smart key and engine start / stop button, one-touch triple-blink turn indicators, automatic lights, rain-sensing wipers and a rear-view camera display, displayed on the rear-view mirror.

ENGINES
All of the powertrains available for All New i20 have been developed with European consumer expectations in mind. They deliver class-leading fuel efficiency and emissions, yet do not compromise on power or drivability.

In the pursuit of improved efficiency and reduced CO2emissions, Hyundai has rationalised the engine range offered with All New i20 to four highly developed, upgraded units - two diesel and two gasoline with power outputs ranging from 75 to 100 ps.

Both of the 1,6-litre engines (diesel and gasoline) offered in the previous generation model have been dropped to make way for smaller, greener powerplants.

With market leading environmental credentials in mind, Hyundai has developed a super-efficient three cylinder 1,1-litre diesel that produces 75 ps and 180 Nm (18,4 kg/m) of torque. When combined with Hyundai's Integrated Stop and Go system, this powerplant is the lowest-emitting unit currently available on the market, with CO2emissions of just 84 g/km (standard model produces 99 g/km).

The rest of the engine range is similarly environmentally friendly. For example, the upgraded 1,4-litre, 90 ps diesel emits just 96 g/km and the 1,25-litre, 85 ps gasoline unit produces 109 g/km (Standard model produces 114 g/km).

The most powerful engine in the range is the 100 ps 1,4-litre gasoline engine which gives the All New Hyundai i20 lively performance (0-to-100 kph in 11,6 seconds), yet maintains high fuel economy.

TRANSMISSIONS
In order to extract the best balance of performance, emissions and fuel economy from each engine, Hyundai is offering buyers transmissions that best-suit their chosen powertrain. Depending on the engine selected, the All New i20 will come with a five- or six-speed manual transmission, or the option of a four-speed automatic.

The manual transmissions available on the All New Hyundai i20 have been refined to provide a more precise gear shift for maximum ease and feel. Gear ratios have been optimised to ensure that the engines they are mated to operate at their most efficient speed for the longest period of time.

The 1,2-litre gasoline engine is fitted with a 5-speed manual transmission to provide optimum performance and emissions, which are as low as 109 g/km of CO2when mated to Hyundai's Blue Drive technologies (including Integrated Stop Go (ISG), low-rolling resistance tyres and alternator management system). The 1,4-litre gasoline can be specified with either a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Both diesel engines are equipped with a six-speed manual transmission to reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2emissions while maximising the available performance.

With the aid of Blue Drive™ technologies, the 1,1-litre diesel produces just 84 g/km of CO2emissions. This means that All New i20 is not just the B-segment supermini with the lowest emissions; it represents the lowest polluting car currently available in Europe with a conventional powertrain.

RUNNING GEAR
In keeping with its dynamic re-styling, the All New i20 rides on a revised platform that delivers an agile driving experience combined with remarkable refinement.

Much of the car's ride and handling development work was undertaken on European roads, developing the benchmark set by the original model. As a result, Hyundai's ride and handling engineers have been able to fine tune the All New i20's front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension to deliver the taut and alert driving dynamics demanded by the European market. 

The electrically assisted rack and pinion steering has a new setup and has also been retuned to deliver quick and accurate responses resulting in excellent urban agility.

REFINEMENT
Through computer simulation and practical testing, NVH (noise vibration harshness) level of All New i20 has been drastically reduced over its predecessor. Road transmitted vibration, wind resonance, intake, exhaust and engine noise have all been reduced.

All New i20 has been developed to deliver comfort to all occupants, and by applying structural reinforcements in the dashboard panel, steering column mounting and cowl cross member, reduction in road vibrations has been achieved.

Further vibration enhancements are made thanks to a 3-point inertia engine and transmission support, not only strengthening the structure, but minimising parts and reducing weight.

The extensive use of advanced noise reduction materials throughout the development process - particularly in the diesel-powered models - has resulted in exceptionally high levels of refinement, giving the all New Hyundai i20 a cosseting cabin ambience.
Simplifying the exhaust system by removing the centre muffler has reduced weight and offers a dramatic decrease in exhaust booming noise.

SAFETY
Designed to be among the safest cars in its class, All New i20 debuts with exceptionally high levels of active and passive safety equipment.

All New Hyundai i20 comes standard with Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) including Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) across the range.

Its outright agility and responsiveness, as well as non-intrusive electronic aids will play a key role in helping to keep occupants safe. However, in the event of a collision, protection is offered by the extensive use of high-tensile steel in the robust bodyshell structure, while front, side and curtain airbags optimise occupant protection.

The safety package is further enhanced by ISOFIX mounting points in the rear and seatbelt reminders for all five occupants. As a result of these measures, the All New i20 continues to offer unrivalled levels of active and passive safety in the class and, more important, maintaining the 5-star Euro NCAP rating achieved by the outgoing model.