WINDHOEK – The all-new i20, designed at Hyundai Motor Company’s European Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, made its debut at the 2013 Paris Motor Show.
The upright chrome-framed hexagonal grille has been lowered for design and engineering purposes, while a thin, horizontal grille connecting the headlamps, emphasises the width of the vehicle. Reinforcing the vehicle’s purposeful stance, the wheel arches subtly flow into the long hood.
At the rear, the new i20 features a large tailgate for ease of loading into its generous boot space of 294 litres, with a convenient wide boot opening. The reverse lamp has been integrated into the rear bumper – a first for Hyundai. This was done purely for design factors, allowing greater styling flexibility within the rear LED lamp cluster.
Compared with the previous model, front-seat occupants enjoy more headroom than the previous model. In the rear of the cabin, the space allows three adults to be seated in comfort. Additional legroom was created in the front by raising the height of the dashboard and moving the glove box and surrounding components forward – made possible due to the longer hood.
Cargo capacity has also been enhanced, making the vehicle one of the most accommodating in the segment with a trunk volume of 294 litres with the rear seats upright.
Thanks to clever packaging, the rear bench can fold fully flat, meaning trunk capacity is boosted to 1 010 litres with the rear seats folded – ideal for young families and those carrying larger items.
Front-seat occupants benefit from larger cup holders in the centre console and a 1.5-litre bottle storage in the doors as well as a centre console box, greatly enhancing secure storage space. Rear doors feature a 1.0-litre bottle storage space. The driver and front-seat passenger can also make use of a roof-mounted sunglasses holder.
Other new features include automatic folding door mirrors and smartphone docking integration. USB and auxiliary connectivity is fitted as standard with an audio system, along with a Bluetooth hands free phone function and the ability to stream music over the sound system with Bluetooth from a cell phone or music player.
The new i20 is available with a choice of two Hyundai “Kappa” petrol power plants: A 1 197 cc four-cylinder and a 1 368 cc four-cylinder engine, both with four valves per cylinder and dual continuous variable valve timing. Both engines use returnless multi-point electronic fuel injection.
The five- and six-speed manual transmissions
fitted to the new i20 have been extensively tested to deliver a smoother, quieter and more tactile shift, in keeping with the other quality enhancements made for the model.
Every new i20 model is fitted, as standard, with a four-wheel electronic four-channel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), as well as Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). Ventilated disc brakes are used on the front wheels, while the rear wheels are equipped with solid discs for the brakes.
Price for the i20 starts from N$184 900 to N$214 900. It includes the Hyundai Warranty and Roadside Assistance for 5 years or 150 000 km. A two-year or 30 000 km service plan is included in the 1.2 Motion’s price, while the 1.4 Fluid derivatives include a three-year or 60 000 km Service plan.