The second generation Hyundai i20 was first presented at the beginning of August, but only these days the Korean automaker has released a complete set of photos and information. Among other things, you will learn from them that this is the first Hyundai , fully designed and manufactured in Europe.
Right from the start, the i20 gets a fair deal – its length of 4035 mm , width of 1734 mm and height of 1474 mm place it among the leaders of the small car segment . The same can be said about the 2570 mm wheelbase, which is 45 mm longer than the predecessor. With such dimensions, it is not surprising that the interior space is very generous – front passengers have 33 mm more headroom (total 1038 mm), 24 mm more room for knees (total 1098 mm) and 15 mm more room for shoulders (total 1365mm), rear passengers have 978mm of headroom, 794mm of legroom and 1350mm of shoulder room. The luggage compartment has a basic volume of 326 liters , which is 31 liters more than before, and after folding the rear seats, up to 1042 liters of cargo can fit in the back.
The exterior comes from Hyundai's European design center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and it was already clear from previously published sketches that the new model will be much bolder than its predecessor. Everything is a product of the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 language, which brought not only a large hexagonal grille, but also a black C-pillar, evoking the feeling of a floating roof, or distinctly shaped lights in the front and back. In the higher versions of the equipment, the rear reflectors are made entirely of LEDs and thus complement the LEDs for daytime running lights in front. The body will be available in nine basic shades, four metallic shades, three pearl shades and two water-based shades.
The interior is largely (mainly on the dashboard and in the door panels) made of Thermal Plastic Olefin (TPO) material, which is soft to the touch, highly durable and should retain its first-class appearance even with frequent use. A 3.5-inch LCD display is placed between the alarm clocks, which displays all important information to the driver, and a 7-inch multimedia system display with satellite navigation can be placed on the center panel (turned 5 degrees towards the driver). A radio with USB and AUX connectivity is standard, which can be enhanced with the My Music function with up to 1 GB of space for music for an additional fee, a heated steering wheel, panoramic roof or parking assistant front and rear are available for an additional fee. Similar to the bodywork, the interior can also be customized to individual requirements. Upholstery can be fabric or leather , while the color of the upholstery is coordinated with the color of the dashboard. The fabric upholstery is also available in four shades, the leather upholstery can be stitched in different colors and the dashboard offers paneling in piano lacquer or chrome. The drinking regime of the driver, passenger and other passengers will appreciate the space for a 1.5 liter bottle in the front door and a 1.0 liter bottle in the rear door.
The body is 42% made of lightweight ultra-high-strength steel , and in combination with the reinforced B and C pillars, respectively the trunk lid, its torsional rigidity has increased by 81%. The new platform is made of high- strength steel and, compared to its predecessor, will offer better ride quality, or less penetration of noise and vibrations from the wheels into the cabin. Hyundai further improved the sound insulation from the A, B and C pillar sides, the floor received a noise-absorbing pad, and the engine sound insulation was again slightly improved. There was also a reduction in drag to cx = 0.30.
Under the hood, there will be a pair of gasoline engines of the Kappa series with an aluminum block and a pair of diesel engines of the U-II series , which, although they are taken over from the previous generation, but thanks to a series of modifications, meet the Euro 6 emission standard without problems. Units with a volume of 1.25 will be available in the Kappa series liter with 75 or 84 horsepower and 1.4 liter with 100 horsepower. While the lower volume unit is exclusively linked to a five-speed manual, the 1400 can be chosen from a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The U-II diesel range is represented by an eleven -hundred-horsepower 75-horsepower and a fourteen -hundred-horsepower 90-horsepower, both in combination with a six-speed manual. While the McPherson type independent suspension is found at the front, a torsion bar appears at the rear. New front shock absorbers together with a redesigned floor ensure better driving comfort, the modified power steering takes 2.7 revolutions from stop to stop, and the improved turning radius of 5.1 meters is also suitable for the city.
Six airbags , Isofix, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, Emergency Stop Signal system, which automatically activates warning lights when braking hard, hill start assistant and tire pressure monitoring appear as standard in every i20. For an additional fee, the car can be retrofitted, for example, by monitoring driving in the selected lane .
The production of the new i20 will start in October of this year at the car company's Turkish factory in Izmit and will become the first ever Hyundai model that is designed, developed and manufactured completely in Europe.
Source: Hyundai
