Hyundai Motor India will reveal prices of the new i20 on November 5.
28 Oct 2020 | 6973 Views | By Mayank Dhingra
Hyundai Motor India has unveiled the third-generation version of its premium global hatchback – the Hyundai i20.
The car which has started getting despatched from the company's state-of-the-art 750,000-unit annual capacity plant in Chennai, will be officially introduced along with its price on November 5. The company, however, will ...
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Hyundai Motor India has unveiled the third-generation version of its premium global hatchback – the Hyundai i20.
The car which has started getting despatched from the company's state-of-the-art 750,000-unit annual capacity plant in Chennai, will be officially introduced along with its price on November 5. The company, however, will commence bookings from today for an amount of Rs 21,000.
The i20 which kick-started the premium hatchback segment in the country in 2009, has been one of the best-selling models for Hyundai Motor India, which is now set to leverage the uptick in the segment that has registered a 6.5 percent compounded growth over the last five years.
According to SS Kim, MD and CEO, Hyundai Motor India, “The i20 has been a super performer brand for Hyundai that has perfectly resonated with the aspirations of modern Indian customers for more than a decade. The all-new i20 is all set to re-establish benchmarks in the premium hatchback segment with its sleek style, thrilling performance and unmatched new technologies.”
Hi-tech manufacturing process
The car is built with a systematic manufacturing process and undergoes stringent quality checks. While the press shop relies on technology and digitisation to ensure quality, in the sense that each stamped body panel by the 5,400T hydraulic presses is checked with a digital gauge and goes through the 3D scanners for better dimensional accuracy, the body shop, on the other hand, is completely automated, having 72 robots and 450 self-learning robots to belt out 70 bodyshells every hour.
The new Hyundai i20 is composed of Advanced High Strength Steel and High Strength Steel which form roughly 66 percent of its body-in-white and the company claims a 13 percent improvement in tensile strength of the new car over the outgoing model.
The car is painted using seventh-generation paint by using EDP techniques to prevent rust. In total, the paint shop at Hyundai's plant deploys 23 sealer robots and 49 painting robots. After the final assembly, there's a 500-point inspection before the car is rolled off the assembly line and still undergoes a dynamic road test including 18 different kinds of road tests on various surfaces to ensure zero faults on the final product.
According to Ganesh Mani S, director – Production, Hyundai Motor India, “As an organisation that is committed to giving customers quality time, our focus has remained on ensuring supreme levels of manufacturing excellence. This has perfectly culminated in the all-new i20, delivering robust and reliable performance. With our 24-year rich manufacturing heritage of ‘Make in India’, the all-new i20 is yet another benchmark brand from Hyundai that is an edge above the rest.”
Hyundai looks committed to redefine the premium hatchback segment once again just like it did in the past. The third-generation Hyundai i20 features a bold new design language which has already shown its glimpses in the new Creta launched earlier this year.
The car screams aggression from the front with its wide grille finished in a standard gloss-black treatment while the dual-beam LED projector headlamps with DRLs add to the sporty appeal. The side profile features 16-inch diamond-cut alloys and a rising beltline that culminates into the dramatic rear end with Z-shaped LED tail lamps conjoined by a reflector strip in between.
The funky tail lamps and the crouching stance do enhance the overall athletic appearance of the car. What's back is a sunroof and Hyundai is also offering a shark-fin antenna - a first in segment.
Futuristic cabin
The new car also boasts a completely transformed look on the inside with an all-black cabin adding to the young appeal. At the front, the layered dashboard with the unibody AC vents and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system look quite modern. Complementing the touchscreen display is a six-speaker Bose audio system.
The seats get side bolstering and redesigned headrests at the front and the driver also looks into a fully-digital instrument cluster ahead. There is ambient lighting in the door pads and the footwell and while material quality is generally good, places like that sunvisor are particularly made to cost. For added comfort, the front passengers get an adjustable armrest and a wireless phone charger as well.
At the back, the i20 gets a relaxed backrest angle for the single-piece seat squab that offers decent under-thigh support. There's an armrest, rear adjustable headrests and rear AC vents as well.
New powertrain
While the new generation model will continue with the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, 83bhp petrol and a BS VI-compliant 1.5-litre diesel engine options, Hyundai has also introduced the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol from the Venue. The engine produces 118bhp and 171nm.
Hyundai is deploying its new drivetrain strategy in the i20 too and will offer a flurry of transmission options including a 5MT, 6MT, iMT, CVT (IVT in Hyundai speak) and 7-speed DCT as well.
The 1.2 petrol will come mated to 5MT or an IVT, 1.0 petrol with 5iMT or 7DCT and 1.5 diesel with a 6MT option to claim the most fuel-efficiency in the segment for a diesel at 25.2kpl.
High on safety
Hyundai claims that the new i20 is 13 percent more stronger in terms of tensile strength and the car also ups the game with re-introduction of six airbags and inclusion of ESP, vehicle stability management, hill assist control, ISOFIX and a driver rear-view monitor. Unlike the first generation, there is no rear disc brake on offer though.
As part of ensuring peace of mind, Hyundai will offer its variable five-year wonder warranty on the new i20.
The Hyundai i20 will be available in six single-tone colour options including - Polar White, Typhoon Silver, Titan Grey, Fiery Red, Starry Night and Metallic Copper. There are two dual-tone colour options on offer as well - Polar White with Black Roof and Fiery Red with Black Roof.
To facilitate added benefits and drive sales on its digital retail platform Click to Buy, Hyundai has announced a 10 percent cashback on booking amount transactions made on the website by using ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank Credit or Debit cards subject to final financing from the bank.