The new Hyundai i20 is born with a focus on design, functionality and ease of driving. New platform with longer wheelbase allows for better habitability.
The new Hyundai i20 is a four-door city car that replaces the previous 2012 edition, which was one of the brand's best sellers. This new generation was fully developed and built in Europe, incorporating the main demands and trends of the public with regard to standards of construction quality, design, habitability and technological content.
According to Hyundai “the new generation i20 has three key attributes to meet the needs of European consumers: best-in-class interior space, high-tech equipment and comfort and a refined design.”
Longer, shorter and wider than the previous model, the new i20 generation was designed at Hyundai Motor's European Design Center in Rüsselsheim , in Germany and improves the living space, offering more space on board, thanks to the greater wheelbase offered by the new platform.
The luggage compartment capacity has also been increased to 326 litres, which improves the versatility and everyday use of this city. Another of Hyundai's strong bets is the level of equipment, whether for safety and driving assistance systems, or for comfort and infotainment.
Highlights include: parking sensors, heated steering wheel, cornering lights (static), lane deviation warning assistance system or the panoramic roof (optional).
The use of lighter materials in the construction of the chassis and the body ensures a low weight, which, combined with greater torsional rigidity, translates into greater dynamic skills in parameters such as agility and handling in corners.
To power this model, Hyundai uses a diversified range of gasoline engines and a Diesel, precisely the version that is inscribed in this edition of the Essilor Car of the Year/Crystal Steering Wheel Trophy. It is a diesel triclindrico with 75 horsepower with an advertised average consumption of 3.8 l/100 km.
The Hyundai i20 also competes for the City of the Year award, one of the most popular classes of the year, with a total of six candidates: Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, Mazda2, Nissan Pulsar, Opel Karl and Skoda Fabia.
Text: Essilor Car of the Year Award / Crystal Steering Wheel Trophy
Images: Hyundai