Hyundai has introduced the i20 Coupe for the UK market. It will go on sale in March and is expected to get a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine by the end of 2015.
The Hyundai Elite i20 needs no introduction. It is the best-selling Hyundai car in India that has a huge fan following for its youthful styling and feature rich interiors. Also, the new version of the Fluidic design makes it look appealing to all and offends none. What makes the new i20 more exciting is the coupe version of the hatchback, which is all set to go on sale in the UK. The Hyundai i20 Coupe looks fantastic with its younger stance and also gives a hint of the Veloster from the front three-quarters.
The Hyundai i20 Coupe gets a few styling tweaks compared to the four-door i20. The hexagonal grille is there but it’s upside down to give an aggressive look. The foglamps on the front bumper is inspired from the pre-facelift Verna and the headlights get projector lamps with LED DRLs. The side profile is the same until the B-pillar but gets quite racy beyond that. The C-pillar looks inspired from the BMW i3. Notice the big 17-inch alloys that fill the wheel arches very well.
At the rear, the Hyundai i20 Coupe gets a roof mounted spoiler with a heavily sculpted bumper to differentiate it with the regular i20. The interior is all-black with orange inserts. Under the hood there are no changes as the engine options and power output remains unchanged. The Hyundai i20 Coupe comes with a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine and 1.4-litre CRDi diesel engine. However, the UK market is expected to get a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine later in 2015.
The Indian market doesn’t accept the concept of a 2-door affordable coupe because most of the people prefer practicality over style. However, we believe the Hyundai i20 Coupe could work in India if marketed well by the Korean automaker. It can be introduced as an exclusive offering, as there are many buyers who like to arrive in style. It can also help Hyundai in brand building, targeting the youth. Remember the good old days of the Zen Carbon and Steel editions? They were quite popular and managed to sell in decent numbers.
