Hyundai reveals the 2015 i20 at the Paris Motor Show. The vehicle gets a 1.0-litre Kappa T-GDI engine that might make its way to India.
Hyundai has just unveiled the global version of the i20 hatchback at the Paris Motor Show. The 2015 i20 is the same model that was recently launched in India as the i20 Elite. The global version does feature some cosmetic and mechanical changes to differentiate it from the Indian version though. First up, the 2015 i20 gets projector headlights and LED DRLs, something that is not found on the Indian version. Also, it gets a slightly reworked grille and panoramic sunroof as well.
Moving to the interiors, while the design and layout remains largely the same, the dashboard gets a different colour scheme. Heated leather seats and front parking sensors are some of the other goodies that are not found on the Indian version. The European i20 is also slightly longer than the Indian version at 4035 mm while the wheelbase is still the same.
Powering the 2015 i20 are five engines – three petrol and two diesel units. The petrol engines are 1.25-litre with 5-speed manual box and 1.4-litre with 6-speed manual tranny or 4-speed automatic box and the third petrol engine is a 1.0-litre turbocharged unit. This engine is a 3-cylinder unit and it will produce as much as 120 PS of power and 172 Nm of torque. The turbocharged engine will be introduced in 2015 and it has been given the moniker of Kappa T-GDI. The diesel engines are a 1.1-litre CRDI unit and a 1.4-litre CRDI unit, both mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Looking at the current trend of manufacturers offering small turbocharged engines in India, it is highly likely that Hyundai too will launch the 1.0-litre T-GDI Kappa i20 in our country at a later date, maybe when it is time for a facelift. As of now, the Volkswagen Polo and Vento, Tata Zest, Ford EcoSport and Fiat Linea T-Jet are available with turbocharged petrol engines in the mass market segments.
