Hyundai too joins the bandwagon of visual crossovers with the ix20 Cross launched in Belgium. Launched in 2010 at the Paris Motor Show, the ix20 is a mini MPV which shares its platform with the Kia Venga. The concept of visual crossovers isn’t new, with the Volkswagen Cross Polo and Toyota Etios Cross already a familiar name in our country. The company has launched a special crossover edition for the ix20 that gives a visual rugged appeal to the MPV along with subtle upgrades to justify the ‘Cross’ suffix against the name. The move comes in order to encourage the sales of the ix20 in Belgium.
The Hyundai ix20 Cross gets black plastic cladding across the wheel arches and the side profile of the car for the rugged look. The mini MPV gets 16-inch alloy wheels and additional front and rear body protection. Standard features on the ix20 Cross include rear windows with dark tints, tyre pressure monitoring system, climate control air conditioning, cruise control with speed limiter and a navigation system with touchscreen display along with a rear-view camera. The ride height has also been slightly increased.
Powering the Hyundai ix20 Cross is a 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 90 BHP of power. Hyundai has priced the vehicle at 16,999 Euros (Rs. 13.99 lakhs) in Belgium and are also offering a five-year warranty and seven years of free navigation map updates with the model. The ix20 will not be making it to India as the country is scheduled to get an all-new ix25 SUV that has been given the green light to take on the Ford EcoSport, Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano in the segment.
The Hyundai ix25 compact SUV will be revealed at the Beijing Auto Show later this year and is based on the next-generation i20. Expect mammoth amount of features on the ix25, true to a Hyundai, while the styling will take inspiration from the new Santa Fe SUV. Powering the ix25 will be range of engine options for different markets including a 1.1-litre 3-cylinder petrol producing 75 HP as well as a 1.6-litre diesel engine which will be available in two states of tune.
