2015 Next-Generation Hyundai i20 hatchback lined up for September launch?

The all-new 2015 Hyundai i20 B+ segment hatchback will be unveiled in September, at this year’s Paris Motor Show. A rumour on the interweb suggests that the 2015 i20 will be launched in India, during September, making the country one of the first major car markets of the world to play host to the all-new i20. The all-new i20 will replace the current version on sale here.

Hyundai India has been spotted testing the 2015 i20 extensively on Indian roads and the new hatchback is expected to be a major incremental upgrade over the current i20 in terms of features, interior space and materials used. The 1.4 liter petrol and turbo diesel engine options are likely to be retained and so are the manual and automatic transmissions.

The next-generation i20 will sit at the premium end of India’s B+ segment hatchback space and is expected to take on the Volkswagen Polo GT twins and the upcoming Honda Jazz in terms of price and positioning. As the i20 has always been a decent volumes puller for Hyundai in India, a high amount of localization and production at the South Korean automaker’s Sriperumbudur factory are givens.

In India, the current-generation i20 has been a benchmark in terms of the features offered, with the hatchback outdoing many larger and much more expensive cars. A similar story is expected to pan out in the case of the all-new model, which is codenamed IB and that is based on an all new platform, which will also host the iX25 compact SUV.

Hyundais aren’t known to be great shakes when it comes to ride and handling.

The 2015 i20 could change all that as Hyundai has been working hard at improving the driving dynamics of its cars. The i20 is among the first crop of Hyundai cars to have undergone testing at the famed Nurburgring circuit in Germany, where the automaker runs a research facility.

A 2015 Hyundai i20 that retains its traditional strength of offering a boat load of features, top notch interior quality, and to top it all off, a well sorted ride and handling package, is something the competition will have to worry about. The car is expected to retain its sub-4 meter length and is likely to be priced at a little over that of the outgoing version.

Via IndianAutosBlog