2018 Hyundai Elite i20 back on road for testing; may debut at Auto Expo next year

The new i20 is likely to get changes at the front with cascading grille along the lines of new Verna sedan.

It looks like South Korean carmaker Hyundai's new Elite i20 is back on the Indian roads for another round of testing. After making quite a few appearances that were spied earlier this year, the new Elite i20, which is expected to be launched in the country in 2018, has been missing from the scene for a while.

Now, TeamBHP members started sharing images of the new Elite i20 taken while undergoing testing on the domestic roads. These images reveal only the rear side of the model. Although the new 2018 Elite i20 in its earlier images was seen in highly camouflaged form, the latest prototype of the model seems to have shed off a sizeable camouflage.

While the Elite i20 is likely to retain the overall body proportion of the current model in the market, changes are expected at the front and rear. It is likely to get a new front grille with chrome highlight as seen in the new Xcent and Grand i10. The headlamp and the front bumper are also likely to undergo changes.

At the rear, expect redesigned bumper and taillamps. The positioning of the number plate is also expected to be changed. The side profile of the Elite i20 facelift is likely to be identical to the current version.

Hyundai Elite i20, new i20 — Hyundai Elite i20 front grille sectionHyundai

In its new avatar, the hatchback is expected to offer safety features such as airbags and ABS as standard and is likely to include updated infotainment system in place with Apple CarPlay and Android connectivity.

As far as the engines are concerned, the 1.4 litre CRDi diesel, 1.2 litre and a 1.4 litre petrol engines are likely to be continued. In the current model, the diesel engine is tuned to generate 89hp of power and 220Nm of torque paired to 6-speed manual transmission, the petrol mills get 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Rumours also suggest Hyundai may bring a 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine that develops 100bhp paired to a six-speed manual gearbox with the new model.

The new Elite i20 facelift may debut at the Auto Expo 2018 in February.