2018 Hyundai Elite i20 facelift resurfaces in new images; shows new front grille

The upcoming Elite i20 facelift of Hyundai is back in the news, this time again through spy images. The pictures reveal a new and updated front of the new premium Elite i20 hatchback that is expected to be launched in India sometime in 2018 with the model making its debut at the Auto Expo in February.

The new Elite i20 facelift was caught on camera before too. The latest images of the Elite i20 come from TeamBHP. The spy photos were captured when the Elite i20 was undergoing testing in Chennai. The images show a partly camouflaged car, indicating the major change could be on the covered parts of the test mule. It indicates a new single-frame hexagonal grille as seen in the new Xcent and Grand i10, but without chrome. The headlamp and the front bumper are also likely to have changes and the new avatar of the hatchback is expected to add LED DRLs.

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In the rear, the new Elite i20 is expected to feature redesigned bumper and taillamps. The side profile of the Elite i20 facelift is likely to be identical to the current version except for the new set of alloy wheels.

So far, the images of the interior of the new Elite i20 have not surfaced. However, rumours indicate an updated cabin with features like infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android connectivity. The Elite i20 may also offer safety features such as airbags and ABS as standard in its new facelifted model.

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Under the hood, the 1.4-litre CRDi diesel, 1.2-litre and the 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 six-speed manual transmission; the petrol mills get five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission.

There have also been reports of a new a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making to the new Elite i20, which develops 100bhp paired to a six-speed manual gearbox. However, there has been no confirmation on the same.