2018 Hyundai i20 Active facelift revealed: To rival Ford Freestyle in India

• 2018 Hyundai i20 Active facelift comes with minor changes
• Phantom Black two-tone roof with blacked out A, B, C pillars
• Number plate moves from rear bumper to tailgate
• To rival Ford Freestyle and Toyota Etios Cross

South Korean carmaker Hyundai had pulled the wraps off its new Elite i20 facelift at the Auto Expo 2018 on February 7. Now, Hyundai Motor Company has revealed the new cross-hatch version of the i20 Active.

The mid-cycle refresh for the i20 Active cross-hatch is in line with the new Elite i20 and hence, changes are minor. Interestingly, when all new Hyundai cars get 'Cascading grille,' the i20 Active continues with the existing grille. The front bumper carries faux skid plate and black claddings.

The Hyundai i20 Active facelift gets Phantom Black two-tone roof. The black color treatment has also extended to A, B, and C pillars and also to the ORVM caps. Hyundai has also introduced Tomato Red, Champion Blue and Clean Slate colors with the new i20 range.

At the rear, the new i20 Active gets revised tail-lights. The number plate has been moved from the bumper to tailgate. The black beading at the bottom of the tailgate has been removed in the new version of the i20 Active and diamond cut alloy wheels now get black touches.

The only visible change inside the cabin is the new pattern for the seat upholstery. The Euro-spec i20 Active will also boast off a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and an idle stop-start system. Whether these features will be part of India spec remains to be seen.

The India launch of the new i20 Active facelift is expected later this year. It will lock horn against the newly launched Ford Freestyle and Toyota Etios Cross. Currently, Hyundai i20 Active prices start at Rs 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Meanwhile, the new member of the group, Ford Freestyle price starts at as low as Rs 5.09 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Will this huge gap in pricing be a deal breaker for the new Hyundai i20 Active?