Hyundai i30 premium hatchback spotted in India: All you need to know

The South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company has been testing its premium hatchback, the i30, in India for quite sometime and the prototypes of the model have been caught on camera several times. A new image of the Hyundai i30 is doing the rounds on the internet again, this time captured somewhere in Chennai while undergoing test.

Although Hyundai still has not revealed whether the i30 hatchback will come to India, the sightings of the model have fuelled several speculations. Here is what you need to know about its launch, specs, and features.

Hyundai i30 — Engine, specs and more

The new i30 was first showcased at the Paris Motor Show earlier in 2016. It is the first Hyundai vehicle to get the new turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol motor that develops 138 hp.

The i30 features cascading Grille at the front incorporating chrome-plated dots. It shows three-projector LED headlamps and the vertical LED daytime running lights. The interior is available in a choice of three colors with leather or cloth seats. It rivals Volkswagen Golf in the global market and comes with a host of features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging.

On the safety front, the hatchback is expected to come equipped with autonomous emergency braking, smart cruise control, lane keeping assist system, driver attention alert and blind spot detection.

There is s also a naturally aspirated 1.4-litre unit with 98 hp output and a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder making 118 hp. The 1.6-litre diesel mill is available in three states of tune- 94hp, 109 hp, and 134hp. While the transmission in petrol and diesel will be handled by a six-speed manual, there will also be seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in the 1.4-litre T-GDI petrol engine and the powerful diesel versions.

Will it come to India?

For now, it seems like the i30 is unlikely to make India launch. Its premium tag is one of the reasons for making it not suitable for a price sensitive market like India. Hyundai could be testing the i30 for components of the future products. However, if the company decides to bring it to the Indian market, the i30 will sit above the Elite i20.

Image: AutocarIndia