Hyundai has given its new i20 subcompact a sleeker, sportier design to help the car compete better against rivals such as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.The i20, which will debut at the Paris auto show in October, will be the second model to feature the brand’s new design language after Genesis large sedan.
Hyundai has released sketches of the second-generation i20, which has the brand’s so-called Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language developed by Kia design boss Peter Schreyer, who last year was put in charge of both the Hyundai and Kia brands. Hyundai said that the i20’s long hood and sculpted body sides to create a “powerful stance” for the car.
Hyundai has said it wants the i20 to look more sporty to make a clear link between the road car and the Hyundai-backed i20 that competes in the World Rally Championship. The i20 was designed in Hyundai’s European design center in Russelsheim, Germany. It will go on sale in Europe early next year. The i20 will be built in Hyundai’s recently expanded factory in Izmit, Turkey, along with the i10 minicar. Production will include right-hand-drive cars, which for the existing version are built in India.
