Hyundai Elite i20 crossover spotted testing again

Hyundai is working on a crossover based on the Elite i20 hatchback and a test mule of the same was spotted again in South India. The new vehicle will compete with the upcoming Maruti Suzuki SX4 S-Cross, the Toyota Etios Cross, Volkswagen Cross Polo and Fiat Avventura in the compact crossover segment in India.

Hyundai's new crossover is based on the same platform as the Elite i20 and will get cosmetic changes to give it a new look. The bumpers will be restyled and the car will get a plastic cladding to give it a meatier look. The sweptback headlamps might be carried over from the hatchback but the fog lamps are expected to be bigger and will further enhance the muscular look along with the new redesigned alloy wheels. The company might give the vehicle a tailgate mounted spare wheel. The car’s cabin is expected to get some additional features in line with the sporty design of the vehicle.

The new hatchback-based crossover is expected to be powered by the same engine options from the Elite i20. This means the petrol variant will employ the four-cylinder 1.2-litre Kappa motor and the diesel- the 1.4-litre CRDI motor. The former produces 83bhp of power and 113Nm of torque and comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The latter churns out 89bhp of power and 219Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Hyundai will add this crossover to their Indian line-up by 2015 to compete in the new compact crossover segment. The company plans to increase their market share and improve the domestic volumes with the launch of new cars for the Indian market. Ranging from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 11 lakh, the new car might be priced for a slight premium over the Elite i20 hatchback.

Image Courtesy: IAB