Should Hyundai Release All New i10, i20 Hatchbacks In USA
The next generation Hyundai i10 subcompact isn’t due to be released until September, but Hyundai has already released pictures of the newest car in their lineup.
The 2014 Hyundai i10 is an A-segment car all the way, but it has features that make it look like a B-segment.
That is great news for European customers looking to get real value for money.
While the i10 and i20 are unlikely to ever grace US roads, it’s worth thinking about how well they would do if they were put up against the likes of the Chevrolet Spark, Mitsubishi Mirage, or the base model Nissan Versa.
New Hyundai i10
The newest version of the i10 is longer, wider and lower than the last, which means more legroom for the occupants, as well as an increased cargo capacity.
On the inside you will find standard features such as automatic climate control, a heated leather steering wheel, and cruise control.
The exterior shows off the now familiar fluidic sculpture design that Hyundai has adopted, with a side window line that sweeps up towards the roof. It also features a strikingly bold front grille.
Technical details of the new i10 will be revealed closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show, but we can look at the predecessor for a few ideas of what to expect.
The outgoing model had a 1,0L (68 horsepower) three cylinder or an 84 horsepower 1,2L four-cylinder under the hood.
The current i20 comes with a 99-horsepower 1.4L 4-cylinder engine.
Production of the i10 has been switched from India to the Hyundai plant in Turkey.
When the first i10 was released a few years back, there was talk that the model was close to approval for the US market.
Hyundai ended up believing that the car was simply too small for the North American market.
The move towards smaller cars in the US raises the question as to whether or not the time would be right to make the i20 available here.
With the base Accent priced at more than $15,000, there are many that feel that the i10 or 120 could compete with that and the other previously mentioned subcompacts.
Coming in at around 143.5 inches, the i10 is roughly 1.2 inches shorter than the Spark.
With new car buyers in the US now moving more towards small, more fuel-efficient cars, is the time right for Hyundai to introduce the i10 or i20 stateside?
Related Hyundai News (Next i20 Spy Shots)
We have spotted a bran-new Hyundai i20 in Germany. The heavily camoed i20 prototype suggest Hyundai’s been hard at work to bring the second-generation model to the market.
Expected release date: Geneva Auto Show in March 2014.
