Hyundai Elite i20 – A Success Story

Hyundai Motors India, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Korean automobile company, Hyundai Motors, is one of the leading automakers in India. Hyundai India was established in 1996 and it is now the second largest carmaker in India. Since the launch of the first Hyundai car in 1998, Hyundai has done very well in every segment of passenger car industry in India. Several top selling cars like Santro, i20, i10, Getz, Grand i10, Xcent, Verna, Accent and the like have gained the customer confidence over these years. Among these, certain models like Santro, i20, i10 and Verna have enjoyed the greatest of the demand among Indian buyers. 

The latest car from Hyundai in the i-series is the Hyundai Elite i20, which debuted last year. It has replaced the i20, in the Indian market. In India, the Elite i20 is positioned between the Grand i10 and Xcent, as a premium hatchback. Soon after its launch, the Elite i20 has indicated that it is all set to carry further the legacy of its ancestors. 

a stylish car with highly appealing looks, attractive design language and stunning features, the Elite i20 is priced between 4.90 lakh to 7.67 lakh rupees. The Elite i20 made its global debut in India, which shows that Hyundai consider India as one of its primary markets in the world. In addition, the Elite i20 is the first car with the latest design language of Hyundai, the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0, to be launched in India. This new global design language renders the car a European feel. 

Nevertheless, as far as the mechanics and engines are concerned, nothing much has been changed in the Elite i20. It still runs on the same familiar engines used in the earlier editions of the car. Hence, an 1197 cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve 81.8 bhp 114Nm engine powers the Elite i20 also. The engine is mated with a five-speed manual transmission gearbox. The diesel engine powering the Elite i20 is a 1.4L 1396 cc, four-cylinder, 16-valve, U2 CRDi 88.7bhp 220 Nm engine, which is coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission. It is expected to improve the fuel efficiency and performance in general. 

Elite i20 is not offered in automatic option currently. However, both the petrol and diesel variants are offered in all five trims - Era, Magna, Sportz, Sportz (O) and Asta. The interiors are similar to all the other excellent Hyundai cars, with large space on the inside and a huge boot space of 285-liter among others. 

Astoundingly, Hyundai has not offered certain safety features like airbags for all passengers in the Elite i20. Hence, the safety features are not at par than with the earlier versions. However, the Elite i20 is a good car that offers a decent drive. 

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