Next-Generation Hyundai i20 India Launch Delayed: Here Are All Details Of The New Timeline

According to the latest reports from Overdrive, the launch of the 2020 i20 hatchback has been pushed back to October. There are several reasons behind the delay, chief among which is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Tamil Nadu Government announced a complete lockdown in Chennai and other neighbouring districts of Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur last week. The lockdown is effective between June 19-30, 2020. This will also affect Hyundai's manufacturing facility in Sriperumbedur, Kanchipuram.

As a result, the facility is running lean on manpower to ensure the safekeeping of its workforce during the pandemic. It could add some delay to the upcoming premium hatchback in the Indian market.

In addition to this, the company is also focusing on the 2020 Creta as it has become a massive hit for the company. The mid-size SUV has already registered 30,000 bookings and has become a popular model on the brand's ‘Click to Buy' online sales platform.

The all-new Verna has also added to the demand by registering a good number of bookings since launch. This could result in Hyundai focusing on completing the received orders for its vehicles in the Indian market. These are the primary reasons behind the delayed launch of the next-generation i20.

Coming back to the upcoming Hyundai i20, it features an all-new design, a host of new features and is expected to be offered in plenty of powertrain options. It now features a new cascading grille, sleek-looking headlamps, a light bar connecting the new wrap-around split tail lamps, and a new dual-tone alloy-wheel design the new-gen i20 looks more premium than the outgoing model of the hatchback.

On the inside, it features a new dashboard design, two 10.25-inch displays for the instrument cluster, and touchscreen infotainment system, respectively. The touchscreen infotainment system supports Android Auto and Apple Carplay and the brand's latest ‘BlueLink' connected technology. The upcoming i20 is expected to borrow its connected technology from the Hyundai Venue with the same set of 33 commands featured on the compact-SUV.

Speaking about plenty of powertrain options, the new i20 is expected to be offered with three engine options. This includes a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, a 1.2-litre petrol unit and the 1.5-litre oil burner unit borrowed from the Kia Seltos, albeit in a detuned state.

The engines are expected to come mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, with optional CVT offered on the 1.2-litre petrol, a torque converter unit on the 1.5-litre diesel, and a dual-clutch DCT offered on the 1.0-litre turbo petrol unit.

Once launched, the new-gen Hyundai i20 will rival the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the Tata Altroz, the Volkswagen Polo, the Toyota Glanza, and the Honda Jazz in the Indian market. With all the new changes, the new i20 is expected to see a substantial price increase as compared to the current-gen Elite i20 model.

Thoughts About The Next-Generation Hyundai i20 India Launch Delayed

The ongoing pandemic continued to affect businesses and production operations. The government is constantly monitoring the situation and announcing an area-specific lockdown for shorter periods. This has affected the operations at Hyundai's facility in Chennai. As far the new i20 is concerned, it is certainly another feature-packed product from the South-Korean auto manufacturer.