Hyundai Plans Its Next Fuel-miser

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday September 13, 2008

Richard Blackburn

THIS car is poised to become Australia's most fuel-efficient vehicle. The new Hyundai i20 is likely to replace the Hyundai Getz in Australia from next year.

The Korean maker claims the diesel version will use just 4 litres/100km, less than the Fiat 500 diesel (4.2L/100km) and the Toyota Prius (4.4L/100km).

The small hatch will replace the Getz in Europe at the end of this year but Hyundai Australia is yet to confirm whether the car will be sold Down Under. However, the i20 is odds-on to come to Australia and either replace the Getz or be sold alongside it as a premium version.

The i20 is the second small hatch to be designed at Hyundai's European Design Centre in Russelsheim, Germany, following the release last year of its bigger sibling, the i30.

As with the i30, the i20 has been designed to appeal to European driving tastes, which means it is likely to have dramatically better road manners than the current Getz.

The new five-door (a three-door version will follow) rides on a longer wheelbase than the present Getz, which means it should feel more secure on the road and have more space inside. Expect interior fit and finish to be a big leap forward relative to the Getz and Accent, which sell side-by-side in the light segment in Australia.

In a release accompanying the official photo of the i20, Hyundai Motor Europe president Kun Hee Ahn says the i20 will have more standard equipment than its European rivals, as well as more interior space, strong fuel economy and competitive road manners.

The diesel version of the i20, the i20 blue, has several modifications designed to make it more fuel-efficient. Among them are full-length under-floor covers for better aerodynamic performance, a 15-millimetre reduction in ground clearance, altered front and rear aerodynamics, low rolling-resistance tyres and high-performance, low-friction engine oil.

The 1.4-litre CRDi diesel engine produces 66kW and 220Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox instead of the standard car's five-speeder.

The 4.0L/100km fuel label rating includes CO2 emissions of 99 grams a kilometre.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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