Hyundai i20 Coupe (2015): how to make the i20 more interesting

Published: 10 December 2014 Updated: 26 January 2015

This is the new three-door version of the Hyundai i20, set to go on sale in spring 2015.

It’s optimistically called the Hyundai i20 Coupe, and although it’s fair to say it’s not a coupe in the true sense of the word it’s nonetheless been given some jazzier design treatment to differentiate it from the five-door i20 hatch.

Hyundai i20 Coupe (2015): design

Designed at Hyundai’s European design centre at Russelsheim in Germany, there are some fairly major differences between the Coupe’s body and the i20 five-door’s. All three pillars have been altered, and support a roofline that’s lower by 25mm and ends in a tailgate spoiler.

The C-pillar in particular has undergone a transformation, with a Vauxhall Adam-esque gloss black colour break to link the side window graphic with the rear screen. Below that there’s a wheelarch-emphasising crease curving its way between a set of redesigned tail-lights and sill mouldings.

There are changes at the front too, with a grille that’s been flipped and made deeper to make the i20 Coupe look a bit moodier than the five-door.

Still not a car to raise pulses dramatically, perhaps, but a neat enough design that looks a fair bit more emotive than the five-door.

Incidentally, those tail-end styling tweaks have actually freed up (slightly) more boot space than the five-door, with 336 litres on offer (a 10-litre increase).

Hyundai i20 Coupe engines

Engine-wise, expect a brace of diesels (a 74bhp 1.1 and 89bhp 1.4) joined by two petrols, an 83bhp 1.25 and 99bhp 1.4. A further three-pot petrol turbo will join the range shortly after launch.

The i20 Coupe will be built in Turkey.

Anything else new at Hyundai?

The i20 Coupe arrives at the same time as facelifts for the i30 and the i40.

The i30 Focus-sized hatch gets a tweaked grille, wheels and some new colours plus a new Turbo model, powered by a fresh 184bhp blown 1.6 petrol motor. As with most facelifts, an updated engine range promises lower fuel consumption and emissions.

It’s a similar story for the Mondeo-sized i40, which gets grille, headlight and bumper alterations, cleaner engines and the addition of a new seven-speed dual-clutch auto ’box option for 1.7-litre diesel models.

By James Taylor

Former features editor for CAR, occasional racer

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