Review Car

Hyundai has tasted quite a bit of success with the launch of the Elite i20 in India and is now working on a crossover based on this hatchback. The test mules of this vehicle have been spotted testing several times. Amidst the horde of compact crossovers and SUVs coming to India in 2015, Hyundai will also launch this crossover to increase their market share and improve the domestic volumes.
Exterior
The crossover will be based on the current Elite i20 which is the second generation version of the i20. It will share the same platform but get additional features making it look meatier and muscular in appearance. The wide but compact air intake with mesh design, the revised grille in the front bumper with restyled fog lamps and sweptback head lights are expected to be carried over to the new car. The crossover will also stay in line with the new fluidic design seen on all new Hyundai cars. The company will give the car a body cladding while bringing in a new design for the alloy wheels and roof rails. The newly designed tail lamps might also be carried over with the addition of the tail-gate mounted spare wheel at the back of the car.
Interior
The cabin of the crossover is expected to be similar to the one in the Elite i20. Hyundai might borrow the new instrument panel with gear shift indicator and three-spoke steering wheel with integrated audio and Bluetooth controls from the hatchback. The layout is expected to be the same, but the company might give the interior a sporty look. Like the feature rich i20 hatchback, the crossover will also be packed with many features like height adjustable driver’s seat, cooled glove-box, 2-Din audio system with 1 GB internal memory, climate control system, cruise control, a second power outlet, reverse parking assist, clutch lock etc.
Engine and Gearbox
The engine options for the hatchback-based crossover are expected to be the same petrol and diesel mills from the Elite i20. The petrol variant might be powered by the four-cylinder 1.2-litre Kappa motor that produces 83bhp of power and 113Nm of torque and comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The diesel version might employ the 1.4-litre CRDI motor that churns out 89bhp of power and 219Nm of torque. This mill comes paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Price and competition
The Elite i20-based crossovers entry-level variant might be priced Rs 60,000 to Rs 90,000 more than the base version of hatchback. The top-end variant might demand about Rs 1.5 lakh more than the high-end Elite i20, putting the car in a price bracket of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 11 lakh. Its prime rival will be the upcoming Maruti Suzuki SX4 S-Cross, while it will also go up against the Toyota Etios Cross, Volkswagen Cross Polo and the Fiat Avventura.