Hyundai to Unveil i20, i20 i-blue Concept, ix55 SUV & Santa Fe Hybrid Concept in Paris

With a month to go before the commencement of the Paris Motor Show, Hyundai have announced their line-up for the event. The highlight will be the all-new i20 which the Korean automaker sees as key to its continued success, it will be joined by the ix55 SUV, an i20 i-blue concept and a hybrid concept version of the Santa Fe.

The i20 replaces the Getz in the Hyundai line-up, it features a chrome topped grille and teardrop headlights which mimic many of the signature styling features seen from the Korean brand in models such as the i10 and i30.

Kun Hee Ahn. President for Hyundai Motor Europe commented, “The i20 was designed and engineered to meet European tastes and needs.  It was built on an entirely new platform and much of the ride and handling development took place on European roads, which has created a firm and agile drive. At HME, we are confident the i20 will succeed in the fast paced sub compact sector, as it offers much more in terms standard equipment, fuel economy, interior space and style than many of its competitors.”

Alongside the production version, Hyundai will also showcase an i20 i-blue concept that will boast a CO2 output of just 99g/km and a fuel consumption figure of 68mpg. These green credentials are attainable due to the new state-of-the-art 90hp1.4 CRDi diesel engine that is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox instead of the regular five-speed unit.

Hyundai's commitment to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are further evident with their second concept, the Santa Fe Petrol-Electric Hybrid features a new hybrid system mated together with the existing 2.4-liter gasoline engine from the production model. It reduces the CO2 emissions down to just 148g/km with fuel consumption going as low as 44mpg.

Last but not least comes the ix55 sports utility vehicle, it is based on the Veracruz which is currently sold in the United States, but the ix55 benefits from some extensive European styling modifications to suit this particular market. No further details have been released but we do at least have a single picture of the model.