Hyundai i30 premium hatchback spotted - could be launched in India?

Team OD Updated: August 05, 2019, 06:15 PM IST

The Hyundai i30 premium hatchback has been spotted in Chennai, India. The hatchback appears to have landed in the country as a part of the global testing. However, it isn't the first time that we have seen spy shots of the i30 surfacing the internet. This leads us to wonder if Hyundai sees a market for the premium hatchback segment in India.

The Hyundai i30 is over four metres long which then translates in a roomier cabin over the Elite i20. The hatchback internationally gets a variety of engines to choose from, however, the car in the spotlight wears a 1.6D badge. The 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine is available in three states of tune, the highest being 136PS and 300Nm of torque while the mid and the lower-spec get 110PS and 95PS respectively. Other engines on offer include 1.0-litre turbo petrol, 1.4-litre turbo petrol and a 1.4-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which have power output ranging between 120PS and 140PS. Some markets also get a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 164PS. The gearbox on offer is a 6-speed manual unit and an optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Hyundai i30 is currently in its third generation and the styling of the hatchback takes cues from the family design. The features include projector headlamps 10-spoke alloy wheels and a panoramic sunroof (the car in the spy shots does not sport a sunroof).

Hyundai has a souped-up version of the i30 called the i30N that is on sale internationally. It is likely that the i30N could make its way to our market which could be a worthy rival to a niche segment where the Skoda Octavia VRS, Mini Cooper JCW and the upcoming Volkswagen GTI are positioned.

The price of the standard variant is expected to be between Rs 10 lakh and 15 lakh which is similar to Hyundai Creta, while the Hyundai i30N could be a CBU (completely built-up unit) which could position it in the Rs 25-30 lakh bracket. All prices are ex-showroom.