Hyundai is understood to have started testing the i20 with the new 1.0-litre turbo-petrol motor, originally revealed at the Paris motor show in 2014. The 1.0-litre i20 is expected to make its debut at the Frankfurt motor show this September, before going on sale internationally sometime next year.
The 1.0-litre unit, which is based on the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Kappa unit that powers the European i10, features direct injection and a small, single-scroll turbocharger, is expected to produce up to 118bhp and 17.56kgm of torque.
Spy pictures of a camouflaged five-door prototype have appeared on the internet showing the hatchback with a tweaked front bumper, which could be a part of an early mid-cycle facelift for the model.
For the Indian market, the i20 may get the new 1.0-litre turbocharged unit when it undergoes a mid-cycle refresh. If confirmed, it will be offered alongside the current 82bhp 1.2-litre petrol motor.
Hyundai is also working on a hotter version of the i20 under its N performance badge, but is not expected to go into production before 2017.