Hyundai i30 Facelift at Geneva

Hyundai will use the upcoming 2010 Geneva Motor Show to introduce the i30 facelift, globally known as i30U, a model that is projected to enter mass production in March, with sales to begin soon after. The South Korean manufacturer hasn't mentioned the improvements to be seen on the facelifted i30, but it did mention that it will feature several enhancements "in design, specification and competitiveness, as well as even cleaner powertrains".

Furthermore, the i30U will come with Hyundai's "Triple5" package that includes enhanced five-year, bumper-to-bumper unlimited warranty, five years' roadside assistance, and an annual vehicle seasonal health check for five years.

"The package reflects the quality and reliability of the Europe-built i30 family and gives added peace of mind to consumers," Hyundai said in a statement.

The existing i30 is offered with a choice of six engines, three petrols and three diesels. The top-of-the-range engine is a 2.0-liter 16V petrol that develops 143 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 186 Nm of torque at 4,600 rpm. In terms of performance, the engine propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.6 seconds, while topping at 127.3 mph (205 km/h).

The engine lineup is likely to be similar on the refreshed i30 range, probably with slight improvements in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

autoevolution will be attending the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.