Photo: Team-BHP
A few days ago, I was standing in the parking lot of a Ford dealership, looking at the SUV lineup. The smallest was from India, followed by one made in Spain and another from America.
There are certain countries around the world where car production is condensed, and India is definitely on the list. The current generation of the Hyundai i20 comes from there, and there is also a version for the local market.
Of course, some of the good stuff is not included due to cost reasons, but a leaked brochure for the 2017 Elite i20 shows there will be an automatic version, in addition to a new 1.4-liter CRDi diesel engine. "Finally," the Indian fans of the brand will say, as for many years Hyundai stubbornly refused to offer an automatic option.
The auto in question is a 4-speed that can only be ordered with the 1.4-liter naturally aspirated engine making 100 horsepower. That's some old-school tech, which if we remember correctly was also available on the previous i20 and the Hyundai Accent sedan. Even the Ford Fiesta used to have a 4-speed (not the same one).
So why is Hyundai using a 4-speed? Well, it's a combination of cost and engineering. The 6-speed auto that's used on other models is longer, making the installation difficult. But Honda's solution to use an efficient CVT has always been better. There are going to be some significant downsides to the powertrain combo, the biggest of which is the fuel consumption. We remember that a Kia Rio with this 1.4-liter engine and 4-speed got around 10 l/100km around town.
Team-BHP reports that the i20 Automatic will only be available in the top Magna trim level. What's more, the car will no longer be classified as small, so tax on it will increase from 12.5 to 24 percent.
Of course, some of the good stuff is not included due to cost reasons, but a leaked brochure for the 2017 Elite i20 shows there will be an automatic version, in addition to a new 1.4-liter CRDi diesel engine. "Finally," the Indian fans of the brand will say, as for many years Hyundai stubbornly refused to offer an automatic option.
The auto in question is a 4-speed that can only be ordered with the 1.4-liter naturally aspirated engine making 100 horsepower. That's some old-school tech, which if we remember correctly was also available on the previous i20 and the Hyundai Accent sedan. Even the Ford Fiesta used to have a 4-speed (not the same one).
So why is Hyundai using a 4-speed? Well, it's a combination of cost and engineering. The 6-speed auto that's used on other models is longer, making the installation difficult. But Honda's solution to use an efficient CVT has always been better. There are going to be some significant downsides to the powertrain combo, the biggest of which is the fuel consumption. We remember that a Kia Rio with this 1.4-liter engine and 4-speed got around 10 l/100km around town.
Team-BHP reports that the i20 Automatic will only be available in the top Magna trim level. What's more, the car will no longer be classified as small, so tax on it will increase from 12.5 to 24 percent.
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