3rd-gen Hyundai i20 runs tests in North America

The second generation of the Hyundai i20 3- and 5-door hatchback series has been around since 2014, so it is no wonder the company felt like refreshing it for 2020. There are bad news as well as good ones for the fans of this specific model: on the one hand, the 3-door version will no longer be available. On the other hand, there will be a new performance version called the Hyundai i20 N. In the meantime, as evidenced by the spy shots below, the manufacturer is busy testing the upcoming generation in the North America.

More specifically, the test mule was spotted in Sierra Nevada mountain range where the climate is so hot the company actually had to strip it of some of the otherwise mandatory camo wrap in order to let it cool down more efficiently. Thanks to this forced measure, we can now conclude that the front end of the vehicle looks similar to that of the new Sonata.

In Europe, the current-gen Hyundai i20 ships with a choice between two gasoline engines: 1.2-liter naturally aspirated (available in 75 hp / 56 kW and 84 hp / 63 kW versions) and 1.0-liter GDI turbo (available in 100 hp / 75 kW and 120 hp / 90 kW). The former links to a five-speed manual transmission, while the latter offers a choice between six-speed manual and seven-speed DCT.

Rumor has it the new i20 shares its technological base with the mini-SUV Venue. If true, then it will most likely ship with a 1.6-liter Smartstream engine coupled with an IVT transmission. In turn, the performance-packed Hyundai i20 N may end up with the 1.6-liter T-GDi unit of the latest Kia Ceed, which is good for 204 hp (152 kW) and 265 Nm (195 lb×ft) of torque.

Photos: motor1.com