A prototype of the second-generation Hyundai i20 has been spied undergoing testing in Germany.
Snapped by CarAdvice’s spy photographers outside the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre in Russelsheim, the shots give us our first look at the all-new South Korean city car that’s expected to debut late next year.
Our spies believe the new i20 will be based on a brand new platform, superseding the underpinnings that debuted beneath the first-generation Getz-replacement in 2008.
Though well disguised by heavy black plastic cladding, the test vehicle gives a few hints to the final design of the production model.
The prototype appears larger than the current i20 and looks set to sport more assertive styling thanks to a prominent grille on the upright front end.
The rear doors feature an entirely new design, forming an angular ‘C’ shape that protrudes behind the door handles, contrasting with the current design that slopes forwards after peaking at the top of the frame.
A raked rear window creates a new shape at the rear, trading the current i20’s boxy appearance for a more rounded, traditional hatchback design.
A late-2014 global debut for the new Hyundai i20 would likely lead to an Australian launch sometime in 2015.
