New Hyundai i10 previewed

What's the news?
Hyundai has released the first images and details of the new i10 city car that is set to take on the upMiiGo triplets after it debuts at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Exterior
The second generation i10 has been entirely designed and developed for European tastes at Hyundai's Russelsheim facility in Germany. To allow it to better compete with European rivals the i10 has grown by 80mm in length and 65mm in width to provide, what Hyundai claims, is best in class legroom and storage space. The wheelbase has also grown by 5mm, while 50mm has been lopped off to top to do away with the somewhat boxy shape of its predecessor.

Interior
No images of the interior have yet been released but Hyundai does say that the i10 will be offered with "features more common to segments above." This will include automatic climate control, a heated leather steering wheel and cruise control, while safety features include stability control and front curtain airbags.

Mechanicals
It is yet to be confirmed but the safe money is on the new i10 featuring reworked versions of the existing 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.2-litre four-pot engine. Improvements in power, torque and emissions are likely. There are also rumours of a 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel, though whether this makes it to Ireland remains to be seen.

Anything else?
In addition to being designed and developed in Europe the new i10 will also be built here, at Hyundai's factory in Ízmit, Turkey to be exact. Annual production at the plant will increase to 200,000 cars once the i10 enters production in September meaning that 90 per cent of Hyundais sold in Europe will be built here.

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