Hyundai i20 N prototype testing on camera, could come to Australia

Hyundai has begun to reveal more official information about the upcoming Hyundai i20 N, the next addition to the N Performance family.

Hyundai Australia issued a press release featuring videos and information about the i20 N’s winter testing process in Europe, with some driving by WRC gun Thierry Neuville.

Given Hyundai’s local arm generally wouldn’t send out a statement about a car set to be unavailable here, you can expect to see the i20 N, which will be built in right-hook, to roll off a boat onto Australia’s shores at some point.

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The baby hot hatch is understood to run on 1.6-litre turbo-four power, much like the ‘warm’ i30 N-Line, though its smaller stature and more aggressive setup will likely see it rival the Fiesta STs and VW Polo GTIs of the world.

The i20 N, if the engine is indeed borrowed from the N-Line, will likely produce at least 150kW and 265Nm, through the front wheels and with an expected 0-100km/h time just north of 6 seconds.

Though specifications and expected production commencement are both yet to be confirmed, Hyundai (and sibling company Kia) both have good form when it comes to first cracks at a model. The i30N and Kia Stinger are both widely considered quality products, and the new Veloster (though not available here in ‘N’ guise) is a fun steer even in Turbo form.

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As for the i20 N as a driver’s car, Neuville’s comments on the car are promising, even though delivered via a PR filter.

“Very interesting car. Very precise. Very easy handling. The engine is revving nicely and the noise is very interesting as well.”

That aggressive exhaust tune could be mistaken for the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the 202kW i30N, though it’s expected (as previously mentioned) that’s not the case.

Neuville will obviously take to the rally stages in the future in the race-bred version of the i20 N.

In regards to the i20 N’s rally-going WRC sibling, he says “the WRC cars really push to the extreme. And every detail is fine tuned to get the maximum performance and also to be adapted to a driving style.”

Stay tuned for more on the i20 N and its potential arrival here in Australia.