Next Hyundai i20 N to launch soon
It appears we won’t have to wait too long for Hyundai to launch its next-generation i20 N hot hatch.
The Hyundai i20 N is in its final few months on sale in Australia, with local showrooms being one of the few places left globally where the pint-sized hot hatch is sold.
After being axed in Europe in 2024, the i20 N has continued on in a select handful of markets, but its time has almost come to an end.
There has been speculation that a new-generation version will return with hybrid power, but now Hyundai’s global head of R&D, Manfred Harrer, has all but confirmed this will happen, telling the UK’s Autocar the i20 N will come back.
“An i20 N for Europe is a must,” Harrer said.
“We need this entry-level back for our fans. We are working intensively to do this sooner rather than later.”
According to Harrer, the new i20 N is already in the testing stage of its prototypes, which its launch is “not so far out”.
The i20 N will feature a powertrain that will “use existing technology” – likely a 1.6-litre four-cylinder – but that it would offer even greater performance than the outgoing model.
“I want to go to the Nürburgring and do really successful lap times – better than the existing one,” he said.
Jordan Mulach
“But you have to work on the battery management system to get this done.”
For context, the i20 N is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 150kW and 275Nm, delivered to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission.
It seems unlikely that a manual transmission will continue to be offered if the i20 N does go hybrid, as only a slim number of vehicles have offered an electrified engine with a three-pedal setup.
Hyundai boss José Muñoz said last year the N brand will sell more than seven vehicles by 2030, while N Management Group vice president Joon Park told Auto Express the performance division won’t go all-electric or petrol-only, with hybrids the most likely powertrain to take the next step up.
Jordan Mulach
“We’re not limiting ourselves to EVs,” Park said. “We will go further with the ICE-based cars as well; this is not the end of our journey.
“I cannot tell you exactly - but lighter, more agile, nimble, and exciting. These are the key elements that we are heading to.
“One thing I can tell you is that if we have hybrid systems, the characteristics of our hybrid systems will be different.
“We have two different strategies for our hybrid systems: one for efficiency and one for neutral efficiency. If we have a hybrid system in our N cars, the strategy will be different; to have more power intensely.”
Last week Hyundai Australia revealed the i20 N Shadow Edition, limited to 100 examples as a farewell to the hot hatch.
