The Hyundai i20 N makes its debut in October 2020. The year that brought the world the coronavirus has also given us this little hot hatch from South Korea as a competitor to segment-proven models like the Volkswagen Polo GTi and Ford Fiesta ST. There’s no future for the latter after 2023 but the i20 N will live to see a facelift – and now we know when the update will arrive.
Hyundai’s Australian division recently published a video featuring the company’s Executive Technical Advisor, Albert Biermann, answering questions from fans during the 2022 Hyundai N Festival at The Bend Motorsport Park. Around the 10th minute of the video at the top of this page, Biermann was asked if a facelift was planned for the i20 N. He gave a positive answer, also announcing a debut for this summer. “Technically, you have nothing to fear. It’s still crazy like that,” said Biermann.
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However, not much else other than this confirmation is known about the updated i20 N. In its current form, the mini hot hatch features a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a peak output of 204 horsepower (152 kilowatts) and 202 pound-feet (275 Newton-meters) of torque. A six-speed manual transmission sends that power to the front wheels for acceleration from 0-62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in 6.7 seconds.
The fast i20 comes with more than just a more powerful engine. The chassis, for example, was retuned compared to the regular i20 hatch for greater ride ease and handling. New joints, springs and shock absorbers made the suspension stiffer and more stable in corners. The larger disc brakes are part of a modified performance brake system.
However, at this point, we don’t know what will change with the facelifted version. We doubt there will be a new engine as it would be too big of an investment for such a niche model. We believe that for the most part there will be minor visual changes, likely combined with new performance enhancements to the suspension.
