This is your first glimpse at the sporty new Hyundai i20

It’s February. The Geneva Motor Show will take place in March. That means your near future will be dominated by teasing design sketches of various new cars.

Everyone’s at it. Most recently it was Skoda with the new Octavia vRS, and now Hyundai is getting in on the art-attack as well. The drawings above apparently preview the all-new i20, which will be officially unveiled in The Big Hall In Switzerland next month.

Now, sketches of a small Korean hatchback may not sound like the most interesting news, but i20N prototypes have been spotted testing at the Nürburgring and TG expects a Fiesta ST-rivalling version of the new-look i20 to arrive in around a year’s time. Hurrah!

This is very exciting news. The i20 of course is the basis for Hyundai’s WRC cars, and although the road-going N version will almost certainly remain front-wheel drive – unlike the bonkers Toyota GR Yaris – it should still get some of that rallying DNA. Combined with the know-how that went into the sublime i30N, this could be very special indeed. 

Design sketches are always over-egged with huge alloy wheels and muscular lines too – so these two actually give us a better idea of the N as opposed to the run-of-the-mill hatchbacks. Looks good, no?

Hyundai says that the i20 will be the first model to debut its new company-wide design language titled ‘Sensuous Sportiness’. Weird flex but okay. There’s a handsome new face and grille, though, and that contrast roof and sharp rear end offer a nice low-profile.

Inside, the i20 will apparently feature two 10.25-inch screens for a widescreen infotainment and digital dial combo.

So, what do you reckon Internet? Is this new design getting you even more excited for the N division’s effort? Thoughts in the comments below please…