Kia and Hyundai simply couldn’t wait any more and decided to reveal their latest offerings before the scheduled world premieres at October’s Paris Motor Show.
Both the new Hyundai i20 and Kia Sorento have been highly Europeanised by the South Korean sister companies’ German design studio, and this is especially evident when it comes to the B-segment hatchback.
But first the SUV: the Sorento is in its third-generation now, and is longer, lower and wider, with an extended wheelbase and a somewhat restrained but more premium design.
The styling was in fact led by the company’s Korean studio but with plenty of input from the California and Germany studios as well.
The signature ‘tiger nose’ grille is more prominent up front and there are high expectations of an improved interior too, especially if the Sorento’s inspiration — the Kia Cross GT concept from the 2013 Chicago Auto Show — is anything to go by. It’ll go on sale early next year.
As for the i20 hatchback, it was left almost entirely to Hyundai’s German studio in Rüsselsheim (that’s also Opel’s hometown, by the way) and we reckon they did a grand job, even with all those Citroën influences (especially in the ‘floating’ C-pillar) and some touches reminding us of the VW Group.
Peter Schreyer, who oversees Kia’s and Hyundai’s global styling, is an ex-Audi man after all.
Furthermore, the i20 promises segment-leading interior space, a first-in-class panoramic sunroof and best of all, an all-new platform with a 45mm longer wheelbase than before.
Hyundai boasts of other standard features such as an integrated rear-view camera, front and rear LED running lights and projection headlamps.
