The next-generation Hyundai i20 has been revealed in Brazil and shows a dramatic shift in design for the small hatchback.

It is notably taller and chunkier than the current i20, with black plastic cladding running around its bumpers and wheel arches giving the appearance of a small crossover rather than a traditional hatchback.

The new i20 has been shaped according to the brand’s latest ‘Art of Steel’ design language. As seen on the electric Ioniq 3, this approach emphasises hard lines and creases in the bodywork, as well as geometric lighting signatures.

Inside, the car does away with the existing i20’s curved surfaces in favour of a more robust look, with rectangular digital displays for the infotainment and instrumentation, each measuring 12.3in. Their software can be updated over the air. Hyundai said it has designed the new i20 to maximise passenger space, claiming it has the roomiest rear seats in its class.

The new i20 does away with the ‘K2’ platform that underpins the existing iteration in favour of ‘K3’, which is employed by the Kona, as well as Kia’s Niro and Seltos. The model will – for now – be sold exclusively in the Brazilian market and it remains to be seen which powertrains it will be offered with when it lands in Europe. 

In Brazil, it will be offered with two 1.0-litre three-cylinder engines capable of running on pure ethanol – a staple in the South American nation. The entry-level version does without a turbocharger for outputs of 79bhp and 74lb ft, though these are reduced to 74bhp and 69lb ft when running on petrol. The range-topping variant adds a turbocharger and produces 113bhp and 127lb ft, regardless of how it is fuelled.

Prices for the new i20 start at R$99,990, equivalent to around £15,000. It is expected to be costlier by the time it reaches the UK, however, and Europe-bound examples could be built in Turkey – as with the existing i20 – rather than Brazil. For reference, the existing i20 starts at £20,600.

It also remains to be seen whether the vaunted i20 N hot hatch will return. Hyundai’s N performance range currently comprises only electric cars in the UK but, as previously reported by Autocar, the sub-brand’s future is not rooted solely in battery-electric powertrains. Indeed, Autocar exclusively revealed in December that it is preparing a new iteration of the i30 N, which is likely to employ hybridisation to meet global emissions requirements.