Hyundai i20 Cross spotted testing in Chennai

Compact crossovers are getting increasingly popular in India, with their wannabe SUV looks and ruggedness finding favour with a lot of buyers. Currently led by Ford's Ecosport, this segment has seen a lot of churn over the past year, with Volkswagen Cross Polo, Toyota Etios Cross and Fiat Avventura joining the fray. While the Ecosport was developed from scratch as a crossover, the rest of the clan are essentially pimped-up versions of their hatchback siblings.

Very soon, this buzzing segment is likely to witness a big-ticket entry from the Korean car-maker Hyundai, which is readying a cross variant of its i20. Surprised? We were, too! While we were expecting the ix25 to be launched here to take the Renault Duster head-on, Hyundai managed to pull this out of nowhere. Spotted testing in Chennai earlier today, the i20 Cross, assuming that's how Hyundai would call it, seems set for a launch shortly.

Like most of its competitors, the i20 Cross is just a beefed-up variant of Hyundai's premium hatchback that was launched recently in India. Cosmetic changes on the outside of the car include projector headlights, plastic cladding on the doors and over the wheel arches, roof rails and newly-designed alloy wheels, all of which can be seen in the pictures that we have shot. Additionally, LED Daytime Running Lights, skid plates in the front and rear and an increased ground clearance could be part of the kit too. The engines, interiors and rest of the mechanicals are likely to be carried over from the regular i20. Though Hyundai hasn't confirmed this yet, both the 1.2-liter petrol and 1.4-liter diesel engines could be offered in the i20 Cross, making it a strong contender in the sub-4m crossover segment.

Ever since it's launch, the all-new i20 has been a smash hit in India and, in fact, is the largest selling model in Hyundai India's lineup now. It's hardly surprising, as the i20 is an excellent all-rounder, as we found out during our recent test drive. The addition of the Cross variant is only going to widen the appeal of the car further!