Our spies came across this compact-sized prototype outside Hyundai Motor Europe’s R&D facility in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and they think it’s a tester for the next i30 or, as we know it in North America, the Elantra GT.
Hyundai launched the lightly facelifted i30 and Elantra GT in the beginning of the year, but the compact hatch has been on sale since early 2012, therefore, if the Koreans keep their usual five-year long lifecycle, a replacement should be unveiled late next year before going on sale in 2017.
At a first glance, the tester looks more conservative that the current i30, but we cannot be sure without seeing what’s lurking behind the black wraps. The hatch seems to adopt the same clean(er) styling lines featured on the Genesis luxury sedan and the new Elantra with a pinched beltline and a low front-end design, while gone are the sculpted front fenders.
The tweaked platform should be shared with the latest Elantra sedan, while engine options will include Hyundai’s latest turbocharged gasoline units, with Europe getting a selection of diesels as well.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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