Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
7 min of reading 
0 comments 
New national model from Hyundai is expected to expand the brand’s presence among compact and entry-level SUVs, with production planned in Piracicaba, crossover look, turbo flex engine, and safety package that brings the project closer to rivals already positioned in this segment of the Brazilian market.
Hyundai is preparing for 2026 the launch of a new national model produced in Piracicaba, in the interior of São Paulo, with an intermediate size between the HB20 and the Creta and a commercial proposal aimed at the space between compact hatches and entry-level SUVs.
Specialized publications identify the project as Hyundai i20, although the brand has yet to publicly present the vehicle as a third national model and has not officially confirmed the commercial name to be used in Brazil.
The preview released by Hyundai in June 2026 shows part of the front, headlights, and rear, with visual elements indicating the identity adopted by the brand for the new product manufactured in the country.
-
“Brazilian Elon Musk” unveils prototype of the Lecar 459, a car capable of running up to 1,000 km with a 165 hp electric motor and a hybrid system that dispenses with direct traction from the combustion engine.
-
How much does it cost to keep the POLO Comfortline TSI 200 in the garage?
-
Once beloved in Brazil, sedans plummeted from 29% to just 12% of the market in 10 years, while SUVs jumped from 14% to nearly 55%; understand the numbers and the changes that turned the game at dealerships.
-
Used Citroën cars catch attention for offering efficient engines, interior space, and features like multimedia centers, rearview cameras, and airbags, with prices starting at R$ 44,000. Discover models like C3, C4 Cactus, Basalt, and C3 Aircross and understand why they are worth it in 2026.
In the front optical assembly, the LED signature appears associated with the letter “H”, accompanied by a horizontal strip that crosses the front of the vehicle and connects to the Hyundai logo in the central region.
The arrival of the model places Hyundai in a segment occupied by Volkswagen Tera, Fiat Pulse, Renault Kardian, and Chevrolet Sonic, models cited by specialized publications as direct references for the new national project.
According to Quatro Rodas, Hyundai reported that the launch will have a larger size than most hatchbacks sold in Brazil and should cater to consumers looking for a first SUV or compact crossover.
New Hyundai i20 is expected to occupy the space between HB20 and Creta
The new model will be the third vehicle manufactured by Hyundai in Piracicaba, an industrial unit that is already part of the South Korean automaker’s Brazilian operation and concentrates the national production of important models of the brand.
Within the portfolio, the proposal is to position the car in the range between the HB20, entry-level compact hatch, and the Creta, compact SUV sold by Hyundai in the Brazilian market.
In the automotive sector’s backstage, the project is referred to by the code BC4 and appears in reports from specialized portals as a derivation of the i20, a hatch that Hyundai markets in other markets.
The interpretation published by industry vehicles is that Hyundai intends to sell the car in Brazil with the appearance and communication of a crossover, even though the conceptual base remains close to that of a compact hatch.
This interpretation helps explain the possible initial coexistence with the HB20, as the new product is expected to debut in a higher range and target consumers evaluating models with an adventurous look or subcompact SUV proposal.
Instead of immediately replacing the national hatch, the project should be positioned above the HB20 at first, with versions and prices still pending official confirmation from Hyundai.
The medium-term permanence of the HB20, however, is treated by specialized publications as a point dependent on the commercial performance of the two models in the coming years.
The hypothesis raised by these vehicles is that the i20 could take on more accessible versions of the line until 2028, while the HB20 would gradually lose space within Hyundai’s national portfolio.
Crossover look appears in Hyundai’s teasers
The images released by Hyundai indicate a front with LED headlights integrated by a light strip, a solution that appears accompanied by creases on the hood and a higher front than conventional hatches.
On the body, the teasers show elements associated with adventurous appeal models, such as plastic cladding on the wheel arches and proportions aimed at a compact crossover positioning.
The side should combine a high roof, darkened pillars, and an ascending waistline, design features that help differentiate the new vehicle from the traditional visual reading of a compact hatch.
At the rear, the expectation pointed out by projections from specialized publications is that the LED taillights will extend over the trunk lid, with a horizontal design and angular corners.
Hyundai has not yet released the complete technical specifications of the model, including final measurements, official trunk capacity, and all external dimensions of the body.
Estimates published by specialized portals indicate a length close to 4.10 meters, width around 1.80 meters, height in the range of 1.50 meters, and wheelbase of 2.58 meters.
If these numbers are confirmed, the new model will have a wheelbase longer than the current HB20, which measures 2.53 meters, a difference used by industry publications to project greater internal space.
The trunk is also considered a point of growth compared to the hatch currently sold in Brazil, with a projection close to 330 liters, compared to the 300 liters reported for the HB20.
Turbo flex engine should follow already known base
Hyundai has not yet officially detailed the mechanics of the new model, but specialized publications indicate that the brand should use already known flex engines from the HB20 line in the national project.
This solution, according to the reading of industry vehicles, would allow the use of components already used by the brand in Brazil and simplify industrial processes, maintenance network, and parts supply.
In the entry-level versions, the expected set is the 1.0 Kappa naturally aspirated three-cylinder, with up to 80 hp of power and 10.2 kgfm of torque when fueled with ethanol.
The transmission expected for these configurations is a five-speed manual, a combination that would maintain a simpler mechanical proposal for the versions positioned at the base of the range.
In the higher options, the forecast released by specialized portals is the adoption of the 1.0 TGDi turbo flex, with direct injection, up to 120 hp of power, and 17.5 kgfm of torque.
This engine appears associated with a six-speed automatic transmission and should concentrate the more equipped versions, if Hyundai maintains the same logic already applied in other national products.
There is also a discussion about a possible recalibration of the turbo engine for tax purposes, a topic mentioned in industry investigations, but still without official confirmation from Hyundai.
The possible reduction in power would be related to IPI brackets, according to these publications, but the data remains dependent on the official technical sheet and should not be treated as a confirmed decision.
ADAS package should enter the higher versions
The new model is expected to bring a more advanced safety package in the higher versions, according to specialized publications that analyzed the teasers and the equipment expected for the national launch.
Among the mentioned features are driving assistants from the ADAS package, with adaptive cruise control associated with the radar installed at the bottom of the front bumper.
The turbo configurations are expected to receive disc brakes on all four wheels, while the entry-level versions may retain a simpler solution on the rear axle, according to projections published by industry vehicles.
Full-LED headlights, electrically folding mirrors, and larger tires are also expected in the more equipped versions, items still subject to confirmation at the model’s official presentation.
In the cabin, the expectation disclosed by specialized publications includes a digital panel and multimedia center with an integrated look, following solutions that Hyundai already uses in more recent products.
The Bluelink system, available in other models of the brand in Brazil, is also pointed out as a possible component of the connectivity offer, but still depends on confirmation for each version.
The Chevrolet Sonic appears among the competitors mentioned for the new Hyundai, alongside Volkswagen Tera, Fiat Pulse, and Renault Kardian, within the group of compact models with an SUV or crossover proposal.
Chevrolet introduced the Sonic in Brazil in April 2026 as a compact coupe SUV, placing the model in the same market range considered in the investigations about the future national Hyundai.
National production expands Hyundai’s compact line
The arrival of the new Hyundai occurs at a time of reorganization of the Brazilian compact market, with different brands using higher bodywork and SUV visuals in entry-level products.
In this scenario, conventional hatchbacks are starting to share space with compact crossovers and subcompact SUVs, a movement observed in recent launches by manufacturers operating in the national market.
With national production, turbo flex engine, and ADAS package in the higher versions, the model treated as i20 is expected to expand Hyundai’s presence in an intermediate range between HB20 and Creta.
The definition of prices, versions, commercial name, final measurements, and production schedule, however, still depends on official confirmation from Hyundai for the Brazilian market.
Be the first to react!