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Hyundai, Kia's new hatchbacks potentially U.S.-bound

Hyundai and Kia debuted a pair of hatchbacks at the Frankfurt auto show that may eventually reach U.S. shores.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Meet the next Elantra Touring

Over at Hyundai's booth, the new i30 hatchback was being debuted. The previous generation i30 reached U.S. shores as the Elantra's wagon variant, so it's quite possible that this new model will eventually be rebadged as an Elantra Touring.
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2 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Hatchback form factor

The i30 features extra space in the back for schlepping stuff. The forward canted rear end flows nicely with the rest of Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language.
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3 of 10 Hyundai

i30 or i40?

However, the i30's short length may be too close in size to the U.S. market's Hyundai Accent, so perhaps the longer i40 will cross the pond to fill the Elantra Touring slot. It certainly looks the part. Which one we get will depend on whether Hyundai bets on a wagon or hatchback for the U.S. market.
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4 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

i30 interior

Inside, the i30 will be immediately familiar to anyone who's checked out our review of the new Hyundai Elantra.
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5 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Engine options

Up front are an array of gasoline and diesel engines that range from 90 to 125 horsepower, but if this hatchback reaches the States, it'll be powered by the Elantra's 1.8 liter GDI engine.
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6 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

Kia Rio three-door

Kia debuted the Rio three-door hatchback at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show. The five-door variant debuted at the Detroit auto show and will see North American sales, so there is the slightest possibility that this smaller variant could also see your local showroom.
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7 of 10 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1.4 liter diesel

The Rio is available in the EU with four engine options: two diesels and two gasoline engines.

The 1.4 liter diesel engine outputs 89 horsepower and 166 pound feet of torque while returning 62 mpg on the European test cycle.
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8 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

1.25 liter gasoline engine

The smaller 1.25 liter gasoline engine outputs 83 horsepower and 89 pound feet of torque while returning 49 mpg. That level of efficiency is promising, but those power levels won't fly on North American highways.
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9 of 10 Josh Miller/CNET

1.4 MPI gasoline engine

More realistic is the 1.4 MPI gasoline engine with its 107 horsepower and 101 pound feet of torque. Those sort of numbers will pit the Rio head to head with the Mazda Mazda2 (a hatchback that I personally like, despite its low level of tech). Expect the EPA's fuel economy numbers to sit somewhere below the EU's 46 mpg rating.
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10 of 10 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

EcoDynamics

My interest was piqued by the 1.1 liter EcoDynamics model with its small displacement diesel engine that outputs only 89 horsepower, but makes up for it with a respectable 125 pound feet of torque and an impressive 73.5 European mpg rating (about 61 U.S. mpg equivalent).

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