These are the first images of the facelifted Hyundai i20, which will debut at Geneva 2012. Hyundai’s B-segment supermini wears a new face that’s in line with the brand’s new Fluidic Scupture image, although it looks milder compared to newer, clean sheet designs such as the i40 and new i30.

In terms of dimensions, width (1,710 mm), height (1,490 mm) and wheelbase (2,525 mm) remain the same, while overall length has increased by 55 mm over its predecessor to 3,995 mm. As comparision, the 3,950 mm Ford Fiesta has a 2,489 mm wheelbase.

The big news for Europe is a new 1.1 litre, three-cylinder ‘U-II’ diesel engine. This 75 PS unit is among four powertrain options for the refreshed i20 and has the lowest CO2 emissions of any conventional powertrain car on sale today. When mated to Hyundai’s Blue Drive tech, it emits just 84 g/km of CO2. This is even lower than some hybrids, and will be good for markets like the UK where car tax is aligned to CO2 ratings, not engine capacity.

Besides this, there will be another sub-100 g/km diesel – a 1.4 litre ‘U-II’ 90 PS engine that emits 96 g/km. This is proof that diving into the deep end of the demanding European market is a sure way for a carmaker to improve itself. Sink or swim, as the saying goes.