FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: All-new Hyundai i10 unwrapped

The all-new Hyundai i10 has been unveiled ahead of its launch at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

Created, the Korean car-maker claims, to be the most advanced small car in the light-car class, the 2020 Hyundai i10 arrives in Europe early next year and benefits from plenty of new technology.

Featuring extended rear wheel-arches that measure 20mm wider, designers say the new third-generation i10 stands 20mm lower than the outgoing model and 5mm longer.

Combining smaller front and rear overhangs, plus a 40mm stretched wheelbase, the designers have attempted to inject some visual drama into the Korean supermini but the result still lacks the sporty, squat proportions teased by the earlier design sketches.

Inside, rear passengers reap the rewards of the longer wheelbase via extra legroom, while the boot grows to 252 litres -- among the best in class.

Beneath the skin, engineers claim the new Hyundai i10 is far better to drive, with more responsive steering and better brake pedal modulation.

Reflecting its more involving drive, the i10 is now available with a 16-inch alloy wheel option.

It's inside you'll find perhaps the biggest changes, with the little i10's cabin looking like it's been lifted from a larger more expensive car.

Featuring a huge (for the class) 8.0-inch infotainment screen with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included, the i10 brings new tech like wireless charging and an optional reversing camera have been introduced.

Safety hasn't taken the back seat either in the tiniest Hyundai with both autonomous emergency braking and lane departure assistance becoming available for the first time.

The i10 also gets the car-maker's next-gen Bluelink connectivity system that allows the driver to use an app to find their car, track fuel prices and send navigation directions direct to the car.

Under the bonnet just two engines will be initially available: 49kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 62kW 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engines combined with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automated manual.

Later on, a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is tipped to arrive and it could power a flagship i10 N that will rival the Volkswagen Up GTI not available in Australia.

Like the pint-sized Volkswagen, the i10 isn't set to be sold Down Under, with Hyundai Australia focusing its resources on the aggressively-priced Venue small SUV, which it hopes is more attuned to Australian buyers' tastes.