Paris 2010: 2011 Hyundai ix20 is neat, nifty, compact

Hyundai's fluidic design language makes a little car quite handsome, and the ix20 MPV at the Paris Motor Show is the latest to benefit from the rhinoplasty. To our American eyes, it's a tiny piece of kit to be called an MPV, but the market for European B-segment people-carriers is robust.

Aimed at Continental families, the wheels pushed out to the corners provides a pleasantly roomy interior for a car with its dimensions. Four powerplants can be placed under the hood, two gas engines and two oil-burners ranging from 75 to 122 horsepower. Hyundai has also found room for plenty of safety features, with ESP, ABS, and Hill Start Assist making the list of standard kit.

Hyundai is hoping any further worries will be allayed by the five-year, unlimited mile warranty, and wants to sell 55,000 units of the ix20 annually.