Remember the turgid Hyundai Trajet? It’s about to be replaced by a new, more compact MPV with the sparkle that denotes the newer Hyundais – and it’ll be inspired by 2008’s HED-5 concept car, apparently.
Word is the new Hyundai will be launched in late 2011, when it’ll probably carry a new-gen Hyundai badge: i55, anyone? And just check out that kinked windowline. Although we can’t 100% be sure it’s not part of the disguise, it seems that the new Korean MPV will carry off where the clunky Matrix left off, with more ups and downs than a Manhattan elevator.
Inspired by the Hyundai HED-5, you say?
The HED-5 concept car was shown at the 2008 Geneva motor show. It saw Hyundai collaborate with a large number of third parties: electronics giant LG turned the concept into a digital theatre with web access and video games galore, while paint specialist Bayer MaterialScience created self-healing paint that’s resistant to stone chips.
That show car packed a new turbodiesel engine, packing 2200cc, twin turbos and a wholesome 212bhp and 307lb ft.
Inside the new Hyundai MPV
Our spies have scooped the first look inside the C-MPV, which will be aimed at the Zafira and Scenic set. There’s a classy angled centre stack, heavily cowled instrument clusters in an Alfa Romeo style and – intriguingly – two different coloured front seats, burgundy for the driver and grey for the passenger. We presume that’s just a development hack wheeze.
The new C-MPV is due in late 2011, but first up is Hyundai’s take on the Venga – the B-MPV due for launch in November 2010.
Current nomenclature at Hyundai means regular mainstream models are called by even numbers: i10, i20, i30 and so forth. Niche products will bear odd numbers, such as iX35 (the ‘X’ denoting its crossover bias). Bosses have yet to decide what letter to use for MPVs – the iM35 doesn’t work quite so well for English speakers…