South Korean auto major Hyundai finally pulled the wraps off its much anticipated sub-compact SUV ix25 at the Beijing Auto Show 2014.
Hyundai ix25, a smaller SUV designed and developed specifically for China market will go on sale in China in the second half of the year. Powered by the 2.0 litre direct injection petrol engine, Hyundai's latest offering in the SUV line up takes its design cues from its bigger siblings Santa Fe and Sonata. It measures 4,270mm in length, 1,780mm in width, 1,630mm in height and has wheelbase of 2,590mm.The car looks stylish in design and comes with hexagonal grille and LED-lined headlamps.
"Hyundai Motor has grown into a leading automaker in China through continuous innovation for the past 11 years," Gaadi.com quoted Hyundai Motor's President Sung Kee Choi. "Hyundai Motor is now poised for a new challenge to become the most-loved brand by Chinese customers, with high-quality models such as the ix25 SUV, which is strategically-developed for China, and the all-new Genesis introduced today."
The letter "i" in the ix25 corresponds to 'inspiring, intelligent and innovative' and with the new SUV Hyundai targets the younger generation. Korea's popular actor Kim Soo-hyun will promote Hyundai's new SUV in China. Although the company hopes to tap good sales volume in China with the smaller SUV, it is not clear if other markets like India will also get similar product from Hyundai. Rumours are rife that the Korean maker is working on a new SUV using the Grand i10 platform for India auto market.
In India, Hyundai is also expected to launch its new gen 2015 i20 in coming months. The car is expected to pack 1.4-liter diesel and 1.2-liter Kappa2 engine and is likely to come mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed manual transmission.
(Ed: AJ)
