Hyundai has released a teaser image of its new upcoming subcompact SUV, while also revealing the newcomer’s name.
The new model will be badged as the Hyundai Kona, named after a district of the same name in Hawaii. The Korean automaker says the island’s “energetic image and unique lifestyle matches the all-new Hyundai Kona’s dynamic character”.
The Kona will join the Santa Fe and Tucson in Hyundai’s SUV line-up, competing with the likes of the Ford EcoSport, Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR. What about the Creta, which arrived in South Africa earlier this year? Well, the Creta – which is also known in some markets as the ix25 – is not offered in Europe, instead finding itself limited to so-called emerging markets, such as ours.
Initially, we believed this would mean the new Kona would not be offered locally, with the Creta filling that gap in Hyundai’s SA range. But we’ve since heard that the local arm of the Korean brand has not ruled out bringing the Kona to SA, hinting that it could appeal to a slightly different audience.
The automaker has revealed little else about the new model (which is expected to share its underpinnings with a Kia of a similar size), describing it only as a “unique subcompact SUV” bearing “true SUV genes” and “premium features”. But the teaser image shows a slim headlamp that looks quite different to the lights used on current Hyundai models, suggesting a new design language for the Korean automaker.
More information, naturally, will become available in due course, with a possible reveal at the New York Auto Show.
