Staria confirmed for NZ release

Hyundai here says it will take the big lugger, but offers few other details

 TWO, five and eight-seat configurations will apply in Kiwi market versions of the Hyundai Staria, a van whose styling is definitely out of the box.

 Aside from provisioning the seat counts – which suggest a pure commercial/speed camera version, plus two that will potentially set to act in family-sized people carrier and potentially a luxury minivan mode – Hyundai New Zealand is giving little away in respect to the model.

It says specifications for this market will be released closer launch, though the date for that is also undetermined. The best the Auckland-based distributor can offer is that arrival is due in “the second half of this year.”

Staria’s bold styling has attracted a lot of attention but so has its sheer size; the full length is 5.2 metres and it has a 3.2m wheelbase.

The chair configurations for this market seem to be different than those cited by Hyundai headquarters. They have also spoken of a seven-seater in a plush Premium layout, above, which offers reclining armchairs in the second and third row. They also configure an 11-seater. Hyundai NZ says that one is not on their wish list.

Insofar as powertrains go, it gets the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel and 3.5-litre V6 petrol that serve in the super-sized Palisade sports utility, these respectively outputting 129kW and 431Nm and 199kW and 331Nm. 

There’s no suggestion that it is in line for the hybrid drivetrains that Hyundai has also developed, for Santa Fe.

Ute-like Santa Cruz reveal close

With the big debut days just away, Hyundai muddies the waters about what it has finally created.

WE’D be comfortable calling it a utility … but Hyundai is insisting its long-awaited Santa Cruz traydeck is something else.

 When pressed on what that makes it, though, they seem lost for words.

So goes the latest news in respect to a model that, after a remarkably long development process – remember, the concept was unveiled in Los Angeles six years ago – now seems close to entering production.

We’ll know a lot more later this week; Hyundai plans on Thursday to release a wealth of detail about its unibodied trucklet, including what markets will take it and when.

Will that include New Zealand? The brand’s distributor has sporadically expressed interest, but never outright said it’s in the queue.

Potentially it might be, given that information out of Hyundai North America, which has taken the lead on this project, suggests the vehicle is based on the latest Tucson, which is now coming into this market. 

Of course, that relationship only becomes meaningful if Santa Cruz is also built in left-hand-drive.

Anyway, ahead of the big reveal, Hyundai has released not only some images but also a video from its design studio in California talking about the new model. 

As you can see, the production has Brad Arnold, the design manager of Hyundai North America, stating it’s “not a truck” but instead is “… a Santa Cruz."

That proposition has gone down interestingly in the US, with leading website Autoblog summing up the situation well by commenting that, if it’s not what it appears to be, what does it become? Suggests the site: “So, um, it's a city? A skateboard brand? A school whose mascot is the banana slug?”

Turns out, Hyundai is striving to enforce this model is especially designed to fit into an environment a lot of outdoorsy utes sold in NZ also find themselves coping with. The city.

"It's meant to thrive in dense urban environments, and the open outdoors," Arnold states.

So it’s soft? Well, maybe. As Autoblog says, it’s based on the Tucson and no-one will confuse that model as being a hard-out off-roader, either.

Kona update lifts model choice, prices

Sporty looking N-Line a prelude to a properly fiery N yet to come.

 FRESHENED styling, more tech – and price increases.

That’s the story in respect the carryover editions in what’s being called Kona Series II, a mid-life update of the brand’s popular compact crossover that continues with familiar drivetrains but delivers a new family member that elevates optimal spend for a petrol edition.

The new equivalents of variants that have represented in the pre-facelift lineup and deliver with powertrains are the IVT, Elite IVT and Limited IVT.

These respectively price at $34,990, $39,990 and $44,990.

This means the cheapest and most expensive variants are $3000 dearer than previously, while the mid-grade lifts by $2000. 

These model all run with a 2.0-litre engine, making 110kW and 180Nm, paired with a constantly variable transmission with eight pre-set steps and are front-drive. 

Above these places a new configuration, the Kona N-Line, which adopts a sports styling package absent from the cheaper cars and also has a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, married to a seven-speed automated manual. 

The N-Line achieves specific signatures of bonnet vents on the nose, a “motorsport-inspired” front end, body colour claddings, a larger rear spoiler and diamond-cut wheels.

This 146kW/265Nm version costs $49,990 and will stand as a fossil fuelled flagship only temporarily, as Hyundai NZ has signalled it will ultimately also represent with the Kona N – a high performance variant expected before year-end.  

The first SUV to be reworked by Hyundai’s  N Division, the Kona N achieves a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, in marriage to an eight-speed dual clutch transmission – and potentially, might deliver in front- rather than four-wheel-drive.

It’s the same engine that serves the brand’s current sole N division emissary in New Zealand, the i30 N, and while outputs have yet to be announced, it's likely they will match the 206kW and 392Nm the hot hatch delivers.

Hyundai has previously promised the powertrain will be flavoured by a launch control and a sports exhaust.

Hyundai NZ has also yet to receive the updated Kona Electric, which adopts the same altered styling cues seen on the petrol-wed cars and delivers with an electric powertrain that gives more range and better performance than the current car’s.

The present electric model has been subject to concern about the integrity of its battery, with the brand effecting a recall in many markets. 

The Series II gets a new front-end design. There are redesigned narrow LED daytime running lights above the separate headlight cluster and wheel arch cladding contrasting with the body colour. The rear end is also restyled, though less radically than the front. 

Inside is a new console area and it achieves an electric parking brake, ambient lights, aluminium finishing around the speakers and air vents and a leather option. 

New to this model is the option of a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. In addition, the new Kona also comes with an optional 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system.

Safety and driver assist ingredients run to active cruise control, lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic alert and safe exit warning to forward collision avoidance assist with optional cyclist detection.

It picks up leading vehicle departure alert, which alerts a driver as to when a stationary vehicle in front has moved on.

Santa Fe and Sorento: Same yet different

The latest editions of the Hyundai and Kia large SUVs are still twins, but far from identical – particularly on the inside.

the Hyundai Santa Fe (above) and Kia Sorento are classic examples of badge engineering.

 I CAN just imagine the discussions that took place between two design teams during development of the latest Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento medium-sized sport utilities.

Hyundai: “We’re typically regarded as the more luxurious marque, so we want our interior to reflect that.”

Kia: “We’re typically regarded as the sportier and more youthful brand, so our interior should reflect that.”

To all intents and purposes the Santa Fe and Sorento are the same vehicle. They’re built on the same platform, share the same powertrains, and their base exterior designs are the same. And although they are built at different South Korean assembly plants – the Hyundai at Ulsan and the Kia at Hwaseong  - they were no doubt also developed within sight of each other at the sprawling Hyundai Kia Automotive Group research and development centre at NamYang, in South Korea.

But the two vehicles are different, particularly when viewed from the inside. In there, it is the Sorento that indeed exudes the more youthful look, while it is the Santa Fe that is indeed the more grown-up and luxurious.

It’s called badge engineering – but it’s not as we used to know it.

The term had its origins in the days – as far back as 1917, in fact - when, in an effort to spread vehicle development costs, manufacturers would simply replace a car’s badging to create a new model that would be sold by a different brand. Such as swapping the badges of a Mazda 323 hatch and calling it a Ford Laser, for instance. Or in more recent times, changing the badges of an Opel Senator or Insignia and calling it a Holden Commodore.

The Sorento is larger, its wheelbase and body is longer, which translates to superior interior load space.

These days, in many instances the badge engineering has progressed far beyond simply swapping logos. Exterior styling between closely related vehicles can be considerably different, interiors can be unique, and ride and handling characteristics can be engineered to suit the particular needs of each particular vehicle.

Outstanding modern-day examples of all of this are the Santa Fe and the Sorento. And the best way to illustrate it all is to study their respective centre consoles – those areas that house all the control bearing surfaces ranging from infotainment to climate controls to gearshifts.

At the top level – the Santa Fe Limited and the Sorento Premium – the vehicles are powered by the same 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic operated via a shift-by-wire selector.

But the vehicles require different techniques to do the gear selecting. In the case of the Santa Fe the selector is a push-button thing with Reverse, Neutral and Drive in a top-to-bottom line, with Park (the electronic park brake) to one side. The Sorento’s selector is a rotary device with R, N and D in a left-to-right sequence with the P button in the centre.

The differences continue through the respective centre consoles. In the Kia, the audio and air conditioning controls are located between two air vents in the dash area immediately below a tablet-style infotainment screen, while in the Hyundai the controls are laid out in an orderly fashion slightly north of the gear selector.

There are numerous other differences in the centre console designs, and they all point towards the same design conclusion – that the Santa Fe should be seen as the more premium SUV, the Sorento as the more informal choice.

So which is best? Well, firstly I have to say that both interiors are very good, outstanding examples of how things can be the same but different. Study both interior designs closely and it is obvious that almost all the controls are essentially in shared locations, but their design and application are unique.

Hyundai’s interior is different to the Kia’s, not least when it comes to the gear selector design. This is the Santa Fe …. Rob didn’t like it.

…. here’s the Kia. And, again, a gear selector that failed to impress.

But as for the electronic gear selectors? Frankly, I don’t like either.  I much prefer the sense of motoring involvement that comes via the use of a gearstick. Isn’t that ironic? It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were all moaning about the demise of manual gearshifts. Now I find myself moaning about the demise of auto gearshifters.

Mind you, there’s no denying the intelligence of the electronic transmissions. Our home has a short sloping driveway that requires us to reverse out of. When I had the Santa Fe for road test I initially found I was unable to select reverse gear and move off, because the Hyundai refused to disengage the electric park brake. It took a little while for me to realise this would not happen until we had clicked the driver’s seat belt in place.

Of course the same intelligence is aboard the Sorento, because they share the same transmission. In fact with both vehicles you are not allowed to move off in Drive either unless you have the driver’s seatbelt clicked in place.

Other differences between the two? While it is obvious the base design is the same, there are major differences in nose and tail design. The Sorento is larger, its wheelbase (2815mm versus 2765mm) and body is longer, which translates to superior interior load space. I believe that, to the uninitiated, the Santa Fe and Sorento have to be regarded as entirely different SUVs.

They’re both contributing solidly to their brands’ sales efforts, too.

As at the end of February Kia was running second beyond Toyota in passenger vehicle and SUV sales with a 13 percent share, while Hyundai was in sixth place with seven percent. But of these two medium-sized SUVs, it was the Santa Fe that was the dominant performer, sitting in 10th place with 338 sales.

That was a sound result for an SUV that sells for as much as $89,990 as a Limited – which is $13,000 more than the Sorento Premium. Could that be because customers prefer the more premium look of the Santa Fe to the extent they are prepared to pay the extra dollars? Or, does the Hyundai look more premium both inside and out than the Kia Equivalent?

After looking at the photographs accompanying this article, you be the judge.

Covers pulled from Staria

Get a load of this …. Hyundai’s spaceship-styled Staria is fully revealed.

NO word yet from Hyundai in New Zealand, but with other markets – including Australia – indicating they’re starters, the star signs are surely looking good for this dramatic looking next-generation people-mover making a local debut. 

The Staria is touted as a replacement for the iMax, the passenger version of the iLoad van, and in that people-provisioning format it will be built in seven-seater and nine-seater variants, with a luxury Premium edition billed in the latter format.

After sharing teaser images last week, Hyundai has now properly revealed the model and offered unexpurgated viewing of its mono-cell body.

The Premium version seen here is wearing a '3.5' badge. Does this mean its powertrain could be borrowed from the recently-released Santa Fe, offering 200kW and 332Nm via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic?

A turbo diesel is likely to be offered in entry-level Staria models, and could use a version of the Santa Fe's 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder, or potentially the 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder borrowed from the new-generation Tucson, also incoming to NZ soon.

Hyundai dealers in Australia have been told all-wheel-drive versions may be available. That’s of relevance here; our markets often share common models.

It’s thought the Staria, and the next-gen iLoad, will ditch the current generations’ rear-wheel drive layout for a front-drive monocoque platform.

The passenger version will incorporate independent coil rear suspension whereas the commercial editions are on a solid leaf-sprung rear axle.

Hyundai says the interior has been inspired by the lounge of a cruise ship, hence the enormous dark-tinted panoramic windows.

Staria will be offered in multiple seating configurations, with bench seat options in lower-spec variants taking up to 11 occupants. That latter provision comes with a model with four rows of seats that will apparently only sell in South Korea.

The top-spec variants will have individual arm rest for front and middle row passengers. Captain seats, with 180 degree swivelling function in the second row, will also have ottoman and recline function.

Infotainment will come from a centrally-mounted 10.25-inch screen, and the driver will be greeted with a digital instrument cluster and a button-type shift lever.

Staria – Hyundai’s stunning space shuttle

It’s intended to look like a spaceship visiting from another star system.

AS much as sports utility vehicles and crossovers have become Hyundai’s bread and butter in this market, the maker has not lost hope in there being a market for people carriers.

In that vein, Seoul given allowed a sneak peek at what it prefers to call a minivan that is production bound and potentially accessible to Hyundai New Zealand.

That’s wholly conjecture, though. Every piece of info about Staria has come from head office in South Korea. Hyundai NZ has not said a word.

 Fair to suggest the Staria is far more futuristic and interesting-looking than your average MPV.

Even the latest Kia Carnival, which has just landed here and would conceivably be considered a rival, is made to look quite old-fashioned.

For its part, Hyundai isn’t shy about supporting thought that the Staria is very much a future-now vehicle, probably vying to be the most outrageous and extrovert offer in the large MPV category since the Renault Espace and Avantime.

Indeed, in blurb sent out with these images it is bold enough to outright state the vehicle has a spaceship-like exterior design.

Certainly, it is bold: American website AutoBlog sums up well in describing Staria as looking as though it was “beamed to 2021 from 2121.”

 The styling highlights are numerous. The heavily raked windscreen and boxy monobox elements deliver a tie to the Ioniq 5 electric car that is coming here later this year.

The head-turning front end is characterised by an LED light bar that stretches across the entire fascia and headlights positioned at about the same level as the wheels. They're integrated into an extra-wide grille with bright mesh inserts. The tail lights are made up of individual dots that look like pixels; a signature also of the Ioniq 5. 

The short overhangs hint at an expansive wheelbase to maximise interior space. The dashboard is dominated by a centre-mounted touchscreen for the infotainment system and it appears there's no driver's display behind the steering wheel. The gear selector is a set of buttons, positioned right below the screen; the same layout already used by the Santa Fe.

The version in the images is a flagship model, designated the Premium, so it’s all about luxury. For instance, rear passengers travel on individual seats with retractable footrests. How much plusher it is to the standard fitout is a mystery, as that has yet to be seen. But you’d imagine there will be one better suited to the school run.

Kona N unveiled – pretty much

Seoul has just sent out these images of its upcoming performance SUV. Thoughts?

GETTING excited by the prospect of a performance flagship version of Hyundai’s Kona sports utility?

Maybe these photos will further fuel that enthusiasm.

 These are the first images of the car without camouflage, and though they are not exactly fully unexpurgated reveals, they do give a good idea of what to expect from a model set to land, probably later this year, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, in marriage to an eight-speed dual clutch transmission – and potentially, in front- rather than four-wheel-drive format.

It’s the same engine that serves the brand’s current sole N division emissary in New Zealand, the i30 N, and while outputs have yet to be announced, it's likely they will match the 206kW and 392Nm the hot hatch delivers.

Hyundai has previously promised the powertrain will be flavoured by a launch control and a sports exhaust.

The Kona N provides the first opportunity for the make’s N Division and the Hyundai Design Centre to work together on this kind of body type, and as the images released from South Korea today enforce, the ‘hot SUV’ ideal is being taken seriously.

 The car has a wider and lower stance than the donor and, accordingly, “clearly

represents a powerful presence and driving fun,” the maker says.

The front view is dominated by large, sporty and “iconic” air intakes, and the new light signature lends an aggressive, powerful appearance, the brand contends.

The lower grille defines the character of the bumper fascia; “its shape is inspired by an aeronautic fuselage and extends to the side of the car, emphasising its aerodynamic efficiency and speed. An N logo on the unique upper grille completes the look.”

At the rear, a large double-wing roof spoiler for enhanced downforce gives spice to the rear view. It also incorporates a third, triangular brake light, as is customary with N models. 

Large N dual exhaust mufflers fully express the high-performance spirit, according to today’s release.

“Lower down on the rear bumper, a large diffuser enhances the airflow departure. The sporty appearance is further emphasised through body-coloured fenders, bringing Kona N visually closer to the ground.”

Exclusive alloy wheels and red accents embellishing the side sills are exclusive N signatures.

Ioniq 5 taking off – other EVs recall status pending

Hyundai New Zealand is focusing on the positives of its battery charge; but where does that leave Kona and Ioniq EV owners?

NZ interest in the Ioniq 5 coming in the second part of 2021 has been immediate.

 KIWI interest in the latest Hyundai electric car since its reveal a week ago is being celebrated by the brand’s distributor – however, it has still to reconcile an issue tied to two battery-dedicated models already here.

In respect to the Ioniq Five, which made its global reveal on February 23 the first product from the Korean giant’s new electric sub-brand, Hyundai New Zealand says pre-orders have opened for a futuristic model set to land in the second part of the year and that the count has reached double figures.

Spokesman woman Kimberley Waters later clarified this to “20 pre-orders” since a specific webpage went live two days ago. Many more EV enthusiasts have sought information.

HNZ asks for a $500 deposit with each pre-order, but says that will be fully refundable if the intending buyer has a change of mind.

No price has been established for the five-seater medium crossover, the first model built on Hyundai Motor Group’s new dedicated architecture for battery electric vehicles, called Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and the New Zealand market specification is not yet clear. The car’s drawcard elements include eco-friendly materials of its interior design, to ultra-fast charging and vehicle-to-load function.

“We are really pleased by the initial interest in the IONIQ 5. Our team and dealer network are really excited about bringing this EV into New Zealand, and it seems many other EV enthusiasts are too,” says Andy Sinclair, Hyundai NZ’s general manager.

“In a matter (of) days we’ve had a large volume of people register their interest to hear more about this vehicle, as well as pre-orders.”

Ioniq Five’s roll out has timed with a big challenge for Hyundai and its sales agencies – the need to recall electric Kona SUV and Ioniq hatchback cars built since 2018 to replace their battery packs and battery management systems.

This requirement is triggered by fears of a potential fire risk.

 Many countries have already initiated a recall. Waters says HNZ has yet to receive an official notification from Seoul.

“We have still not received official notification from Hyundai Motor Company, so until we have full details regarding the recall campaign we are unable to fully initiate our recall process here in New Zealand.

“One of the first steps in the recall process is to notify/inform Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the CEO of the Motor Industry Association, and then begin communicating with customers with affected vehicles.

“When that happens, the recall will appear on the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency recall website.“

Hyundai NZ says it is still awaiting official notification of need to recall the Kona EV and Ioniq EV hatch.

Remedial action that Hyundai Motors has said is required is a massive and expensive job; 82,000 electric vehicles are drawen in – the majority being Kona EVs, but the fully-electric version of the Ioniq hatch (sold here) is also involved, as are some buses (not sold here). 

The remedy is a complete replacement of the lithium-ion battery that feeds the cars’ electric propulsion. The total to Hyundai Motor is estimated to be at least $NZ1.2 billion, making it the most expensive EV recall ever.  

According to the Korea Herald newspaper, Hyundai will begin the replacement process at the end of this month March in the domestic market and from April in overseas markets.

It proposes a major logistical issue for the brand’s  overseas’ agencies as the batteries will have to be shipped by sea and then fitted locally, once the subject cars have been divested of the original items, which will also require safe disposal. New Zealand does not have facility for disassembly of such batteries.

It said the battery system subject to the replacement was manufactured by South Korea’s No.1 battery maker LG Energy Solutions, between November 2017 and March 2020. LG Energy is a key affiliate of the country’s leading chemical firm LG Chem Ltd, it said.

Another Korean news outlet, Business Korea, reported recently that since its launch in 2018, the Kona EV has suffered a total of 15 fires — 11 in South Korea and four overseas. Fires have also been reported in Ioniqs, and on February 15, in a Hyundai electric bus. No fires have been reported in New Zealand.

Three previous recall for the Kona are listed on the NZTA website, one specific to the EV, issued in October. This was an issue with the battery system that might also lead to a fire. The recall proposed a software update as a primary measure to address the issue. In at least one case, a NZ-new car required a complete battery change.

The owner of that car, which returned to the road last month after 68 days in an accredited workshop, has spoken with MotoringNZ. He is unsure if the replacement is of the same kind that requires replacement or if it has an improved battery.

 Hyundai gives its full EVs an eight warranty on the battery; conceivably that would refresh with a replacement.

First look at new Tucson – smart tech with smart looks

We poke a head over the fence – well, the Tasman Sea, really – to get an early gander at Hyundai’s crucial new model.

AN early preview of the new sharp-suited Hyundai Tucson heading to New Zealand has conceivably been delivered by our next-door neighbour.

Disclosure of technical and model line information heading into Australia will likely be largely valid for NZ, save for usual detail differences such as an adjustment of the flagship’s name.

Australia can get away with Highlander for the highest spec car there because the Toyota that sells with that name here is a Kluger across the Tasman. Here it’s likely to be a Limited, as per convention expressed on the Santa Fe and Palisade. 

It’s wholly possible we will see a less fulsome line-up to that launching over there between April and June. Yet the look and core elements of what has been unveiled across the Tasman is assuredly heading this way.

There’s a strong spirit of co-operation between the two countries’ distributors that undoubtedly works to NZ advantage. The Auckland-run national operation has relatively modest volume requirements and teaming up with Australia, which is a factory-run outfit with big sales counts, opens doors in Seoul.

So, anyway, Australia is taking three variants – base called Tucson, mid-spec Elite (a name also used here) and a high-end - and three powertrains, all offering the option of an N line package, which doesn’t alter performance but elevates the styling tweaks and features. 

The N Line pack includes a body kit with sportier bumpers and side skirts, a gloss black grille with 'hidden' daytime-running lights, 19-inch alloy wheels (the base car in standard form runs 17s), silver skid plates, and an embossed steering wheel.

The pack also adds LED headlights, LED 'combination' tail-lights, a unique leather/suede trimmed interior and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

The engines are all four-cylinders, overhauled units now being marketed as members of Hyundai's new 'SmartStream' family.

A 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre petrol is the base mill, matched to a six-speed auto and driving the front wheels. The more upmarket four-wheel-drive editions arrive with a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo petrol mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The diesel choice is a 137kW/416Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre married to an eight-speed automatic. 

Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking (with support for intersections), lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, a speed limiter, tyre pressure monitoring, and rear parking sensors. 

Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-following assist and rear cross-traffic alert are also expected to be standard across the range.

Driver attention monitoring is standard, while other safety features are expected to include Safe Exit Warning (which reminds passengers to check for oncoming hazards before opening their door) and multi-collision braking (which applies the brakes after a collision to prevent subsequent impacts).

Seven airbags are standard, including a centre airbag between the front seats.

Standard equipment on our neighbour’s entry car includes an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4.2-inch driver's information display, manual air conditioning, cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear selector, keyless entry (but no push-button start), automatic halogen headlights, LED daytime-running lights, and power-adjustable door mirrors.

Their mid-grade adds a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with smartphone mirroring and satellite navigation, leather seat trim, a power-adjustable driver's seat, front seat heating, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, push-button start, a 'smart' key, rain-sensing wipers, a rear-seat alert (notifying drivers if passengers have been left in the rear seats), front and rear parking sensors, and braking functionality for the blind-spot monitoring system.

Elite variants equipped with either of the turbocharged engines also feature paddle shifters and a shift-by-wire gear selector.

The flagship runs 19-inch rims, has LED headlights and tail-lights, a dark chrome grille. a silver skid plate, chrome trim, a power-operated tailgate and a panoramic sunroof.

The cabin sports a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, ambient LED mood lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, memory for the driver's seat, a power-adjustable passenger seat and a Bose premium sound system.

The top grade also delivers a 360-degree camera, a blind-spot view monitor – which, as per the Santa Fe, projects a rear-facing camera feed from the side mirrors into the instrument cluster when changing lanes - an electrochromatic rear-view mirror and low-speed rear autonomous emergency braking.

Australia’s flagship diesel includes remote smart park assist, allowing the vehicle to be moved backwards and forwards into a tight parking space via the key fob, when standing next to the car. Again, a feature shared with Santa Fe.

When the car unveiled internationally last year, Hyundai talked up how a smartphone app could be used to lock and unlock the car from up to 27 metres away.

What more is there to know? Well, conceivably quite a lot.

For instance, the cars so far discussed are five seaters.

Hyundai NZ stated last year it is keen to also take this fourth-generation car in an alternate and new long-wheelbase format – that avails a third seating row – in addition to continuing with a five-chair layout.

The longer version measures 4630mm in length (so up 150mm on the short wheelbase), 1865mm in width (plus 15mm) and 1665mm in height (up 5mm), riding on a 2755mm (plus 85mm) wheelbase.

In addition to the orthodox powertrains, it’s also previously express interest   in the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options that are also coming into production, these based around the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and producing a combined 171kW/350Nm. There’s no mention of those in the Australian media share.

Tucson’s new exterior styling is bound to raise plenty of comment. Hyundai says it expresses an evolving Sensuous Sportiness design identity and embodies what its designers call ‘parametric dynamics’ with “kinetic jewel surface details that emphasises Tucson’s distinctly different identity in a crowded segment.” Translation? There are a lot of sharp edges.

It fronts up boldly, too: The grille is filled with LED lights which only reveal themselves when illuminated. The rear will also make an impressive; it has a connected LED light bar sitting across the beltline and joining two clawed LED taillights.

 The interior also seems set to be more plush. Most ‘hard’ controls, such as dials and buttons, are gone. So too the gearstick; with Santa FE-style push buttons instead.

Latest Kona EV kerfuffle not the first glitch

Requirement to change the Kona EV’s battery has a familiar ring to some NZ owners.

The Kona EV battery effectively fills out the entire floor area.

A PROBABLE recall that demands replacing the lithium ion battery that powers in Hyundai’s highest-profile electric car seems set to hit hundreds of Kiwi owners, including a handful for whom this could well seem deja vu.

Comment from electric vehicle owners about yesterday’s MotoringNZ story relating how Hyundai is moving toward recalling its Kona electric car internationally – and potentially also at least some examples of the battery-pure version of the Ioniq – following a spate of fires in South Korea, has drawn attention to the Kona already being subject to a remedial action here that began five months ago, is only now wrapping up and also sometimes demands the same extreme action of a complete battery exchange.

In November, Hyundai New Zealand recalled 724 Kona EVs it had sold, having been advised by the factory that "the lithium-ion battery may have internal damage or the battery management system control software may cause an electrical short circuit after charging" which could result in a fire.

It is unclear if this is the same fault at the centre of the recent fires overseas.

The immediate remedy for this was to change the battery management system and, if that did not work, Hyundai advised the same procedure it proposes for this new recall – pulling out the battery, a hefty and large item which completely fills out under the floor and is all but a structural component, and replacing it.

Hyundai NZ has said it awaiting confirmation that the Kona EV will be recalled again, however reports from overseas say this is a given and from the tenor of comment it has offered, the local distributor also seemed resigned.

This latest action is a whopper. It is expected to cost $US900 million to execute, a sum that makes it the most expensive recall involving an EV so far, and will cover 82,000 vehicles worldwide.

Conceivably, it will draw in the NZ cars involved in last year’s recall. These were built between September 29, 2017, and March, 20, 2020.

It is thought many were put right with an update to the battery management software. However not all these examples were remedied that easily.

the updated Kona, due to come here later this year, has the same battery pack as cars likely to be recalled.

MotoringNZ has spoken with a North Island Kona owner whose car, bought in 2018, was off the road from early December until mid-February while it awaited a battery replacement. His vehicle has since faulted again. Learning that it might require yet another battery was exasperating news. 

Kimberley Waters, a spokeswoman for Hyundai NZ, explained the original action.

“We updated the BMS software to allow for detection of abnormalities in the high-voltage battery system while parked.

 “If the software detected any early electronics deficiencies a full battery replacement was required.

“We are 96 percent through the initial recall and through the inspection process some Li-ion batteries were identified as needing replacing.”

The latest action has resulted after a Korean government investigation into why Hyundai EVs – which included a bus as well as some cars - were catching fire. That probe revealed the possibility of short circuits in certain defective battery cells produced by the supplier, LG Energy Solution.

According to Reuters news agency, the battery maker and automaker are currently hashing out a deal to split the cost associated with completely replacing batteries for the EVs.

It's not clear if this news will push back the arrival of the updated Kona EV, which has already been revealed globally and was supposed to arrive in New Zealand this year. The refreshed car boasts an updated design, but its electric powertrain continues unchanged.

Hyundai NZ awaiting EV fire risk recall news

Remedial action for Kona and Ioniq EVs has begun in South Korea; battery replacement for Kona has been proposed.

POTENTIAL that two popular Hyundai electric cars might be drawn into a massively expensive recall triggered by a fire danger that has made headlines in South Korea has been acknowledged by the make’s New Zealand distributor.

Hyundai New Zealand says it is aware of the situation in the marque’s home market in respect to a spate of battery fires reported there in the Ioniq and Kona electric models.

No such events have been reported in New Zealand.

The tenor of the reply from the make’s representative, an independent distributor, in respect to questions about this seems to leave impression a recall might not be out of the question, all the same.

This is supported by latest reports from Seoul, in which the brand is on record as saying it intends to replace the batteries in 82,000 electric vehicles, including 75,680 Kona EVs, 5515 Ioniqs and 305 buses at a cost of more than $US900 million, a record amount for an EV recall.

This comes after multiple South Korean news outlets have reported the manufacturer will voluntarily replace batteries, made by another Korean brand, LG Chem, in all local market examples.

While ignored by mainstream news outlets, the issue has nonetheless become a hot topic of discussion in recent weeks for EV owners subscribing to a national Facebook forum.

Hyundai NZ spokeswoman Kimberley Waters said today that “to date, there have been no fires recorded in NZ attributable to this condition.” 

She did not address a question asking if owners have expressed concern to Hyundai NZ. 

In respect to the potential for a recall, she offered: “We are aware of the news that has come out of Korea.

“However, (we) are waiting for official communication from Hyundai Motor Company with regards to this recall and the number of EVs affected here in New Zealand.

“Safety of our customers is paramount, so as soon as we have a list of affected vehicles we will contact those customers to advise next steps.”

A major South Korean news outlet, Business Korea, has reported 15 individual incidents of battery-related fires having been recorded in Kona EVs.

Similar fires have also been reported in Ioniq electric cars. Recently, a Hyundai electric bus caught on fire while operating in Seoul. 

Hyundai has also been caught up in an issue with the Tucson sports utility, citing a potential fire risk deriving from a braking circuit board.

The Kona launched in 2018, a year after the Ioniq released here as Hyundai’s first electric car. A heavily updated Kona EV is set for release in NZ soon and, of course, Hyundai has just revealed its first electric car to be sold under a new sub-brand, called Ioniq, that is intended to go on sale here in the second part of 2021.

Five a big numbers car

A host of clever tech comes with the first product from Hyundai’s new EV sub-brand

ANTICIPATED local availability is the second half of his year – oh, and what you see may or may not entirely be what you get.

That’s the initial message out of Hyundai New Zealand in respect to the ‘5’, the first of a new lineup of all-electric Ioniq-branded cars, and the first to use Hyundai's high-tech new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).

In comment timed with the car’s global unveiling overnight, local brand spokeswoman Kimberley Waters has offered: “Please note that this is a global release so specifications will vary per country/region.

 “Once we are in a position to share more about the IONIQ 5 specifications for the NZ market (anticipated arrival is the second half of the year) we will so.”

That cautionary comment seems reasonable – this initial unwrap suggests there’s  conceivably a lot offered with this car that stretches, if not outright breaks, existing local boundaries.

It’s fair to suggest that that platform is arguably the most important thing about this hatchback.

It means that not only does it have a flat-floor interior, optional four-wheel drive, and a range of up to 500km, but it also a facility barely supported in New Zealand -  800-volt charging, until now the preserve of high-end EVs such as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT.

This means that the Ioniq 5 can draw as much as 220kW of power from a high-speed public charging point, meaning that an 80 percent battery charge can be achieved in as little as 18 minutes. Just charging up at maximum for five minutes adds 100km of driving range.

Also, the Ioniq 5's charging system is also the first to come to market with something else Kiwis have yet to experience: Vehicle-to-grid capability. That means it’s a portable generator in itself.

The idea is can power tools, camping equipment, laptops and an electric bike. Hyundai envisages that, in the future, you will be able to sell excess charge in the battery to the national grid at peak times and then recharge your Ioniq 5 later on, at cheaper night rates.

The car also provisions with either one or two electric motors, for two- or four-wheel drive. The single motor version uses a 126kW rear-mounted motor. The all-paw is a dualy, with a combined power output of 227kW and 605Nm of torque. In latter form, the Ioniq 5 will accelerate from 0-100kmh in just 5.5 seconds.

Range depends on the battery. There’s a choice of two - a 58kWh unit or a 72.6kWh unit. Hyundai hasn't indicated the range for the smaller, but the bigger one, with a single electric motor, lends 480km on the WLTP test.

The styling influence is the first car Hyundai sold in NZ, the Hyundai Pony, but not seriously; size-wise it is much larger, too. It seems spacious, with a three-metre wheelbase, flat-floor, and lie-flat seats. The centre console slides back and forth; one reason being so front seat passengers can get in and out through either front door. There's a spacious 531-litre boot as well.

There are two 12-inch displays up front for the instrument panel and the infotainment system, plus an 'augmented reality' heads-up display. The Ioniq 5 will also come with the full suite of 'BlueLink' connectivity, meaning in-car internet connection, smartphone control, and more.

Price? There’s been all sorts of speculation, but nothing confirmed, let alone locally.But given the spec, the car’s size, the fact that its job is to establish Ioniq as a more techy and glam alternate to the parent brand’s own electric cars, the Kona and, erm, Ioniq (hatch) and even the factor of Hyundai here being represented by an independent distributor rather than as a factory shop (as sub-brand Kia effectively plays) … well, don’t be surprised if at least the AWD pushes aside the up-to-$130k Palisade large SUV as Hyundai’s most expensive product here.

Ioniq 5 interior previewed

Teaser campaign continues for model also caught testing in Australia.

FRESH images – official and otherwise – are emerging of the Ioniq 5, first of a dedicated all-electric series from Hyundai under the Ioniq name.

As part of a planned teaser build-up to a global reveal of the whole car, set to occur on February 23, the Hyundai has sent out an image giving a peek of the five-door model’s interior.

Meantime, a charging network provider in Australia has also pitched in, by sharing images (below) of a disguised Ioniq 5 replenishing. 

Tritium says the car was hooked up to its new 75kW RTM75 charger at its headquarters in Brisbane. 

It’s just the latest image of the Ioniq 5 being caught undergoing pre-release trials in Australia by its maker. Others emerged last month.

Hyundai itself has only sent out darkened teaser images revealing the car’s general shape, and the head and tail-light designs.

Even that has been enough to fuel speculation that the production model is set to be all but a dead-ringer for the South Korean carmaker’s “45” concept that was shown off to the world several years ago, not just in shape but also jacked-up general quasi-sports utility stance.

Hyundai New Zealand has indicated the Ioniq 5 will be on sale here, but has stopped short of fuelling thought that it might land around July or August, to join the Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Ioniq electric cars.

There will be more Ioniq models to follow under the new 'sub brand' that sits alongside Hyundai’s N-badged models as being more special than the make’s standard fare. 

In 2022, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan will make its world debut, based on another Hyundai concept, the Prophecy. Further out there will be a Ioniq 7 electric large SUV. And then? Mystery, but the company says will usher in 23 battery-electric vehicles by 2025. 

All next-generation Ioniq models ride on a new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), setting them apart from Kona EV and the current Ioniq hatch that provisions in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric forms.

That architecture will allow for high-speed charging capability and "plentiful" driving range – although neither of Hyundai's existing EVs disappoint in that respect.

When Hyundai revealed the ‘45’, it talked up the concept’s cabin as being a "smart living space.” That descriptive was used again in conjunction with today’s official image.

The design study was innovative, with highly adjustable seats, wireless connectivity – and a glove box space designed as a set of drawers.

Hyundai Motor Group – which encompasses the Hyundai and Kia brands, plus the upmarket Genesis marque that is not represented here, aims to sell 560,000 battery electric vehicles in 2025 – with its eyes set on becoming the world's third-largest maker of "eco-friendly vehicles". That count will also include hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Tucson recall pending, Hyundai NZ says

One of the Korean make’s best-sellers has a fault that could cause a fire – it’s been recalled elsewhere; NZ is awaiting information from Seoul.

 NEW Zealand’s Hyundai distributor will involve in a recall of a popular model to address a possible fire risk due to a manufacturing error - just as soon as head office in South Korea identifies how many cars are affected. 

Hyundai New Zealand has given this explanation after being asked why is has yet to publicise a remedial action for the Tucson compact sports utility highly-favoured by Kiwis. 

The car has been subject to a recall elsewhere and it has become big news. The brand in Australia is advising owners to park the vehicles in an open space away from garages and flammable materials due to fears of the car's engine catching fire, even when the vehicle is turned off.

 The fault is with current generation cars built from November 2014 to November 2020.

It has been traced to a potential issue in the electronic circuit board in the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) module. This may short circuit when the components are exposed to moisture. This can occur even when the engine is switched off because there is constant power supply to the component. As a remedy, Hyundai has developed a relay kit to prevent a power surge.

The make issued its bulletin, initially in the United States – where a dozen cars have caught fire – and most recently in Australia, where 93,000 vehicles are involved. Our neighbour announced its recall last week.

Hyundai NZ says it is aware of the issue and the sales network has been given a heads-up; but that’s it so far.

“Whilst we are aware of this recall, we have not yet received official communication from Hyundai Motor Company regarding the vehicles affected in New Zealand,” explained Kimberley Waters, the Auckland-based brand’s spokeswoman, in an email yesterday responding to questions sent on Monday about an apparent lack of action.

“Customer safety is paramount. We have already taken steps to communicate this expected recall with our dealer network, update our website and brief in our Customer Experience team should our customers have queries.

“As soon as we receive official notification of the vehicles affected in New Zealand we will initiate our recall process and contact those customers affected to arrange for their vehicle to be booked in and repaired.”

“We have had no reports of any incidents related to this recall issue. Whilst customers are able to continue driving their vehicle we will be advising them if their Tucson displays any warning lamp on the cluster, to stop driving and contact Hyundai Roadside Assistance on 0800 498 632.” 

The issue has been sensationalised in some overseas media, with reports the fault will cause the cars to "explode".

The remedial action might take some time to process; Hyundai in Australia has said it expects the replacement part required for its cars to start arriving in late February but has warned all 93,000 replacement components won't arrive at once as it takes time to produce them.

 The fix itself is straightforward – it’s fitting a fuse repair kit – and quick. Hyundai Australia cites the job taking about 40 minutes.

Hyundai Korea’s advice says it is safe to continue driving the vehicles and that the brakes will still work as normal.

Meantime, it is set to release a new generation Tucson here soon.

Palisade punches into big spend space

All but entry model is over $100k – the base offer is just $10 below – while the top spend is almost in BMW X5 territory.

SIX figure price tags attach to all but the entry edition of Hyundai’s first full-sized seven seater sports utility, the Palisade.

The brand’s announcement of the model line-up, finalised specification and pricing confirms Palisade will hold status as the most expensive vehicle any Korean maker has offered to Kiwis – the spend topping out at an almost BMW X5-hunting $119,900. 

The sharing of information also reinforces that a vehicle that offers in right-hand-drive to just Australasia at the moment is a much more expensive choice here than across the Tasman.

Hyundai NZ has three variants - Elite, Limited and Limited Nappa Edition – whereas our neighbour has two, but both countries achieve all the same choices. The difference is that a Nappe leather update that is optional to Australians packages as a specific model choice here.

The base model here is better kitted than Australia’s – here, for instance, every Palisade is on 20 inch rims while the cheapest in Australia is on 18s – but parity seems to accomplish at flagship level. There is parity in seat counts (eight in Elite, seven for Limited) engine and drivetrain choices. 

So, here, as there, a 3.8-litre petrol V6 driving the front wheels and a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel, running through all-wheel-drive. 

The line here starts at $99,990 for the Elite petrol, with the range topping out at $119,990 for the Nappa Edition, which is only provisioned with the diesel.  

The other choices - Elite diesel, Limited petrol, and Limited diesel - are priced at $106,990, $107,990, and $114,990 respectively. 

At today’s exchange rate, Palisade RRPs (excluding, as here, delivery costs) are much lower across the Tasman.

 There the V6s sell for the equivalent of $NZ64,490 through to $NZ76,290, while diesel variants span from $NZ68,770 to $NZ80,590.

Hyundai NZ has not given explanation for its pricing strategy in material sent out today.

However, it recently reiterated to MotoringNZ that the Palisade would cost more than the SUV that has previously been its largest and most expensive offer here, the Santa Fe, which now peaks at $89,990.

The two models will likely stand comparison, given they share some common technology, though the recent refresh for Santa Fe has left it with more driver assists and a newer, more efficient version of the turbodiesel.  

The diesel Santa Fe also has dropped the orthodox eight-speed automatic that goes into Palisade for a direct-shift unit, also eight-speed.

Though both run V6s, the Santa Fe’s is a 3.6. The Palisade’s 3.8-litre, meantime, is from the Genesis luxury sedan that Hyundai NZ was unsuccessful in installing into the NZ market in 2016. The car was, then, the most expensive Korean model sold here.

Hyundai NZ cites outputs of 217kW/355Nm from the petrol and 147kW/440Nm from the diesel.

Hyundai says the Palisade’s V6 uses 10.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which is just 0.2L.100km worse that a six cylinder Santa Fe’s claimed optimal. The diesel’s economy suffers in the Palisade – Hyundai cites 7.3L/100km for the larger unit, against 6.1L/100km in a Santa Fe. 

Palisade’s size doesn’t reflect in it being brawnier for towing – quite the opposite, in fact. Towing is capped at 2200kg, whereas new Santa Fe can tow 2500kg.

 The eight-seater has two separate seats up front then two bench seat rows behind and the seven-seater provides with a bench in the very back and otherwise has captains’ chairs. 

The entry-level Palisade Elite comes with a 10.25 touchscreen, 12-speaker Infinity audio, motorised tailgate, heads-up display, three-zone climate, leather appointments, and 20-inch wheels.

The full SmartSense safety suite is also standard, inclusive of stop-go radar cruise control, lane keeping and lane following, and more.

There’s no ANCAP safety rating yet, but it’s unclear if it will achieve a four, or five-star rating with the lack of a centre airbag, deemed a new requirement by some manufacturers to achieve top safety marks.

Palisade was originally made for two big left-hand-drive markets, North America and the Middle East. It was re-engineered into right-hand-drive after Australia petitioned for it to be reconfigured.

Hyundai subordinate brand Kia also has a model based off the Palisade, but there is no likelihood of that car, called the Telluride, challenging the same turf, as Sorento does against Santa Fe, as there are no plans to make Kia’s biggest model in right-hand-drive.

 “The all-new Hyundai Palisade has a certain presence about it, making it worthy of Hyundai’s flagship SUV. Palisade indulges on every level – from space to connectivity to capability, all packaged in a cutting-edge design,” says Hyundai New Zealand General Manager, Andy Sinclair.

“This new upper-large SUV is the ultimate vehicle for practical, comfortable daily use, as well as open road adventures.”

Conan of Konas confirmed

Performance SUV teased, full debut just weeks away.

THE performance flagship version of the Kona compact sports utility has been revealed undergoing testing in Germany.

Hyundai has provisioned images of the new variant, and while the car’s camouflage obviously destroys opportunity to achieve an unexpurgated view, they do reveal some details, one being that the high-performance SUV will ride on 19-inch forged alloy wheels shared with the i30 N hatch.

Hyundai has also officially confirmed that the model will run a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

While outputs have yet to be announced, it's fully expected they will match the 206kW and 392Nm extracted from the same engine under the bonnet of the facelifted i30 N. 

As for transmission choices? The hatch is about to pick up an eight-speed direct shift transmission as an alternate to the six-speed manual it has run with since launch two years ago. There’s talk the Kona might follow the same course. What’s still also subject to conjecture is whether it is running all-wheel-drive; some say it will be front-wheel-drive.

The powertrain will accompanied by "a variety of high-performance driving features" including launch control and a sports exhaust, according to an international release from the brand.

 Today’s release also promises the car will make its full debut “in the coming weeks”, with production beginning soon after. Hyundai NZ has yet to offer comment on these images, but has previous expressed strong interest in achieving a performance Kona.

PHEV Tucson’s electric range cited

Plug-in tech a first for popular model, but will it come here?

DETAIL is finally out about one derivative of the new-generation Tucson Hyundai’s New Zealand distributor has yet to officially commit to.

When initial specifications were announced at the new generation Tucson’s international unveiling in September, the make only spoke about the purely fossil-fuelled drivetrains.

The Tucson plug-in hybrid will likely be of more interest, however, and not simply because of the growing consumer interest in electrically-assisted drivetrains. It is also a breakthrough for this brand. 

The set-up comprises a 1.6-litre T-GDI turbo petrol four-cylinder engine with a 66.9kW electric motor, and a 13.8kWh battery. Combined, the powertrain produces 197kW and 350Nm of torque. The electric motor on its own develops a peak of 304Nm. 

The Tucson plug-in hybrid drives all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.

It also incorporates some trick aerodynamics. Behind that complex radiator grille, there's an active air intake flap, that opens and closes as needed, improving air-flow into and around the car, depending on how much cooling the engine needs.

 A range of drive modes are on offer, the Tucson's standard mode driving the wheels via the electric motor alone at low speeds, with the combustion engine switching on at higher velocities or when rapid acceleration is required.

Hyundai reckons that the Tucson plug-in's electric-only range will be more than 50km on the WLTP cycle' but the final figure is to be confirmed.

There's a 7.2kW on-board charging system, so it'll charge reasonably briskly from either a home wallbox or a public charger. CO2 emissions figures haven't yet been issued. 

Though Hyundai describes the 13.8kWh lithium-polymer battery as being mounted on the underbody, this installation and the fuel tank has eaten into boot space a little.

While the conventional petrol-engined Tucson that Hyundai New Zealand has confirmed it will introduce in the first quarter of 2021 has a 620-litre boot, the plug-in model has to make do with 558 litres. That luggage space expands 1737 litres with the rear seats folded. 

That four-wheel drive system comes with HTRAC terrain response technology, and there's optional adaptive dampers for the suspension.

The PHEV's interior is all-but-identical to the standard, non-hybrid model, save for a handful of hybrid-specific displays for the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

The Hyundai BlueLink smartphone app also gains the ability to monitor the Tucson's lithium-polymer battery's state of charge, as well as manage charging settings.

In the safety department, exclusive to the plug-in Tucson is Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, a low-speed reverse autonomous emergency braking system that detects and notifies the driver of hazards behind the moving vehicle, and applies the brakes if necessary.

The new Santa Fe is also set to present to NZ next year in a plug-in hybrid format, as well as in mild hybrid.

Palisade’s Aus price gives Santa Fe a knock

The Palisade, Hyundai’s new super-large SUV, could present a big deal here if pricing reflects the Australia market strategy.

FAVOURABLE positioning against the just-landed Hyundai Santa Fe could seem a potential for that model’s big brother, the Palisade.

That’s on assumption stickers announced in the only other right-hand-drive market have been a guidance for the NZ distributor.

Hyundai New Zealand has confirmed intent to have the Palisade on sale here next month, but has yet to provision local specifications and prices for what will be the fifth SUV in its line-up and the first to offer eight seats.

It did not respond to a request to offer clarity on where it could stand, but conjecture has been fuelled by announcement of the car’s pricing in Australia.

If transferred here, our neighbour’s strategy would conceivably give the larger model a good start – but perhaps at expense of the Santa Fe, with which it shares a platform, a diesel drivetrain and even a common assembly line in South Korea. 

Across the water, Palisade will sell for the equivalent of $NZ63,850 in entry form and $NZ79,800 in a flagship trim, those recommended retails precluding on-road costs.  

If carried into NZ, that strategy would see a base Palisade siting $50 below the cheapest Santa Fe, but would also leave the top Palisade siting almost $20k beneath the most expensive Santa Fe here, the Limited.

 Australia has decided on an eight-seater entry model, simply called Palisade, and a range-topping version it calls Highlander, available with either seven or eight seats, both in front-drive petrol V6 and four-wheel-drive 2.2-litre turbodiesel.

 New Zealand and Australia are presently the only right-hand-drive markets for the car, which was originally expected to only be sold in North America, so conceivably that’s the full menu for us as well.

It became available for NZ consideration, with sign-off for sale confirmed in June, after Hyundai’s distributor in Australia successfully petitioned Seoul head office to start a right-hand-drive build programme.

Hyundai NZ has previously indicated thought that it sees good potential for Palisade, but has made clear it will not deliver it in as many formats as the Santa Fe. And don’t expect to see the Highlander badge – Toyota NZ obviously already has right to that name for its own SUV. It’ll be a Palisade Limited here, to maintain continuity with Hyundai NZ badging protocols. 

The big selling Palisade has previously been identified as the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel four-wheel-drive. That’s been the top choice for Santa Fe, too. Palisade takes it the virtually identical tune, power output drops by 1kW in Palisade, to 147kW, but torque is identical at 440Nm.

Palisade’s alternate V6 is a 3.8-litre, creating 217kW and 355Nm, whereas Santa Fe runs a 3.5 good for 200kW/331Nm. They all run the same eight-speed automatic transmissions. Only the Santa Fe’s entry petrol, a 2.5-litre, is not in the larger setting.

Hyundai says the Palisade’s V6 uses 10.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which is just 0.2L.100km worse that the Santa Fe’s claimed optimal. The diesel’s economy suffers in the Palisade – Hyundai cites 7.3L/100km for the larger unit, against 6.1L/100km in a Santa Fe.

The exterior is to Hyundai’s current design language, but reminds of larger American SUVs, according to Australian website CarAdvice.

The entry car runs on 18-inch wheels, the high-end car on 20-inch wheels for the Highlander, together with bi-LED headlights and tail-lights.

Inside, buyers get a choice of black leather with metallic-look trim and a knit headliner in the Palisade, while the high-end model gets burgundy or beige Nappa leather with beech wood-look trim and a suede headliner.

A 10.25-inch infotainment screen featuring satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and multi-connection Bluetooth, which runs through a 12-speaker Infinity premium audio system, is a common fixture.

Due to the expansive cabin, the Palisade also offers 'Driver Talk', which allows the driver to speak to second- and third-row occupants through the car's audio system. The system also has a 'Quiet Mode' which mutes the rear speakers, and sets the front speakers to a low maximum volume.

Front occupants get wireless smartphone charging in the centre console, while second-row passengers have access to USB ports.

As well as three ISOFIX child seat restraints, the Palisade also features four top tether child seat anchor points in the seven-seat Highlander, and five anchor points in eight-seat configuration (all variants). The second-row of seats features one-touch folding to help with third-row loading.

Front occupants get to enjoy heated and ventilated power seats, while the driver gains a 7.0-inch LCD digital instrument cluster. The 10.25-inch, all-digital instrument cluster offered in overseas markets doesn’t feature in right-hand-drive, but a head-up display goes into the flagship.

On the Highlander, a blind-spot view monitor shows a live feed of the Palisade's left and right blind-spot zones within the instrument cluster when the indicator is engaged, as well as a surround view monitor with guidance provides a 360-degree birds-eye view when parking.

A dual-panel power sunroof and hands-free power tailgate are also standard on the more expensive model.

Hyundai's SmartSense safety suite comes standard, featuring blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, high beam assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning with leaving vehicle departure alert, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, safe exit assist (top model only), rear occupant alert, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.

Government’s EV push a sweet synch with Hyundai announcement

The drive has begun to stock the Government fleet with electrics by 2025 – sweet timing, perhaps, for an already favoured brand.

The new e-gmp platform is a breakthrough for Hyundai that will underpin 23 new Hyundai, Genesis and Kisa vehicles between 2021 and 2025.

ARRIVAL timing of a swathe of battery-compelled Hyundai and Kia products atop a new dedicated electric architecture announced by their parent overnight could time sweetly with Government impetus to shift its fleet into that technology. 

The Government has formally joined 32 other countries around the world in declaring a state of climate emergency for New Zealand, bringing with it a revitalised focus on electrifying its vehicle fleet, thorough prioritising fully electric and hybrid cars, and plans to become carbon neutral by 2025. 

The decision has been welcomed by not-for-profit pressure group Drive Electric, though this organisation - which involves 17 new car - says the move still doesn’t go far enough.

It could be sweet news for Hyundai New Zealand, a Drive Electric member which is already established as the leading provider of electric cars – defined as passenger vehicles that can plug into mains replenishment (which excludes hybrid cars) - for public service usage, with its Ioniq and Kona, though in the overall scheme of things that involvement is token.

Of the 15,000 vehicles that could be defined as Government vehicles, just over 100 vehicles are electric.

A case of Ioniq irony? The current Ioniq is different to the Ioniq 5, so far only seen in concept form (below) that will be the first car on the E-GMP platform.

Even so, Government has now pledged all of its cars will have some degree of electrification by 2025 and determined to trade in internal combustion vehicles for either fully electric replacements or hybrids if EVs aren’t deemed fit for purpose.

 Quite coincidentally, the announcement timing synched with one overnight from Hyundai, this about a brand-new electric skateboard architecture that will underpin of the electric future for Hyundai and Kia cars and SUVs, as the basis for 23 products coming out between next year and 2025.

 E-GMP (for Electric Global Modular Platform) is a flexible architecture and an undertaking that lifts Hyundai’s electric car development to a much higher level, in that with exception of the batteries, it’s an entirely in-house achievement, requiring no reliance of components sourced from outside suppliers, as has been necessary with the current Hyundai-Kia electrics: Ioniq hatch and the Kona and Kia Niro SUVs.

With E-GMP every aspect, even motor design, is brought in-house: The same process Telsa undertakes.

 Hyundai’s underpinning is a rear-drive set-up that can also format, with addition of a second motor, to all-wheel-drive. It enables a range of up to 500km, develop as much as 447kW and take just 18 minutes to reach 80 percent battery capacity when using a high-speed charger.

The first vehicle on this new platform is the Ioniq 5, which has so far only been seen in concept form (where it was called the 45). Ioniq 5, should not be confused (but probably will be) with the current Ioniq, which presents in mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric form.

Hyundai announced earlier this year it intends to start a whole new EV sub-brand, akin to Volkswagen’s ID line, called … Ioniq. The Ioniq 5 is the first of the new family’s products. It’s a medium crossover, larger than the Ioniq hatch.

But that’s just a pathfinder. E-GMP is intended for 23 new Hyundai, Genesis and Kia vehicles in car and SUV formats over the next four years, including a high-performance model that will be shown off next year.

That car will be capable of 0-100kmh in less than 3.5 seconds and have a top speed of 260km/h, with rear- and all-wheel-drive versions available. To save energy, the front motor on the latter will decouple from the wheels when it's not needed.

 Hyundai has not shared details on battery pack size, but said that it's targeting 500 kilometres of range – a sizeable leap on the abilities from its current electric products.

By bundling the components, Hyundai said, it raised the maximum speed of the motor by up to 70 percent compared to existing motors, despite its small size.  

EVs based on the new platform will be capable of charging to 80 percent in 18 minutes, thanks to an 800-volt architecture that supports charging speeds up to 350kW. A five-minute charge can add about 100km.

The E-GMP also supports bidirectional charging; meaning that it can – in markets that allow this - can be configured to discharge its energy from its battery back to the grid or to a house. The vehicle-to-load (V2L) function supplies 3.5 kW of power which, according to Hyundai, can operate a mid-size air conditioner and a 55-inch TV for 24 hours. Alternately, it can be used to charge another EV.

The national distributor for Kia says it has no comment to make about E-GMP. Hyundai NZ has yet to respond to an invitation to provide its thoughts.

Kona update enhances range, styling

Two years on from initial launch, the Kona is being updated.

WHAT’S more important for an electric car – decent range or decent looks? 

From the detail Hyundai has given out in respect to the updates that are coming to its battery-compelled Kona next year, the answer to that, is ‘both.’ 

The big changes to a model set to land before June are that it looks sharper – albeit somewhat more Tesla-esque - thanks to a big styling makeover and, even though the battery pack capacity is unchanged at 64kWh, it will go further on a charge.

The driving range is now being listed at up to 484km (WLTP). Not a big improvement on the current model, which is claimed to achieve 449kms, but with battery drive, every extra ‘kay’ helps. The electric motor puts out mated to a 150kW/395Nm electric motor,

 The restyling isn’t as drastic as it might appear. Those slim, high-set daytime lights and lower driving lights were already in place, although the latter have grown bigger. What’s different is that the dimpled cladding that wrapped the lower nose panel has now been restyled and reprofiled.

Also looking smarter are the recharging times. The maker claims a battery at just 10 percent charge can be replenished to 80 percent in just 47 minutes when connected to a 100kW charger, and 64 minutes when connected to a 50kW charger.

The Kona upgrades its safety suite, to include active rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot alert and collision avoidance, and leading vehicle departure alert. 

The rear seats are now heated and occupants there are provisioned with a set of USB ports for charge any devices. It also gets a 10.25-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel for the driver. This complements the 10.25-inch infotainment screen.

A point to note. Although some markets will achieve this car with a smaller battery, Hyundai New Zealand is sticking with just the 64kWh version.