Paddon’s old racer inspires road special

Hyundai’s WRC racer has finally inspired a road-legal hot hatch  … which, in turn, has inspired another rally car.

TURN the clock back four years – Rally Argentina has just ended and Hayden Paddon has claimed his - and New Zealand's - first world rally championship win by 13.3 seconds from Sebastien Ogier.

What better way to celebrate a hero than with an appropriate hero car?

Back then, the timing was just all wrong. 

Hyundai’s performance arm was certainly ramping up a hot hatch division then, yet it was already apparent the first model to benefit hadn’t obvious link to the works World Rally Championship racer.

No argument, the resultant i30 N hatch turned out to be a masterstroke and the more recent liftback is just as good. 

Yet it always seems a pity that Hyundai didn’t do the obvious and start with a road legal firecracker edition of the i20 small hatch, given that’s the car they were running then – and are still running now – in WRC.

Amends have finally been made. An i20N road car is in the making. 

Sure, it’s not a fiery four-wheel-drive and Paddon has left the team in which he achieved his best international successes though, sadly, never another world championship victory.

Yet it’s still a car that has good ‘fit’ here:  Paddon’s still very heavily involved with the Hyundai brand at national level and there’s a neat twist in that, since announcing the road car, the maker has also made clear that it’ll be a basis for a dirt-tuned competition car, developed for privateers. Which surely also rises a potential for a driver who is still racing and preparing gravel blaster fare. 

So what’s stopping this realising? Remarkably, it could well be Hyundai New Zealand.

Whereas other distributors, including Australia (which also celebrated Paddon) have been quick to sign up the model, have rushed to sign on the new talent, Hyundai NZ – which is a locally-owned independent rather than a factory shop - is dragging its feet. So far there’s not yet any local commitment beyond comment that the car is “under consideration”.

Maybe a petition is needed. Though pocket rockets don’t create big sales, they have potential to be huge image makers. The Ford Fiesta ST and Volkswagen Polo GTI are good examples of being attention magnets.

The i20N could well be up to their mettle, given Hyundai says it used its WRC expertise in this project, and not just to give it a nicely muscular look.

Under that bonnet is a pukka performance mill, in the same of a reworked (as in, exclusive turbo, remapping, a high-pressure injection rail) version of the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine found in a number of other Hyundai and Kia models, tuned to produce 150kW from 5500-6000rpm and 275Nm from 1750-4500rpm. That’s less torque than the Ford and VW spin out, but slightly more power.  

The engine is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission and while four- wheel-drive isn’t on the menu, it does achieve a limited-slip differential in order to aid handling and grip. The chassis has also been reinforced at 12 different points, while the suspension features reinforced front domes and knuckles, new anti-roll bars, springs and shock absorbers and increased camber. 

It also delivers with launch control, which facilitates 0-100kmh in 6.7 seconds. Top speed is 230kmh. power to weight looks good, too. Surely it’s no coincidence the car clocks 1190kg – the same as the i20 Coupe WRC car? 

Five drive modes are delivered: Normal, Eco, Sport, N and N Custom, with the latter allowing customers to individually adjust the parameters of the engine, ESC, exhaust and steering. The stability system can also be programmed into three stages – on, sport and fully off.

The car states its intent at the kerbside, too. The ride height is lowered by 10mm, it sits on 18-inch rims (behind which are tucked enlarged brakes) and the styling includes red accents around the front, rear and side skirts, plus a WRC-inspired roof spoiler. A lip spoiler and wide radiator grille – with a pattern inspired by a chequered flag - enhance visual menace. 

The interior also adopts sports seats, N-specific steering wheel, gear knob and pedals and there’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system, N driving data, digital instrument cluster.

Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of active safety tech is included, with forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot collision warning, intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention warning system, high beam assist, lane following assist and rear cross-traffic collision warning.

And if you’d prefer it for weekend gravel road play? Well, that’s the i20 N Rally2, designed by an N-sport division, Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing, and intended for privateer teams and drivers. 

This one follows on from the Hyundai i20 R5 with which Hyundai Motorsport entered the Customer Racing arena at the end of 2015. That car has claimed numerous titles with customers, including national titles in Spain, Portugal and Poland since debuting late in 2016.

However, the brand says the i20 N Rally2 will be better, being “an improved all-round package” that builds on the experience gained by the department over the last five years.

Though the five-speed sequential gearbox from the i20 R5 remains the transmission for the new design nearly every other part, including the 1.6-litre turbo engine, is brand new.

The developer says new suspension components and dampers give the car more driver-friendly handling characteristics on all surfaces. This, it says, is vital in the Rally2 category, “which forms the basis for numerous national and regional championships as well as the international WRC 2 and WRC 3 classes, and are the cars of choice for both professional rally drivers as well as drivers who compete purely for pleasure.” 

An extensive testing programme for the i20 N Rally2 will begin later this month, with the first deliveries to customers and final homologation scheduled for mid-2021.

New Tucson gets local provider excited

Striking new design, heaps of new tech, a hybrid to match the RAV4 and a seven-seater option.

 POTENTIAL that Hyundai’s best-selling model here might emulate its big brother and format in a seven-seat option is not being discounted by its seller.

 In offering comment about the 2021 Tucson unveiled for global scrutiny (via a livestreamed online presentation) by Hyundai head office in Seoul today, the make’s national distribution has indicated it is giving consideration to taking the car in a new long-wheelbase format – that avails a third seating row – in addition to continuing with a five-chair layout that continues into a fourth generation.

The potential for the longer version – which 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 – is not being discussed by Hyundai New Zealand, though it has reminded that Tucson already strikes a strong chord with Kiwis, the model having achieved 23,000 sales since the nameplate arrived in 2004. 

Brand boss Andy Sinclair says he expects “the new model to attract even more customers with its striking new design and safety, comfort and convenience technology.”

Any decision will surely have to be fast-tracked if both are intended to be available for local usage from local launch, as Hyundai New Zealand says it intends to have the new model line here in the first quarter of 2021.

In addition to relaying its thought about the seven-seater, the Auckland-domiciled distributor has also said it will also look at a new N Line trim level the maker has also revealed.

As for powertrains?  It’s also casting an eye over the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid options that are also coming into production, these based around a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and producing a combined 171kW/350Nm.

New generations of the familiar 1.6-litre turbo petrol, 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol and 2.0-litre diesel turbo, now selling under a Smartstream designation, are also cited. The first might now receive a pump up from 130kW to 145kW, as per the Kona. Outputs for the latter are 122kW/205Nm (petrol) and 136kW/400Nm (diesel). 

What of the new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 141kW and 246Nm? Sorry, no comment on that one.

The model will continue to avail in both front and all-wheel drive. The latter this time adds mud, sand and snow modes to the comfort, sport and eco-driving modes. The derivatives heading here seem set to have ride and handling tuning sorted by Hyundai Australia’s engineering team.

It’s heavily loaded on the safety front. Aids available include Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Blind-Spot View Monitor, Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Advanced Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop and Go, Safe Exit Warning (SEW), Surround View Monitor, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (RPCA), Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), High Beam Assist (HBA) and Driver Attention Warning (DAW). 

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 a lot more plush and futuristic. Most ‘hard’ controls, such as dials and buttons, are gone. So too the gearstick.

The top treatment features a centre console stack flowing as one continuous design piece with flush buttons and a wide 10.25-inch digital touch display screen. It has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an optional Bose sound system. The cabin ambience is set with a 64-colour mood lighting system with 10 levels of brightness.

Digital technology includes a key that uses a smartphone app to operate commands such as locking and unlocking the car, using Near Field Communication to detect authorised users from up to 27 metres away. In some markets the smart key can be tuned to control smart appliances at home (as you do) and  driven remotely without anyone in the driver’s seat – albeit very slowly and basically for parking purposes.

New Tucson, updated Kona revealed

Two models that deliver decent sales for Hyundai here will arrive next year with big changes.

MEDIA effort to unofficially unveil the next generation Tucso, releasing in 2021, appears to have compelled Hyundai to release some images that give an idea of what we’re in for.

Two photographs that give away some aspect of the exterior – and reveal the lighting array it delivers – and an illustration that gives an idea of how the cabin will look, though without fine detailing, were sent out today.

They seem to be in response to media speculation that has elevated to some well-known sites running their own renderings, that have relied using recent spy photos of prototypes – and taking the stylised Vision T concept that the brand put on show last year – as pointers to how the production model will eventually appear in its street-ready stage.

The official images enforce what Hyundai has made clear: That the next Tucson is a fresh start from the 2015-born current car that will debut an edgy new style, based on the brand’s latest design theme, which it calls ‘Parametric Dynamics.’ This direction also ties to another new catchphrase starting to weave into marketing materials - 'Sensuous Sportiness'.

Overseas’ commentators have reacted strongly to the idea of a Tucson with the new signatures of sharp creases and folds slicing through the body, plus large boxy guards and arches. The grille design, dubbed ‘parametric-jewel pattern', and those LED-lit front lamps are a big statement; so too the forked taillamp design and the (also LED-lit) light band across the tailgate.

Lots more has yet to be announced, of course. The drivetrain selection is still under wraps, but is expected to debut a plug-in hybrid working, as per the concept’s, as one of the options. An international media event - all online, of course, thanks to Covid - could well unwrap more information.

However, Hyundai NZ has already said it expects to see the car in early 2021. 

“Tucson is Hyundai New Zealand’s top selling model, so needless to say we’re excited about the arrival of the all-new model,” says general manager Andy Sinclair.

This is the second tranche of Hyundai SUV news this week, following the release of detail about the redesign coming for the smaller Kona, with the most obvious change being a fresh nose, though behind this will be found revised engines. The updated models also take upgraded technology. They are set to arrive in the first quarter of 2021.

News of a sporty N line trim leve, presented here by the orange car, will also likely enthuse, though nothing yet about the full-out N performance edition that has been spied undergoing testing, notably at Germany’s Nurburgring where Hyundai’s performance division has a base.

Hyundai NZ says full details of its model line up and specification will not be announced until closer to launch, however Sinclair is in optimistic mood.

“Kona has proved to be a popular model … since we launched it in 2017. We’re excited by the enhancements … and are confident its popularity will continue to grow along with the addition of the N Line.“ 

So, what’s coming? In standard trim - represented by the blue car - the facelifted Kona gets a new wider front grille with a larger lower air intake, slimmer headlights and LED daytime running lights, plus a restyled front bumper with contrasting silver bodywork trim.

The rear features minor changes limited to a redesigned bumper and tweaked lights. New 17- and 18-inch alloy wheel designs also feature.

The N Line trim adds a sportier looking front bumper with wider front fins and a deeper front spoiler with black contrasting trim. It also gets three small air intakes on the nose, colour-matched bodywork cladding, 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and a restyled rear bumper with a diffuser and twin-exhaust pipes.

The interior has undergone minor changes, with the addition of ambient interior lighting, a restyled centre console that houses the electronic handbrake switch, and aluminium trim on the air vents and speaker grilles. Heated rear seats are on the international options list, and rear passengers get a USB charging port.

The N Line model gets aluminum pedals and red contrasting trim on the seats, gearstick, steering wheel and air vents.

A new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster arrives, probably just for the high-end editions. The standard infotainment touchscreen is now eight-inches in size, and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A largest touchscreen features live parking assistance, and is capable of supporting multiple Bluetooth connections via a split-screen function.

Updated safety technology includes the addition of Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, which alerts the driver if the vehicle in front begins to move without the driver responding. A new Lane Following Assist function has also been added, which automatically keeps the car in the centre of the lane while driving. The car’s smart cruise control has been updated to full stop and go functionality, and the blind spot assistance now features collision avoidance.

No details have been shared about the drivetrains.

Ioniq brand delights Hyundai NZ

The Ioniq car has become an EV brand – but Hyundai-badged electrics are also set to keep coming out.

THE answer is yes – it’s just the arrival timing that remains uncertain.

That’s Hyundai New Zealand’s response to the parent brand’s determination to turn a model name into a full-blown electric vehicle sub-brand, while continuing to produce EVs with Hyundai badges as well. 

The Auckland-based operation is hugely enthusiastic about the potentials that Ioniq will bring and is excited by Hyundai Motor’s intent to release three new models, each identified by a numerical designation.

It further affirms it is fully on board with the South Korean giant’s intent to fast-track its strategy of becoming a global giant of EV-dom, in part because Kiwi enthusiasm for battery-driven products is strong and continues to climb, and has expressed its desire to offer every Ioniq model that is made available in right-hand drive.

However, at the moment it knows too little detail to say when and how it will involve.

So even though the make has vowed to deliver the first of this new breed, the Ioniq 5 - a crossover SUV inspired by the 45 concept car (below) from the 2019 Frankfurt motor show – within 12 months, the local operation says it cannot yet offer specific comment about whether this means that car will avail locally in 2021, simply because it’ll be in production by then. 

Company public relations manager Kimberley Waters says there’s optimism more information will come out soon.

“At the moment, though, we just cannot offer any specific comment about when product might be available to us. We just don’t know that yet.

“However, yes, we have made a commitment to electric so are keen to see these products. The potential they offer is obvious.

“With Hyundai Motors commitment to developing a dedicated EV range with the customer experience in mind, it in turn will enable us to provide our customers with more EV choice that suits their Kiwi lifestyle.”

In making the branding announcement that could not have come as a surprise to anyone, Hyundai Motor released images here that lend suggestion to what its immediate fleet of three vehicles could look like.

The suggestion is that these will be in showrooms by 2025, or perhaps even a year earlier.

The model identification strategy is simple, if rather BMW-esque. All Ioniqs will be identified by numerical badges - even numbers for sedans, wagons and sports cars, and odd numbers for SUVs. Ioniq, by the way, is a fusion between “ion” and “unique”.

The cars will place on an all-new electric-vehicle underpinning, called the Electric Global Modular Platform. This brings up to 800 volt fast charging, long-range driving, spacious packaging ability, and new-age connected technologies, Hyundai Motor says.

The international roll-out time frame suggested by head office is for the ‘5’ to be followed in 2022 by the Ioniq 6, which is styled with lines and inspiration of the Prophecy concept electric sports sedan, above. The Ioniq 7 SUV is expected to go into production in 2024.

Exactly how Ioniq will present is another issue for Hyundai NZ to address.

The tenor of head office comment suggests expectation that this branding exercise is expected to stand apart from the Hyundai push, just as the Genesis luxury brand was intended to.

Whether that means a dedicated space in a shared showroom – as per the failed Genesis experiment - or something more extreme remains to be seen. Conceivably, given the size of the national Hyundai dealer chain, the modest volumes our market entertains and the cost involved in creating separate retail operations, it would be logical for head office to cut NZ some slack, and allow sales from regular outlets.

One thing is for sure, you won’t be challenged picking what’s coming with the two Hyundai electrics that already sell here.

What will happen to those? Somewhat ironically, the Ioniq as it currently offers in NZ – that is, as a compact hatchback in hybrid, plug-in and full-electric guises – is not going to transfer to this platform. 

Moreover, talk is that it and the Kona EV will also not form part of the Ioniq-sphere, according to overseas’ reports, but remain – assuming they still have a long-term role - as a Hyundai. So is it possible there could be as many – if not more – Hyundai electric models as Ioniqs?

The rollout is in line with Hyundai Motor Group's ‘Strategy 2025’, which sets a target of achieving one million battery-electric vehicle sales and at least 10 percent of the global EV market by 2025.

The latter would see HMG become one of the top three global EV manufacturers, with around 560,000 produced each year by mid-decade.   

The term itself is a with the current Ioniq being the result of Project Ioniq – a long-term research and development project focused on eco-friendly mobility.

To help commemorate the launch of the new brand, HMC took to the London Eye with dozens of illuminated lights to turn the landmark into a giant letter Q at the tourist attraction’s official reopening to the public after being closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next Santa Fe – a bit of old, a lot of new

The new Santa Fe has finally been revealed and will be here in late 2020.

NEW body, new interior, new tech and heavily revised underpinnings - the next generation of Hyundai’s crucial big sports utility is certainly a significant departure from the current edition’s design direction.

And, yet, strictly speaking, the ‘gen four’ coming in the final quarter of this year is essentially a revision, the maker admitting it still uses core elements of the current-generation seven-seater. Not that this shouldn’t keep it from winning plenty of attention.

 “We modernised the new Santa Fe with premium features and appealing aesthetics that are sure to add value,” said SangYup Lee, the senior vice president who also heads the brand’s Global Design Centre and is been elevated to becoming the brand’s design spokesman in wake of the recent sudden departure of Luc Donckerwolke as design chief. 

“The bold lines that extend from one side to the other and from front to back give Santa Fe a rugged yet refined look that SUV customers want. Besides, we’ve added numerous features and functions to create a truly family-focused SUV that is a pleasure to drive.”

The new Santa Fe’s front section is defined by the wide grille that extends across the entire width of the vehicle. The brand suggests the ‘clamped shape’ of the lower air intake harmoniously extends the horizontal line to accentuate the vehicle’s wide and well-balanced stance.

The grille – or grilles, as there are two designs, the more intricate pictured here being reserved for the new flagship - also integrates the headlamps, a signature style found on many Hyundai cars. LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) start at the top of the grille and cut through it to create T-shapes at each corner when lit.

Each side section of the New Santa Fe is characterised by a seamless line that connects the DRL to the taillights, this to lend the car ‘a sensuously sporty look’. The increased width on wheel arches accentuate the SUV’s rugged and powerful character, which is also emphasised by 20-inch wheels.

The new Santa Fe’s redesigned taillights are connected across the rear hatch by a slim illuminated bar that complements the horizontal design theme on the front and sides of the vehicle. The theme is once again expressed by the wide rear reflector and skid plate, creating a unique three-layer look. 

Hyundai says the redesigned interior now provides more space, comfort, and convenience compared to the previous model and also takes the car to ‘a new level of luxury’ with every component finished in premium soft-touch materials. The centre console sits high, giving the driver and front passenger the feeling of sitting in an armchair, according to information released today.

The buttons are all centred for intuitive and ergonomic use. In the middle of the redesigned centre console sits gear shift buttons along with other functions that are used often. Hyundai says a ‘shift-by-wire system’ allowed the designers to put buttons instead of the conventional shift knob.

For the first time, the new Santa Fe comes with a Terrain Mode selector: a control knob located in the centre console to conveniently switch between different drive modes, optimising performance and ‘HTRAC’ all-wheel-drive settings for a variety of driving situations. This feature includes unique modes for sand, snow and mud, as well as eco, sport, comfort and smart modes, the last of which automatically recognises the driving style and selects a mode so the driver does not have to.

The new centre console’s layout freed up space for more storage in the redesigned lower dashboard. The console also accommodates a new 10.25-inch AVN (audio, video, navigation) touchscreen display with pre-loaded maps, satellite-based voice guided navigation, rear camera display, and complete in-car entertainment and connectivity features.

As for the mechanical package? tjhat’s still be be explained, but it could be that Hyundai also moves to adopt a hybrid set-up that is going into the Kia Sorento, a sister ship despite any corporate claims to the contrary.

The latter is taking a 1.6-litre petrol with battery assist – in ultimate form this being a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

The new powertrain is presented under a new mantle, ‘Smartstream’, that also applies to the purely fossil fuel-reliant engines also confugring, these being a 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing cars’ 2.2 turbodiesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

Next Santa Fe fronts up

Hyundai has provided a first look at the next generation of its crucial sports utility.

the ‘luxury’ grille

GRADUAL unveiling of the next Hyundai Sante Fe has begun, with Seoul sending out shadowy preview images revealing the new car’s front.

There are two images, the reason being to demonstrate that the flagship car will have a slightly different gloss black grille to that meted the regular editions.

Either way, the new face is quite different to what we see now.

And those grilles are a significant departure from the 'waterfall' design that has evolved over the past decade across the Hyundai family.

In its new form, the Hyundai grille frame extends across the face of the new Santa Fe, tapering at each end to merge with the driving light housings.

Also new is the 2021 Santa Fe's daytime running light (DRL) signature, described as a ‘T’ shape.

the standard grill

The new lighting signature is described as reflecting "Hyundai's new integrated vehicle architecture". Is that a suggestion that what the SUV presents first will migrate into other Hyundai’s? 

No other angles have been revealed at this time, although Hyundai says we can expect “interior design updates providing premium amenities and comfort.” 

Also unclear are details on the new-look Santa Fe's mechanical package, though it could be that Hyundai also moves to adopt a hybrid set-up that is going into the Santa Fe’s sister ship, the new Kia Sorento.

The latter is taking a 1.6-litre petrol with battery assist – in ultimate form this being a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

The new powertrain is presented under a new mantle, ‘Smartstream’, that also applies to the purely fossil fuel-reliant engines also going into the vehicle.

With the latter the choice with Kia is a new 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing cars’ 2.2 turbodiesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

Kia NZ has yet to signal a firm local launch date for the Sorento, save for an indication some months ago that it might be here by the third quarter of this year. However, that timeframe was given pre-coronavirus; like so many others, Hyundai and its subsidiary have had to close down its assembly lines. 

Regardless of that, there is emergent possibility that the Sorento will beat the Santa Fe to market.

Both models stand on a new-generation midsize SUV platform and the Santa Fe is sure to align with Sorento in implementing a range of high-tech safety and convenience features.

Prime among these are a multi-collision brake system that mitigates the severity of secondary collisions. It automatically applies vehicle brakes when the airbags have been deployed after an initial collision, further protecting occupants from secondary frontal or side impacts. 

Kia’s new rig also has a remote smartphone Surround View Monitor. This allows users to check the vehicle’s surroundings with their smartphone in conjunction with the in-vehicle Surround View Monitor to maximise parking convenience.

Last year Kia registered 462 Sorentos in NZ while Hyundai NZ found homes for 1477 Santa Fes.

the current model santa fe