Hyundai has some big plans for the future, including getting more involved in the crossover segment.
They also have a plug-in hybrid Sonata in the pipeline, and are also rumored to be considering a compact rear-wheel drive sports sedan.
2016 Hyundai Tucson
The next major launch for the Koreans will be the redesigned 2016 Tucson compact crossover, which should arrive in the spring of 2015.
While the new model will ride on the same platform as the current model, it will have an improved suspension, as well as more high-strength steel used in the construction.
Hyundai has high hopes for this model, with the expectation being that it will hit 90,000 sales annually. That would be a major increase over the 41,906 units sold in the US in 2013.
Also expected to remain in place are the 2.0- and 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engines in the current model. There is also a chance that 1.6-liter 4-cylinder turbo found in the 2015 Sonata Eco.
The current Tucson is smaller than its rivals – Honda CR-V and Ford Escape – in the segment, so don’t be surprised if it stretches out a little.
Sub-Tucson Crossover Vehicle
Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski has also been quotes as saying that the company is interested in perhaps getting into the subcompact crossover segment, but that no decision has been made yet.
Hyundai did show off an ix25 crossover concept at the Beijing auto show, with many feeling that the model on display might eventually be released to compete with the upcoming Honda HR-V and Chevrolet Trax.
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid Car
The new 2015 Sonata was rolled out without a redesigned hybrid model, but that will be rectified when an all-new Sonata Hybrid arrives next year as a 2016 model.
The expectations are that it will use a powertrain similar to the current version, which is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gas engine mated to a 35-kilowatt electric motor.
One area of improvement should come in the fuel economy ratings, where it’s expected that the current 36/40 mpg city/highway will be better when the 2016 model does hit the streets.
A plug-in Sonata Hybrid will also be offered by Hyundai, with a more powerful battery pack sure to be found in this model, as that would be required to increase the expected driving range.
The plug-in model likely won’t appear in showrooms until the early part of 2016.
There is also the possibility of yet another plug-in model on the same drivetrain the following year, with a crossover model the most likely to get the electric treatment.
Small RWD Sporty Sedan
As of now, the Equus and the Genesis sedan are the only two rear-wheel drive models in the Hyundai stable.
That is expected to increase by one when Hyundai delivers a small sports sedan that would rival the BMW 3 series, with delivery due sometime in 2017.
Rumor has it that the platform used in the new car would eventually underpin the Genesis Coupe.
This future model is still very much in the planning stage, though, so little is known about how it would fit into a segment that is already pretty full.
The feeling is that the new sports sedan, codenamed the IK, would have a base price point in the $30,000 range and would come with a pair of engine options: an aspirated V6 and a turbocharged 4-cylinder.
Other news has it that a new version of the Accent could be delivered in 2016 as a 2017 model. The new Elantra, which was slated for a late 2015 release, may be pushed back to 2016.
Stay tuned for more news about Hyundai Motor Copany!
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