The flagship 2019 Hyundai SUV will be positioned above the Santa Fe and is expected to share underpinnings with the production version of Kia Telluride
We have already reported that Hyundai is preparing a flagship SUV that will sit atop the Santa Fe globally. Traces of its have appeared through a set of spy pictures on foreign soil and it looks to have seating compatibility for eight individuals. The South Korean auto brand gave a cosmetic, equipment and mechanical upgrade to the Santa Fe recently.
Fresh off its arrival in international scenes, Hyundai appears to be speeding up the process of introducing a brand new SUV to capitalise on the good reception among customers across the globe for sports utility vehicles. The test prototype was camouflaged heavily but it did give some indications of how the design would pan out to be.
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Standing testament to the latest global styling cues the brand has adapted, the eight-seat SUV could get a sharp yet large front radiator grille while the headlamps are positioned below the strip-like LED Daytime Running Lights. The rear end will comprise of vertically stacked LED tail lamps along with a rather subtle bumper.
It will likely have enough styling differentiations to set it apart from the popular Santa Fe. The tall pillars have enabled a sturdy stance from the sides and they extend to accommodate a third row of seat. Global media outlets report that the full-size SUV will be based on the same platform as the production-spec Kia Telluride.
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It goes on to say component sharing will be keen to keep the production costs down between both the SUVs. Although currently making do with conventional power plants, Hyundai has confirmed launches of hybrid and PHEV variants of the Santa Fe in a year or two.
We can expect the full-size SUV to feature hybrid and electric powertrains as well down the line as part of the brand’s vision to roll out 15 electrified models by 2020. We are more likely to see the eight-seat flagship SUV making global debut next year in its production guise.
Whether India will be considered as a potential market for the new SUV or not? Only time will tell as Hyundai plans entry of an electric Kona in 2019.
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