Korea Joongang Daily reports that its new
sub-compact SUV will likely be called the ‘Hyundai Kona’ in South Korea, a name
that the Hyundai Motor America filed for a federal trademark registration last
September. The vehicle is internally codenamed Hyundai OS, and will launch in
the first half of the year the home market.
Another speculation is that the new CUV could be
revealed at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Spyshots of the Kona’s test mules
reveal cues from the Hyundai Intrado concept, featuring the new Cascading
grille, separate headlamps and pilot lamps similar to the Nissan Juke, and
distinctive tail lamps with LED illumination.
The Kona will measure about the size of the Creta
and would come with 1.4-liter gasoline turbo, 1.4-liter diesel and 1.6-liter
diesel engines. The configuration appears perfect for India, but positioning
the model would prove a challenge with the Creta and Tucson covering the
premium SUV market well.
The new Hyundai B-SUV will rival compact CUVs like
the Nissan Juke, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and Citroen C3 Picasso.
It will slot below the Tucson, and serve as Hyundai’s entry level utility
vehicle in developed markets which demand advanced safety features. Joongang
Daily adds that Hyundai may use a different branding for the Kona overseas.