Here’s a Hyundai you’ve probably
never heard of before. It"s said to be called the Custo and it will be built
through the Beijing Hyundai joint venture in China between the South Korean
automaker and BAIC Motor. The joint venture has been operating since 2002 and
the Custo is its latest creation. It takes the form of a seven-seat MPV (but
will be available as a six-seater) and will launch on the Chinese market in
October.
Seen here in prototype form and starting
with the exterior design, it is ‘unique,’ to put it nicely. If you can ignore
the dirt strewn across this prototype, you’ll recognize a familiar Hyundai
front grille and a set of headlights with a particularly intriguing shape.
Viewed from the side, the Custo includes black side skirts and black trim on
the lower portion of the doors. It also has sharp lines running along the doors
and pronounced wheel arches. Look more closely and silver trim can be found on
the door handles. As for the rear of the Hyundai Custo, it
has tinted taillights and an LED light bar. The rear-end is also very upright
and has a subtle spoiler stretching off from the roof.
Inside, the MPV clearly shares some parts
with the 2020 Hyundai Sonata. For example, it features the same four-spoke
steering wheel and also has the same gear selector buttons. The Hyundai Custo
also sports a slim digital instrument cluster and a large portrait-oriented
infotainment system and touchscreen.
Car News China reports the MPV will be
sold exclusively with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing
237 hp and 353 Nm of torque while mated to an eight-speed automatic
transmission.
