Newly spied on the upcoming Hyundai Custo MPV in China, which is reportedly being developed on a completely new platform for the Chinese market.
SUVs and MPVs tend to be becoming famous day by day, causing carmakers to concentrate their attention more on them than other styles of vehicles, such as hatchbacks and sedans. Okay, it turns out that Hyundai has plans to add new MPVs to its foreign range, too. Recently a new Hyundai MPV has been spied running in China. The car is christened ‘Custo’ and will, at least initially, be limited to the Chinese market.
Beijing Hyundai and BAIC Motor are jointly designing the forthcoming Hyundai Custo. According to rumors, the Custo does not share its platform with the latest generation Kia Carnival, which was recently unveiled globally. Our expectation is that this new Hyundai MPV would sit a division below the Carnival, i.e., it would be a possible competitor to Toyota Innova.
The test vehicle has a very unique design, with a little influence from the upcoming Hyundai Tucson at the front-end angle. The MPV wears black plastic cladding all over giving it a rugged feel. In addition, we see rear sliding doors, which is very popular among minivans. The dual-tone alloy wheels look extremely sporty but with their single-piece configuration, the taillamp looks extremely voluminous.
The interior looks fairly sleek, with a large vertically centered infotainment touchscreen interface. The multifunction steering wheel has the same ‘butterfly’ style as the current Creta, and it’s also getting paddle shifter. It also had a digital instrument cluster, e-parking brake, and AC vents in the second side.
This test model had six seats inside but the production model could also offer a seven-seater option. The upcoming Hyundai Custo is expected to be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, inline-4 engine, producing a maximum output of 237 hp and a peak torque of 353 Nm. This engine must come coupled to an automatic 8-speed gearbox.
The Hyundai Custo will go on-sale in the Chinese market in October-2020, although it doesn’t seem likely to be released in India. Trade ties have taken quite a hit because of the border conflict with China. If not, Hyundai should have brought a CKD model in the MPV to India. That said, Hyundai already has full hands with the forthcoming Maruti Eritga competitor in India.
To read more on Hyundai MPV, Click here
Also see: New Hyundai MPV based on Kia Carnival spied in China – is it India-bound?
GALLERY: Hyundai’s 7-Seater MPV
