Hyundai has confirmed it will call its Tucson replacement the ix35, and will launch it at next month's Frankfurt motor show.
Hyundai says the ix35 represents a 'major step forward' for the company. It has issued a single rear close-up of the car in the UK, and two artist's renderings in the US, which can be seen in our image gallery.
See the official Hyundai ix35 renderings and spy pictures
It has been conceived and engineered in Europe at the company’s Frankfurt-based design and technical centres, and is reported to carry over many of the styling cues of the ix-onic concept car, which was displayed at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.
A source has told Autocar that the Hyundai ix35 will compete head-to-head with the Nissan Qashqai and will be offered with both front and four-wheel drive.
Hyundai expects around 95 per cent of the car’s sales to be in front-wheel drive and it is being pitched as a car for on-road use, rather than as an off-roader.
“We want people to look at a mid-spec Focus or Golf and think that they can get a better equipped, higher-quality and more spacious product for the same money,” said the source.
“We’ll be pricing it at much less than the Ford Kuga and want to offer lots of equipment to tempt people away from buying a Nissan Qashqai.”
“The ix35 will have similar emissions and running costs to rivals like the Focus, but we think people will opt for an ix35 because they’re getting more equipment and interior space than our rivals.”
UK sales are expected to kick-off next spring, with prices starting from around £16,000.
A revised Hyundai Santa Fe will also be displayed at Frankfurt.
As well as styling changes it has a new powertrain, steering and suspension.
Mated to the recently-launched diesel engine, codenamed ‘R’, Hyundai claims these modifications result in a 'balanced and refined model, well suited to on-road and off-road driving'.
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