If approved, the city-oriented models will be positioned below the Kona and Stonic, respectively.
Because there’s no such thing as having too many crossovers in the lineup, Hyundai and Kia are toying around with the idea of adding one more to their European offerings. Both South Korean brands have told Automotive News Europe they would consider going below the subcompact Kona and Stonic models, respectively, but a final decision has not been taken yet. If approved, the city-oriented crossovers would come exclusively with a front-wheel-drive layout.
With Hyundai selling the i10 hatchback in Europe’s A-segment where Kia has the Picanto, it’s not that hard to imagine crossover versions of the two tiny cars. JATO Dynamics analyst Felipe Munoz believes a new crossover segment could be created, encompassing models with an overall length of less than four meters (157.4 inches). The fourth-generation is Suzuki Jimny already in that category since it measures just 3645 mm (143.5 inches).
Hyundai and Kia are not the only ones interested in selling a tiny crossover as Jeep has already confirmed plans to go below the Renegade. As per the 2018-2022 roadmap published at the beginning of June last year, Jeep will launch a new model that will be a part of the A segment. In addition, Volkswagen is reportedly working on yet another crossover, one that would be a follow-up to the Taigun concept and slot below the T-Cross. Allegedly called T-Track, the pint-sized crossover is expected to debut in production guise as early as next year.
At the other end of the spectrum, Hyundai and Kia recently introduced their biggest high-riding models, the Palisade and the Telluride. Additional models are in the works for various regions of the world to further capitalize on the insatiable thirst customers have for crossovers. Take for example Hyundai’s new sub-Kona model and a midsize CUV for the United States, while Kia will give the Ceed the crossover treatment in Europe and will introduce a new compact model in the U.S. that could be called Tusker.
Source: Automotive News Europe
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