The mini SUV market is going to redlining in 2012-13 with Ford, Renault, Maruti and Mahindra developing products for a launch in the near term. The Duster is widely spoken about as a perfect upgrade for a hatch owner and a logical second car for the sedan owner.
Then comes the next generation Ford EcoSport posting of which started from time immemorial. There's wide spread speculation this week that Maruti is doing a concept SUV for an Auto Expo showcase.
Given this sudden model outburst one company that's not new to the mini SUV game is Hyundai. Over the last few years Hyundai has showcased fascinating concepts like the Nuvis and Curb that point to a rival to the SX4 crossover and the Nissan Juke. They have shown interest in bringing compact crossovers to global markets. They have an assortment of crossovers starting with the ix20, all the way up to the ix55.
As we sit on the brink of another body style's arrival there's no better time to imagine what a mini SUV from Hyundai would look like. Based on the recent concepts and the jaw-dropping luxury sedans, SRK has tied in design elements from the various models to prepare this purely speculative rendering.
If Hyundai is indeed mulling such a model, say an ix25, they need to address many key issues - Where will it position this product? What engine will be used and where will it come from? Can they put it between the i20 and the Verna? Or can they move it into the space between the Verna and the Avante? The most important of them all - Is the Indian customer ready to take the mini SUV plunge?
