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Future Models - Hyundai 2010 ix35

First look: Hyundai shows off production ix35

Compact Korean: All-new small SUV will replace Australia's third-best-selling compact off-roader in 2010.

Tucson successor revealed in full road trim as Hyundai heralds ix35 for Frankfurt

26 August 2009

By MARTON PETTENDY

THIS is the first image of Hyundai’s most serious challenge to compact SUV stalwarts like Subaru’s Forester and the Toyota RAV4.

Revealed here in final production specification for the first time following a staged global reveal campaign, the ix35 will make its worldwide premiere at the Frankfurt motor show on September 15, before replacing the Tucson in Australia in the first half of next year.

Hyundai2010 ix35 center image Left: Hyundai's ix-onic concept from Geneva. Below: Last week's ix35 sketch.

Emerging almost identical to the sketches revealed precisely a week ago, when Hyundai confirmed the ix35 nameplate would replace the Tucson, the road-ready crossover wagon is also faithful to the striking ‘ix-onic’ concept from this year’s Geneva show, save for that car’s fanciful LED foglights.

No further information has been revealed about the German-design small SUV, which follows the Korean car-maker’s new i-prefixed model nomenclature and is again expected to be available in front and all-wheel drive guises.

Hyundai says the ix35 features its new ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, including a hexagonal grille and sleek aerodynamics, which in this case is claimed to combine with an “advanced powertrain” to “deliver markedly better fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions than rival SUVs and compete head on in terms of running costs with mainstream hatchbacks”.

The LM-series Tuscon successor will be just one of a number of key new model introductions in Australia next year, with a redesigned Sonata medium sedan and the all-new Indian-built i20 light-car also due to be delivered here by the world’s fifth-largest car-maker.

The ix35, which was filmed in Sydney for a future television commercial earlier this month, will be joined on display in Frankfurt by a facelifted version of its larger SUV sibling, the mid-sized Santa Fe seven-seater, which will be released in Australia later this year.