Hyundai Australia is preparing for a renewed push into the Australian market over the next 12 months, with the South Korean manufacturer preparing to launch 11 new vehicles by July 2021.

Australia’s third highest-selling manufacturer so far in 2020 has not been immune to the sales slide that has seen new car sales in decline for 26 months straight, with the new roll-out their latest attempt at putting a halt to the decline.

The company’s refresh will be led by Hyundai’s latest technology, the hydrogen fuel-cell powered Nexo. The Nexo became the first fuel-cell electric vehicle to be certified for road use in Australia when the first 20 examples of the model arrived in Canberra earlier this month.

While the Nexo is one of Hyundai’s first new offerings to arrive in Australia, it will not be available commercially until refuelling infrastructure in the country can support the roll-out of the vehicle.

The first of three commercially available all-new Hyundai vehicles to arrive in 2020 will be the Palisade SUV. Available in seven or eight-seat variants, the US-style Palisade is Hyundai’s answer to the Toyota Kluger and Mazda CX-9.

Joining the Palisade will be the new-generation Sonata and the i30 Sedan, a refreshed version of the currently available Elantra model.

Hyundai will also release face-lifted versions of the popular i30 Hatch and Santa Fe models before the year is out.

2021 will see a new fluster of new Hyundai models enter Australia, with a new Tucson model first on the list.

Following the Tucson will be the refreshed Kona and Kona electric models, while three exciting new unnamed models are also expected to arrive in the first half of 2021, one of which will be an eco model.

Hyundai’s product planner, Jonathan Lam said the brand’s refresh was exciting for the company and would reaffirm the company’s role as a leading manufacturer in Australia.

“The continued roll-out of new product builds on the three key product pillars that will reset and grow our brand in the future,” said Lam.

“Exhilarating performance that appeals to a broad market through N and N Line products, reinforcing our position as a leader in alternate fuel through Nexo and other dedicated eco-vehicle platforms, as well as a renewed focus on technologies, led by the rapid renewal of our SUV range.”

Source: Carsguide | Hyundai’s new model rampage: 11 new models in the next 11 months as brand “resets” in Australia

26 June 2020