Hyundai Wants to Duke it Out With the Juke

9 years, 6 months ago - 1 September 2014, Carbuzz
Hyundai Wants to Duke it Out With the Juke
Everybody just wants to build (somewhat) sporty compact crossovers these days.

Who would have believed roughly a decade ago what Hyundai has achieved today. It was once a total value brand, but now it’s one of the biggest threats to Toyota, Honda, GM and Ford. And when there’s success after success, the thirst for more is understandable. Model year 2016 will see a number of major Hyundai models undergo complete redesigns, specifically the Elantra sedan and Tucson SUV. Consider those part of Hyundai’s bread and butter. And now there’s a report claiming that a Nissan Juke rival is also in the works.

Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski recently told Edmunds that a new subcompact crossover "would be a vehicle that would be really designed for Gen Y, for new first-time younger buyers. Think of maybe something that looks like a Juke or something that has edgy, dynamic styling." One thing is for certain though: if this Juke fighter does come to fruition, it won’t look like a scaled-down Tucson. Hyundai knows these younger buyers don’t want something that bears any resemblance to a family vehicle. No targeted launch date was mentioned, but a concept version could very well appear sometime in the coming year, possibly at Detroit in January.