Hyundai: Geneva Motor Show 2013

Hyundai is at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show with the Grand Santa Fe debut, the refreshed ix35 and the upgraded i20 WRC.

The Geneva Motor Show is probably the most important car show on the planet, and car makers like to have big reveals here.

But Hyundai are a bit muted this year, with no big launches planned, although they do have two ‘new’ models on show and a bit of rally glitz too.

The 2013 Hyundai ix35 Facelift makes its first appearance on the floor at Geneva and, although changes are minimal, changes there are.

Apart from the smallest of cosmetic tweaks on the outside, there are plenty of not very obvious changes too like heated steering wheel, front parking sensors and an optional LCD supervision cluster (in two sizes).

There’s optional Bi-Xenon headlights and new LED running lights as standard, new 17″ and 18″ alloys, higher quality trim for the seats and door trims, chrome ringed air vents, illuminated cupholders and a shade band on the windscreen. Yes, the facelift is so minimal that chrome rings round the air vents and a shade band on the windscreen are news.

Also on show at Geneva is the new Hyundai Grand Sant Fe, but we’re trying to ignore it as Hyundai doesn’t want the expense of making it in RHD, so only mainland Europe gets it. The Grand Santa Fe is the 7-seat Santa Fe built for giant Americans, but mildly tweaked for European tastes, and has more room for lardy people. Perfect for the UK, we’d have thought.

As well as the 2013 ix35 Facelift Hyunda have the ix35 FCEV (which has the nose the 2013 ix35 should have had) and the ‘Hyundai Connectivity Concept’ which isn’t a car but an i30 that loves your smartphone and keeps you connected.

Finally, Hyundai have taken along an upgraded version of the i20 they are going WRC rallying with and which first got an airing at Paris last year. There are changes to the bodywork and suspension, but perhaps the most striking thing is the new livery in ‘Hyundai Blue’ with Hunminjeongeum (Korean Script) used for effect at the top of the doors.

We had hoped Hyundai would have rolled out an i30 with the turbo from the Veloster, but it looks like we’ll have to wait for that until Kia has their Cee’d GT out of the way.