Hyundai Intrado Concept revealed as a funky hydrogen-powered compact SUV

The Hyundai Intrado Concept – revealed ahead of a debut at the Geneva Motor Show – is a funky compact SUV with new Hydrogen powerplant and CFRP underpinnings.

[nggallery id=1781 template=customlinks]

The Hyundai Intrado Concept – revealed a little earlier than Hyundai planned thanks to leaked photos (above) – isn’t just a new concept, but a precursor for Hyundai’s design future, the way it builds cars and a new hydrogen powerplant. So there’s a lot on offer.

In terms of how it looks, Hyundai is trumpeting the Intrado as featuring its new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design, the future of Hyundai’s design under the beady eye of Peter Schreyer, and it looks pretty good.

The grill at the front is more upright and bolder, the weheelarches defined and accentuated by the surrounding bodywork, the profile almost a ‘bubble top’ look and the back end slightly odd, but good odd.

Under the skin, the Intrado uses tubular CFRP to create a superstructure – lighter and stronger – and the powerplant is a new, more powerful version of the hydrogen fuel cell in the ix35.

The interior looks to seat four (no doubt five in any production version) and looks clean and minimal (even if we’re not too sure about the orange leather) with a simple dash and a surfeit of buttons.

We’ll learn more as Geneva approaches on the Intrado and, although unlikely to be the star of the Geneva Show, its innovative design, build and structure will garner plenty of interest.

And we wonder: Is the Hyundai Intrado the next-generation Hyundai ix35 in all but name?