Baby boomers
Small SUVS the segment tt to watchth with three key models due in 2017
SMALL SUVS could grow to be the third-biggest market segment off the back of a surge of new arrivals – and an insatiable Aussie appetite for anything with some off-road design flair.
Hyundai and Kia are each gearing up to launch $20K-plus five-door SUVS in 2017 to tackle the might of the class-leading Mazda CX-3 (above right) and its rapidly growing opposition.
Even earlier in the year, Toyota will finally enter the fray with its C-HR, a crucial pillar for the brand as it embarks on boosting its lacklustre SUV share, having been surprisingly caught off guard in the shift towards pint-sized soft-roaders.
Expect the C-HR to sell big – Toyota is by far the biggest player in the local market and it has SUV ground to make up (see breakout) – although it will also come up against much more competition than any previous Toyota SUV arrival.
Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, has also flagged its intention to spin a small SUV off the C-HR platform. While details are scant, the UX Concept revealed at the Paris motor show on September 29 is believed to utilise much of the underbody componentry of the little Toyota.
But it’s the co-developed newcomers from Korean brands Hyundai and Kia that could be the most interesting entrants in this increasingly important segment.
Hyundai’s yet-to-be-named compact SUV will be based on the second-generation i20 that never made it to Australia.
With the mid-size Tucson filling the family car role, the compact SUV will be able to punch harder against the Mazda CX-3, a clear sales leader in the class.
Like that car, expect the Hyundai to be offered in both front- and four-wheel-drive configurations.
It will also have a choice of engines, with the i20’s European line-up set to provide the suite from which to choose.
Almost certain is a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo. Hyundai could also choose the 1.0-litre three-pot turbo, although that engine is currently only available with a manual gearbox.
Being turbocharged also puts cost pressures on production once you add the turbo units and associated plumbing.
As for Kia, Wheels spies have snapped the baby SUV testing in Death Valley in the US, revealing what is being referred to as a CUV, or compact urban vehicle, designed primarilly with Europe in mind.
While it would make sense for Kia to share its mechanical basics with the Hyundai, there’s a strong chance it will share its architecture with the just-revealed Rio city car, a car half a generation ahead of its i20 rival.
Kia Australia hasn’t yet decided if it will take the vehicle, saying it will depend on engine availability.
“It’s a style of vehicle we’re interested in,” said Kia Australia PR manager Kevin Hepworth. “There will be no decision made until we have full clarity [from head office] on what engines and gearboxes will be available.”
With the Euro focus, it’s understood the engines may be smaller than Australians prefer.
The top-selling small SUVS in Australia – including the Mazda CX-3 and Mitsubishi ASX – have larger, naturally aspirated engines.