by Hyundai’s New Design Approach
The Hyundai company plans to make the style of its future models more consistent and cohesive. Currently, different cars of the brand look so different that one might think they belong to different manufacturers. However, the Korean automaker states that this will change.
The goal is for the models to look more connected to each other, but without losing individuality and resorting to complete unification, as competitors sometimes do.
The current design strategy in the company is described as “chess pieces”: each car is unique, but there are certain common details, for example, pixel-style lighting signatures, that unite the lineup. One of the latest concept cars, Concept Three, vividly demonstrates this individuality.
Stronger Family Resemblance Without Copying
Hyundai’s CEO in Europe, Xavier Martine, noted in an interview with Autocar that the company aims for its cars to look more related.
Perhaps previously there wasn’t this systematic sense of family between our cars. We are working on this, but we will never go down the path of “Xerox copying” and lose individuality. We have seen several brands that may have gone too far in this direction.
According to Martine, future models will find a better balance between the common brand identity and the characteristics of each car, taking into account the target audience.
Plans for the European Market
The update of the design philosophy is taking place against the backdrop of Hyundai’s ambitious plans for growth in Europe. Last year, the company sold 603,542 passenger cars in the region, which is 1% more than the year before and allowed it to capture a 4.2% market share.
By 2027, every Hyundai model sold in Europe will have an electrified version. In the next 18 months, five completely new cars will be introduced on the local market, including the updated Tucson, Bayon, Kona, and i20, as well as the fully electric Ioniq 3.
I believe we can do much better than we are now. The market share in Europe is lower than the global one. We are trying to invest more to make a difference. I am eager to seize these opportunities.
These changes are happening at a key moment for the auto industry, when buyers increasingly expect clear and recognizable identity from brands. The balance between the unity of the model family and the unique character of each of them is a complex but important task. The success of this strategy could significantly strengthen Hyundai’s position in the competitive European market, especially against the backdrop of the active transition to electric vehicles and the renewal of the entire model range.
