Judging by patent shots discovered in the China Ministry of Industry database by AutoHome, the next Hyundai SUV will be called Mufasa, after the titular character of Walt Disney’s Lion King.
The newcomer resembles the latest Tucson a bit – note the buffed wheel arches and the gently sloping roofline at the c-pillar point. The front end, however, sports a different bumper and new, vertical headlights.
The taillights at the back are C-shaped and connected at the tips with two horizontal LED stripes, forming a rounded rectangle of sorts. The lettering ‘Mufasa’ can be found at the tailgate.
Sized 4,475 x 1,850 x 1,665 millimeters with 2,680 mm of wheelbase, the new SUV slots in between the Creta and the Tucson in terms of size. In China, it is slated to ship with a 2.0-liter engine rated at 161 PS (160 hp / 120 kW). A very similar engine is powering the latest Kia Sportage Ace, which is also very close to the Mufasa in size, fueling our suspicions that they may be related.
However it is, the rest of the parameters will be revealed closer to the start of sales.