Hyundai is thinking about the future of the i30, company CTO Albert Biermann told Drive in an interview. The hatchback may stay on sale in countries where it enjoys good sales, but a complete replacement with an SUV is also being considered.
In Biermann’s opinion, the international interest towards hatchbacks has faded in the recent years. As a consequence, Hyundai is now looking for the best way to get rid of its unpopular five-door family ride. The only thing we know for sure is that not all countries will lose it at once.
For instance, India, Australia and select European countries will continue to restock on the i30, while the USA will ditch it as soon as a new SUV comes out and replaces it.
What kind of SUV will it be, though? Drive believes it could be simply a high-riding variant of the standard i30, similar to what Toyota did with the Corolla Cross. On the other hand, the Korean automaker already has such a model on its lineup – the Kona – so a solution would need to be found that eliminates infighting between the two.