Hyundai’s upcoming Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt-fighter remains tightly camouflaged on the outside, but inside, for the first time, the Korean firm’s engineers have let their guard down.
Overall, it’s way less special than anticipated – especially given Hyundai’s latest offerings, with a simple dashboard hosting a plain-looking instrument panel and a regular-sized touchscreen on the center console that sits atop a series of buttons and the climate controls.
While it does feel from these photos like a cabin more suitable for an econobox such as the next-gen Accent than a dedicated hybrid model, there could be an upside to the simplicity and lack of imagination, if Hyundai prices it well under its main rivals.
The Korean carmaker hasn’t put a name on the car yet, though, it recently surfaced that they trademarked ‘Ioniq’, which had been used in the past in a slightly different form (i-oniq) on a Hyundai range-extender EV concept with a face that strongly reminded us of the Nissan 350Z back in 2012. Some say that this is the name for the brand’s new hybrid.
Built with modified components sourced from the new Elantra that was unveiled at the LA Auto Show last month, Hyundai’s first dedicated hybrid will employ a 1.6-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and lithium batteries, with a pure electric version to likely follow in the near future.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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