2021 Hyundai Custo MPV patent images show how the exterior will look
With the Custo, Hyundai is supposedly aiming to slot the MPV between the Kia Carnival and the all-conquering Toyota Innova Crysta.
Hyundai is the second-largest carmaker in India and has been enjoying massive success with its Creta SUV. Not to forget, the likes of Venue and its sedans and hatchbacks alike, all have been bringing the big bucks each month. And now, it seems that Hyundai has had a thought about the MPV segment that doesn’t have a Hyundai-badged car in it. Enter the 2021 Hyundai Custo.
Initially, to be launched in the Chinese market, Custo shares its platform with the current-gen Kia Carnival sold overseas. However, according to the patent images and spy shots (without camouflage), the MPV isn’t as big in length as its Korean cousin.
According to some reports in the media, Custo is being jointly-developed by BAIC Motor of China and Beijing Hyundai and it could undercut the more-luxurious MPV by a slight margin.
Nonetheless, to make it clear as soon as we get the chance, Hyundai has said that it is not considering an Indian launch of the Custo just yet as it wants to focus on the reaction it gets from the Chinese market. Fair enough too, as people have been in love with the Innova/Innova Crysta for *quite* some time now.
On the front, the resemblance to the 2022 Tucson is uncanny with slim LED headlights and DRLs, along with a chrome strip. Switch to the side and you can confirm that the Custo is more-or-less based on Carnival’s platform as they seem to have similar wheelbases.
The situation at the rear is that it has a large tailgate, obviously, sharp lighting housings that are connected at the top through a light strip. As far as the interior goes, looking at the pictures below, one can only expect the design to mirror the current-gen Hyundai(s) on sale currently. And yes, being an MPV, the Custo will have different seating configurations, too.
Power will most likely come from a 2.0L, turbo-petrol motor churning out 237bhp and 353Nm of torque which will be married to an 8-speed auto ‘box.