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Hyundai Tucson N would be a hot hatch on crossover stilts

Auto Express reports that during last week's launch of the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe, the carmaker's global head of sales said a hotted-up N version of the Tucson "is under development, and other models will come after that." The remark should quell a year of speculation that a performance-oriented Tucson N had to figure somewhere in Hyundai's plans. The question now is when will the Tucson N get here. The N performance sub-brand's first product, the i30 N, just launched. We'd been told that a "fastback" would come next, probably an N version of the i30 Fastback going on sale in international markets this year. After that would come a B-segment vehicle — likely an i20 N, a road-going model of the four-door that Hyundai uses for the World Rally Championship. After that would come an SUV, however, we're also expecting a Veloster N to reach the U.S. market late this year. We know that the N division plans to take the time to make sure each model delivers all the goods — the i30 N's received uniformly high marks so far — so we could be looking at mid to late 2019 for a spicy Tucson. The hot crossover playground will entertain more global players by then — Seat just debuted its 296-horsepower Cupra Ateca in Europe, for instance — but in the US, the Tucson N could own a niche without a true competitor. The Mazda CX-5 earns across-the-board praise for driving dynamics, but its four-cylinder tops out at 187 hp and it would never be called a "lovable thug." Unless Ford decides to roll out an Escape ST after three years of scuttlebutt on the matter, nothing else in the segment could touch a 'roided Tucson, especially one given the full 271-hp from i30 N's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot. Related Video:

How feasible is Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz pickup?

When the silk finally slipped off Hyundai's HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept at the Detroit Auto Show on Monday, it was tangible, four-wheeled confirmation following years of rumors that the Korean automaker has been investigating the pickup market. Yet despite strong early critical and online reception, the likelihood of a production Hyundai pickup remains muddy at best. To be clear, Hyundai officials tell Autoblog there's nothing remotely production-ready lurking below the Santa Cruz's skin – it's a what-if concept designed to gauge customer reaction. But company officials say Hyundai is seriously investigating the possibility of a production pickup, and the company firmly believes that there's a market for a small, efficient unibody truck. According to John Krsteski, Manager at Hyundai Design North America, who spearheaded the project, Hyundai "is spending a lot of time right now still going through some studies on which types of platforms – whether it's a unique platform. It could be based on something like a Tucson ... we've looked at several different options." While Krsteski indicated that a platform hadn't been arrived at – and would likely need modifications – he says "it's definitely feasible." The Santa Cruz concept has a number of eye-catching features that would seem tough to produce – namely the slide-out rear bed extender that Krsteski says was influenced by the drawer-style ovens and dishwashers increasingly found in high-end kitchens. "We've had a couple of engineers in the studio and we did some study models on it, and we do think it's feasible – especially based on how we could package that inside there." With the extension in place, the small bed is large enough for a motocross bike to fit in on an angle. So what's next for the Santa Cruz? Hyundai has some internal studies it has completed and others that remain ongoing, and the company will work to gauge consumer response to the vehicle at auto shows and other events. Hyundai Motor America is clearly excited about the California-born project, but the toughest hurdle to a production pickup will likely be getting approval from headquarters in Korea. To that end, we've been led to understand that it was both telling and strategic that the Hyundai press conference was packed with Korean executives, who were on-hand in part to gauge media reaction to the Santa Cruz.

Genesis bringing an EV concept and G90 to New York Auto Show

It's official, the entire Hyundai Group has plans for the New York Auto Show. During the Hyundai Sonata press launch in South Korea, design head Luc Donckerwolke told Roadshow "You'll have an electric show car for Genesis." This year will be the charm for Genesis and EVs, after showing the GV80 SUV concept and its hydrogen fuel cell powertrain in 2017, and the electric Essentia coupe concept last year. We will also see the production version of the U.S. market Genesis G90 and its mongo grille. The premium brand's debuts will join the new Sonata sedan and Venue crossover, and an as-yet-unnamed Kia show car expected to be our version of the SP Signature concept potentially called Tusker. Hyundai-Kia isn't getting its electric razzle dazzle ready for New York alone. Auto Express reports the group is working on a new electric car platform to serve the carmaker the same way Volkswagen's MEB architecture serves the German group's brands. At the moment, the only four EVs in the South Korean automaker's range are the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq, and the Kia e-Niro and Soul. They are all built on ICE platforms, the Kona and e-Niro still proving popular enough for this year's planned UK-market production to sell out already. According to a "company insider," the dedicated EV platform is around two years away and will focus on B- and C-segment cars. That's the same year that Genesis is expected to have its EV ready, but unless the luxury arm has plans to dip its grille into C-segment waters, Genesis likely has other EV platform plans. By 2025, Hyundai and Kia have said they'll have 14 EVs in the combined lineup as part of 38 electrified offerings. Whatever's on the way could prove far more radical than today's offerings. Donckerwolke told Auto Express that in order to attract the future EV buyers that aren't necessarily car people, "[You] have to ask whether you want science fiction or whether you want to conform. We can create something that doesn't appeal to someone in the traditional sense." If the head designer gets his way, 3D-printing will help whip up those attractions. Last year's Essentia concept showed off 3D-printed carbon fiber ornament, but the potential goes much further.