8 Hybrid Hyundai Cars Coming Your Way: New Creta To Palisade
Hyundai India is looking to strengthen its portfolio in the coming years. It will launch a range of hybrid products in the country, across segments and price ranges. According to latest reports, Hyundai has plans to launch at least eight hybrid products by the end of this decade. These will include both sedans and SUVs. This is by far the strongest push we have seen from the Korean carmaker, into electrified mobility. It will help Hyundai stay competitive as stricter emission and fuel efficiency norms kick in next year. While the company hasn’t officially put out finer details of the hybrid gameplan, here are some of our logical speculations on what’s coming your way.
Hyundai is known to be developing a new 1.2L turbo-petrol engine that will be hybrid-ready. When put to production, this will become the most affordable hybrid powertrain from Hyundai, and will be used on multiple models. The second engine that will form the backbone of the carmaker’s hybrid gameplan is a newly developed 1.5L hybrid unit. This engine hasn’t made its global debut yet. Let’s now look at what the 8 hybrid models are…
Hyundai is known to be developing a small SUV that will sit below the Creta and Venue when launched. This will be the second-generation Bayon and has now been spied on tests here. It appears to have a more SUV-like design than the first-generation model. The Bayon will share many of its components with the upcoming next-generation i20. It will be powered by the new 1.2L turbo-petrol engine mentioned above, likely in its hybrid form. The exact power and torque figures of this unit are yet to be disclosed. Speculations point to it producing around 160hp.
Hyundai’s new 1.2L hybrid petrol engine will also be used in the next-generation i20 and the second-generation Venue, in the future. The new-generation i20, expected to launch in the coming years, will have a fresh design and an improved cabin. It is expected to get the 1.2L strong hybrid engine either at launch or later.
The second-generation Venue continues to be in good demand and is now offered with three engine options- 1.2 naturally aspirated petrol, 1.0L turbocharged petrol and 1.5L diesel. In the not-so-distant future, it will likely get the 1.2L hybrid engine.
The next generation of Hyundai Creta is now under development. Expected to be out in late 2026 or early 2027, it will have a lot of upgrades over the outgoing models. The design, cabin experience and platform are all set to change.
The next-generation SUV will be underpinned by the K3 platform and will offer the three familiar engines at launch- 1.5L turbocharged petrol, 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol and 1.5L turbo-diesel. Hyundai is expected to introduce the newly developed 1.5L strong hybrid powertrain on the SUV sometime in the future. This setup will excel with its fuel efficiency and will pair a 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine with an electric motor and a battery pack.
The Alcazar is now offered with just two engine options- 1.5L turbocharged petrol and 1.5L diesel. The new 1.5L strong hybrid engine is also expected to be introduced in the Alcazar sometime in the future. Even though we don’t have a timeline for this debut, a powerful, fuel efficient petrol hybrid unit will make much sense on a three-row SUV like the Alcazar.
Another launch expected from Hyundai is that of the Ni1i SUV. Ni1i is of course a codename. The production form will compete with the Mahindra XUV 7XO and Tata Safari when launched, and will be positioned above the Alcazar in Hyundai India’s lineup. Many see it as a replacement to the Tucson.
The Ni1i SUV will come with a strong hybrid petrol engine- likely the same 1.5L strong hybrid used in models like the next-generation Creta and Alcazar. This SUV will be manufactured at Hyundai’s Talegaon factory.
The Verna enjoys decent acceptance in the mid-size sedan segment and is now available with two petrol engines- 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol and 1.5L turbocharged petrol. The 1.5L strong hybrid engine is also expected to be introduced on the sedan in the future. Its powerful, fuel efficient nature will pump more appeal into the Verna.
Last in this list is the Palisade, a Fortuner rivalling flagship SUV that Hyundai is expected to launch in the coming months. It will become the Korean giant’s halo product and will be powered by a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid setup, capable of making 329hp. This SUV will have a combined driving range of 1000 km per tank of fuel.