Hyundai Casper revealed as friendly-looking mini SUV
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - As the mass migration to high-riding SUVs and crossovers continues unabated, car companies are trying to cater for this at every end of the price spectrum. The new Hyundai Casper is attempting to plug the entry-level gap for the Korean brand.
Although its name might create associations with a supposedly friendly animated apparition, it was actually inspired by the ‘Casper’ skateboarding flip, Hyundai says.
According to various reports, the Hyundai Casper shares its platform with the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto, and it appears significantly smaller than the Hyundai Venue, which was the brand’s most compact SUV until now. No images of the interior have been released as yet.
Hyundai says it will offer two 1.0-litre petrol engine options, with the base engine being a normally aspirated MPI unit. Depending on the market in question, sportier variants will be offered with Hyundai’s 1.0T GDI direct injection turbopetrol engine.
Hyundai South Africa says it is looking at this new model with keen interest, and although it has yet to be officially confirmed for our market, the importer says it would make sense as an addition to the local line-up. As per Hyundai’s other compact models such as the Atos, Grand i10 and i20, it is likely that the new crossover would be sourced from India.
The Hyundai Casper will compete with sub-compact crossovers like the Suzuki Ignis and Mahindra KUV100. It’s not a crowded segment at this stage, which is why Hyundai will be hoping to get a head start on its mainstream rivals.
Watch this space for more information on this tiny SUV as it becomes available.