New large-capacity van unveiled in Germany and
Paris, but remains ruled out for Oz
Korean heavyweight Hyundai has premiered its new
Euro-focused large-capacity van, with the H350 enjoying its first public
appearances at the IAA commercial vehicles expo in Hannover, Germany, followed
by the 2014 Paris Motor Show in France.
Manufactured in Turkey by Hyundai's commercial
vehicle partner, Karsan Otomotiv Sanayil ve Ticaret AS, Hyundai Motor Company
Australia has said there's no indication at this stage that the model will
reach Australia.
The new rear-wheel-drive LCV is powered by a
2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel in one of two tunes – 110kW/373Nm or
125kW/422Nm – with the power fed to the ground via a six-speed manual gearbox.
Boasting 12.9 cubic metres of load space, the H350
can accept five standard European pallets, with a maximum payload limit of
1400kg and a towing limit of 2500kg.
The model will be available in Europe in van,
cab/chassis or minibus formats.
No fewer than 14 tie-down anchor points have been
provided to help secure a load and the cabin is separated from the load bay by
a standard fitment steel bulkhead, the latter minimising noise, enhancing the
efficiency of the van's heating and cooling systems, and offering protection
from cargo in the event of an accident.
The van on show in Paris was equipped with a single
sliding side door and 50/50 barn-style rear doors.
The modern cab boasts a steering wheel with inset
controls, an infotainment system with sizeable 4.2-inch display, and a
stereo/communications system with Bluetooth, CD and USB input.
Safety features include airbags, stability control
with rollover stability system, hill-start assist and lane-keeping assistance,
among others.
Stylistically tied to the broader Hyundai family by
its hexagonal front grille and wraparound headlights, the latter complemented
by LED daytime running lights, the H350 represents the Korean manufacturer's
first assault on the larger van market and its chief protagonists, including
the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Volkswagen Crafter, Iveco Daily and
Fiat Ducato.
While Hyundai Australia has confirmed it's a
European model only at this stage – "My most recent intelligence is that
it's left-hand drive only," said HMCA's PR General Manager, Bill Thomas,
recently – if the model does indeed gain some traction it's not unreasonable to
expect its expansion to include other world markets.
In Australia Hyundai's iLoad is the
second-best-selling LCV in the 2.5-3.5t bracket, with 3359 examples sold to the
end of September 2014. That's appreciably behind Toyota's best-selling HiAce
(4875 units) but still well ahead of the third-placed Renault Trafic 1075
units.
Mercedes-Benz's Sprinter dominates the large van
(over 3.5t) market in this country, with 2000 examples sold to the end of
September 2014. It's followed by Renault's Master (820 units) and Fiat's Ducato
(774 units).
Hyundai is performing strongly in Australia, and in
fact last month achieved its highest September sales figure on record, selling
8804 vehicles. Hyundai is Australia's third-placed brand in terms of outright
sales and has enjoyed 28 consecutive months of year-on-year sales growth.
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