'CRUCIAL' NEW HYUNDAIS TO LEAD EUROPEAN PUSH

New Ioniq 2 and fifth-gen Tucson aim to harvest buyers from key rivals

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Hyundai is readying a pair of crucial new models as it looks to bolster its position in Europe and get significantly closer to its Kia sibling for sales success.

The imminent arrival of a radically different fifth-generation Tucson and a Bayon-sized EV, which is likely to be badged Ioniq 2, shows the breadth of Hyundai's expanding lineup as it pushes into the booming new electric hatchback segment. The move is intended to bring new buyers to the brand while catering to core customers with a fresh take on its global bestseller, the Tucson SUV.

EXPANDING EV LINEUP

The arrival of the Ioniq 2 is most notable because it will push the Korean brand into a completely new segment. Understood by Autocar to be twinned with sibling brand Kia's incoming EV2, the Ioniq 2 will plug the gap between the compact Inster and the Kona Electric in Hyundai's current six-strong electric vehicle lineup.

Pictures of the car testing confirm that it will be close in size to the combustion-engined Bayon, giving the brand a foothold in a segment that is growing in popularity with the launch of the Renault 4 this summer and the imminent arrivals of the Volkswagen ID 2X and Skoda Epiq.

The model is set to be revealed at the Munich motor show next month and will go on sale in the third quarter of 2026. It is understood that Kia's EV2 will arrive a few months before it.

These spy shots confirm that the Ioniq 2 will be a raised hatchback with a raked roofline, similar in positioning to the incoming ID 2X. Under that heavy camouflage, the design at the front is expected to mirror that of the new Ioniq 6, with slimmed LEDs and an aggressively styled 'technical' look.