2003 Hyundai Trajet Reviews

This family SUV will have a game-changing new feature.The updated Tucson SUV will receive a 17-inch central touchscreen display and 9.9-inch digital driver display as part of upgrades to the new model, according to reports.The same screen will feature in the coming Ioniq 3 EV, according to new spy pics published by Korean Car Blog.The 17-inch display is the biggest Hyundai has ever put into one of its cars, and bigger than the multimedia screens found in new versions of its main rivals, the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.Along with the new screen there will be a suite of new technology and software, such as over-the-air updates.There is likely to also be Level 2.5 autonomous driving capabilities and an AI-integrated assistant. There are limited official details on the Tucson.There have also been some rumours on the specifications for the new Tucson.It is expected the new Tucson will only feature plug-less and plug-in hybrid power set-ups, dropping petrol-only variants from its lineup all together. The current Tucson comes with a conventional hybrid set-up, which uses a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and a motor to produce 172kW and 367Nm.Hyundai offers a plug-in hybrid version overseas already.It uses a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 185kW and 367Nm.This is paired with a circa 13kWh battery that delivers a pure electric driving range of about 50km.Expect the battery size to grow in the new versions to fend of Chinese rivals that deliver EV driving ranges of 100km or more.Digital renders by GotchaCars have popped up online, which gives us and indication of what the car is likely to look like .The render shows an upright, squared-off front-end, closed-off grille with an LED light bar and an open lower grille.There are blacked out elements on the grille, roof, mirrors and wheel arches, along with a sloping roofline to give the SUV a sleek presence.

Sedans aren’t done just yet.Hyundai is reportedly working on a new version of the Sonata sedan, and it has its sights set on the Toyota Camry.Fresh digital renders from ChaFreak on Instagram give us a speculative view on what the new 2027 Hyundai Sonata could look like.It features the brand’s futuristic pixel design, with slim headlights and an angular body with some panel creases and edgy front bumper. It has more of a liftback silhouette rather than a conventional sedan look.There aren't many details about the Sonata just yet, but there are plenty of dots that can be joined.Hyundai is moving towards hybrid, plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles, so it stands to reason the next-gen Sonata will be available with a number of different power options.Its biggest rival, the Toyota Camry, is only available with hybrid power and a raft of Chinese challengers are fully electric but there are next to no options for plug-in or extended-range hybrids in Australia.Hyundai only offers one variant of the current Sonata, which is the wicked-up N Line version with 213kW and 422Nm on tap.Conventional hybrids rarely bring that kind of performance, but Hyundai could bring some sporty flair to the new Sonata with plug-in or extended-range hybrid power.Extended range hybrids — also known as extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) — use a petrol engine purely as a generator for a battery, with the wheels driven exclusively by electric motors. This is paired with a battery of moderate size, which can also be charged by plugging into a charger.This provides the peppy off the line performance of electric vehicles, but with out the range anxiety and the excess weight of purely electric vehicles.There are question marks on whether Hyundai would bring a new Sonata to Australia, with the current version selling fewer than 400 examples last year.The sedan segment has been given a boost recently with the advent of electric cars, with vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal proving to be some of the strongest sellers.

Hyundai has confirmed the name of its next electric car, perhaps unsurprisingly following in the Ioniq series it has established.The (likely) 2027 Hyundai Ioniq 3 will be the smallest in the line-up so far, undercutting the Ioniq 5 as the brand’s entry into a new segment for the Ioniq models.Set to debut in April this year, the Ioniq 3 remains completely under wraps with Hyundai not even having teased what the car may look like.The confirmation of its name lines up with a convenient hint, the recent Concept Three, shown off at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich. The concept car is a fastback-style hatch that wears the brand’s Ioniq badging across its tail, and lines up with the design language used by the Ioniq 5 and 6.Likely to be built on a similar version of the shared Hyundai/Kia E-GMP platform as the Kia EV3 and EV4, though if the concept is anything to go by the Ioniq 3 won’t be quite as boxy and SUV-like as the EV3.The incoming Kia EV4 could be a better indication of size, though the Hyundai Ioniq 3 is unlikely to look much like it - the recognisable Ioniq pixel lighting is just one design element that Hyundai appears to have already locked in for the Ioniq 3.While the Ioniq 3 might not look quite as wild as the Concept Three, Hyundai rarely reveals a concept car for no reason. The Ioniq 5 and 6 were both preceded by concepts (The Concept 45 and Prophecy respectively) that showed clear lineage to the eventual production cars.Stay tuned as the reveal in April approaches.

A new electric people mover has just been announced. Hyundai has revealed an all-electric version of its Staria people mover at the Brussels motor show. It is unclear at this stage whether we will see the new electric Staria down under.A spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said the brand is currently reviewing the business case for the Staria Electric, but there are no plans to launch it locally at the moment. The Staria Electric will be built in Hyundai’s manufacturing plant in Ulsan, South Korea, which increases the viability of it being shipped to Australia. The Staria EV would enter the fray in the growing electric people mover market where it would rival the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer.There is no indication on the Staria price, but those two rivals start north of the 70K.A closer competitor would be Kia’s PV5, which is scheduled for an Australian launch later this year. The Staria EV measures 5255mm in length, which is significantly longer than its rivals. Overseas it will be available with two configurations — a seven-seater and a nine-seater.It is similar in size to the popular Kia Carnival, but that people-mover only comes with diesel and hybrid power. The regular Staria is the second-best selling people mover in Australia, but still a long way behind the Carnival.It was confirmed late last year Australia would get an updated Staria in 2026, but it now seems unlikely to be joined at the same time by an electric variant.The Staria Electric will go on sale in South Korea and Europe in the first half of this year, with additional markets coming after that.The Staria gets a 160kW electric motor, powering the front wheels, with a top speed of 184km/h. The newly-announced electric Staria features a 84kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery with an estimated range of up to 400km (WLTP).It will also feature 800-volt architecture, enabling DC fast charging from 10-80 per cent in around 20 minutes.There will be vehicle-to-load functionality, and a braked towing capacity of up to 2000kg. On the inside there are dual 12.3-inch digital displays, as well as an electric-variant-specific lighting design. Front and second-row seats will be heated and ventilated as standard. 

It’s 2026, and this year will mark a decade since Ford ended manufacturing in Australia, with Holden and Toyota also ending local production a year later. So, who’s making the cars we love now? And by who, we mean which countries?Here are the top five countries that made our favourite cars in 2025.Australia’s love of European cars is ongoing but that appears to be coming off the boil slightly with 2025 sales of cars built in Germany dropping to 54,905, down by 2639 units on the year before.Doing the heavy lifting are models such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf, along with the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLA SUVs which are made in Germany for Australia.It’s unlikely Aussies will stop treating themselves to cars from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen anytime soon, if ever. But as you will see the gap between prestige-niche (prest-niche?) and mainstream models could grow increasingly larger as Chinese offerings head further upmarket while keeping prices low.Hyundai and Kia are the big two Korean carmakers, with KGM (formerly SsangYong) struggling but still hanging on. Between the three they made 149,966 of the cars bought by Aussies in 2025. That’s down from 157,760 in 2024.Australians love models such as the Hyundai Kona and Santa Fe and Kia Sportage which are all made in Korea for our market. The drop in the number of Korean-made cars we bought could be attributed to the biggest mover in the top five manufacturers. Enter China.Number three today, number two tomorrow? Possibly sooner. The popularity of Chinese-made cars accelerated dramatically from 2024 to 2025, the overall number going from 176,159 to 221,699. Yes, an increase of 45,540 cars (+26 per cent), almost the total amount of German-made cars sold in 2025. Impressive.Chinese-made models such as the BYD Shark 6 ute, GWM Haval Jolion and MG ZS SUV have been snapped up by Aussies in their tens of thousands.As with any race, the battle between third and second place is often more riveting than what’s going on in first and China is breathing down the neck of Thailand right now.It might surprise you (or not at all) to know that Thailand came in second place for 2025. But only just, with 249,958 cars made for Aussies, which is down from 272,139 in 2024.What cars does Thailand make? Pretty much every ute on sale in Australia and utes are hugely popular here.Yep, from the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 to the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Toyota HiLux. Thailand is a ute powerhouse.Japan is our winner for 2025 as the country which makes more cars that we buy than any other nation. Japan made 358,981 of the cars Aussies bought and that’s up from 241,296 in 2024. Carrying the heavy end of this big number is Toyota with firm Aussie favourites such as the RAV4, Corolla, Camry, Corolla Cross, Land Cruiser and Prado.By now you know the Toyota HiLux is made in Thailand, but did you know the Kluger is built in the United States for Australia? You do now.

The Australian new car market is going through one of its biggest changes to date.A wave of budget-focused Chinese brands has washed over the market in the past two years, eating away into the sales of many established carmakers.The emergence of new technologies such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles will change the cars we drive forever.Despite that, some things have stayed the same. Diesel-powered utes and 4WDs are the dominant force in Aussie motoring, but new models are snapping at their heels.Here are the best selling 100 vehicles in Australia during the past year.

Hyundai has placed heavy discounts across its range of electric Kona compact SUVs.

Hyundai spent 2025 making a series of behind-the-scenes changes to turn around its sales slide of recent years.So in 2026, the brand needs to deliver.While the most notable changes have been the arrival of the new Palisade, Inster and Ioniq 9, the most important changes have been the fresh negotiations between recently-installed new CEO Don Romano and the Hyundai dealers.And that should be the bit that actually impacts you — the potential Hyundai customer.If Romano and his team have been successful, you'll find Hyundai dealers are more motivated to sell you a new car, now that red tape and other hurdles that previous management put in place have been removed.“ Well, we’re bringing out new products, right?,” Romano told CarsGuide in June, 2025. “There’s gonna be a few more… But the real goal that I have is to regain the confidence of our dealers and make sure that Hyundai becomes top of mind. This was a strategy we put together in Canada, when Canada had the same exact scenario where our sales had declined we had lost the confidence of the dealer body. And I think that’s first and foremost, that dealers right now have 70 different brands out there that they’re juggling. And where does Hyundai stand in that line-up, making that one of their top priorities? That’s exactly like my goal has always been to look at who’s number one and see how they interact with their dealer body as one team, and that’s absolutely my goal is to work closer with the dealers than before.”The timing couldn't be better, as Hyundai has been headed in the wrong direction on the sales charts for the past few years. Hyundai was the third biggest brand in Australia in 2021, but has been going in reverse since then, dropping to sixth in 2024. While there was some progress in 2025, climbing back to fifth place, the reality is Hyundai’s overall sales numbers have been relatively flat for the past several years and that suggests change is needed.The brand has definitely focused on pushing more upmarket in recent years, launching the Palisade in a single, high-grade Calligraphy trim as well as the six-figure Ioniq 9, but while that can be profitable the brand still needs volume to grow.That’s why there are some crucial new models coming this year, starting with the Elexio, its first Chinese-built electric vehicle. While Hyundai has been one of the most proactive ‘legacy’ brands when it comes to EVs — offering the Inster, Kona, Ioniq 5, Ioinq 6 and Ioniq 9 — they make up less than three per cent of the brand’s total sales.And Romano wasn’t afraid to admit it, when he spoke to us last August, saying: “ We do a terrible job with our EVs. On the record. We are not doing the job we should be.”He added: “Our market share of electric vehicles is extremely low relative to our market share of total vehicles, and the only explanation for that is that we haven’t put enough focus on it because I can see other companies that are selling electric cars that are doing a much better job with their EVs than they do with their ICE (internal combustion vehicles). We’re the opposite.”The Elexio won’t be the brand’s cheapest EV, but it has the potential to be the best-value, as the Kia EV5 twin-under-the-skin should be able to take advantage of the same elements that have allowed brands like MG, BYD and Geely to offer cheaper, more popular EV models.Of course, while EVs attract plenty of attention, the core volume models for Hyundai have traditionally been its small and mid-size SUVs as well as its hatchbacks. The i30 hatch is on its last legs, though.So there will be a need to transition buyers into other options, such as the Venue and Kona, which both enjoyed growth in ‘25.The Tucson remains a solid performer and the Santa Fe is picking up steam, but Hyundai will likely need more than just the addition of the Palisade XRT Pro to get its biggest SUV selling in bigger numbers again.Whether these elements are enough to get Hyundai to grow its sales and improve its position on the charts by the end of 2026 remains to be seen, but the pressure will be on after so much change in 2025.

Hyundai has announced the pricing and specifications for its Elexio all-electric mid-size SUV. The Elexio comes in a single variant and is priced at $59,990 drive-away as a launch introductory offer. It will compete against the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5, XPeng G6 and the Geely EX5.The Elexio is similarly priced to the XPeng G6, which ranges from $54,800 to $59,800 (before on-road costs).It is more expensive than the Geely EX5, which starts at $40,990, before on-road costs, but cheaper than the Tesla Model Y that starts at $58,900 (before on-road costs).Its single electric motor produces 160kW and 310Nm and there is a range of 546km (WLTP) from a 88kWh lithium-ion-phosphate battery.DC charging from 10-80 per cent takes 38 minutes.The Elexio will only launch in Australia with the 'Elite' single motor variant and not the dual motor all-wheel drive variant available overseas. When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said the Elite grade will be the only option for buyers in the future at this stage.The Elexio is built in China as a product of Beijing Hyundai, which is a joint venture between Hyundai and BAIC Motor.  The car has undergone an Australian-specific tune, with suspension and steering tweaked to tackle demanding roads.The Elexio has been edging towards an Australian launch over recent months, with Carsguide spotting the SUV on the back of a truck in December 2025. It will join Hyundai’s increasingly growing electric SUV range in Australia, sitting in between the smaller Kona and the bigger Ioniq 5.Hyundai said it expects the Elexio to launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2026. 2026 Hyundai Elexio pricing Australia 2026 Hyundai Elexio electric motor and efficiency 2026 Hyundai Elexio standard features20-inch alloy wheelsHeated and power folding side mirrorsPower tailgate4-spoke leather steering wheelHeated steering wheelLeather appointed seatsHeated and ventilated front seatsKeyless entry and startWireless phone chargingRain sensing wipers27-inch digital driver and central touchscreen displayHead-up display6-speaker audio system2026 Hyundai Elexio safetyThe Hyundai Elexio has not been crash tested.9 airbagsLane keep assistBlind spot assistHigh beam assistHighway driving assistLane departure warningForward collision avoidance assistIn-cabin camera for driver monitoringParking collision avoidance assist2026 Hyundai Elexio dimensions  2026 Hyundai Elexio warranty and servicingThe Hyundai Elexio comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which can be extended to seven years if all servicing is with Hyundai and on time. There is an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for the high-voltage battery. Hyundai's 'Genuine Service Plan' is available with the car. Pricing has not been disclosed yet.

These are officially Australia's favourite cars.