2007 Hyundai Trajet Reviews

Hyundai is already heading back to the design studio for its smash hit Santa Fe large SUV.The South Korean brand has been applauded for the design of its family SUV, which sports a blocky square profile reminiscent of an old Land Rover Discovery.Now the company is prepping some styling tweaks to keep it ahead of the pack.New renders published by Koreancarblog, show a reworked front end with vertical headlights and a light bar that runs the length of the front.A more closed-off grille replaces the big dual grille of the current version. This front end is closer in style to the current Kona small SUV and the soon to be updated Tucson mid-size SUV.The updated Santa Fe is also expected to ditch the current rear tail-lights in favour of vertical LEDs, such as those seen on the new Ioniq 9 electric SUV.A heavily camouflaged version of the updated Santa Fe has been spotted undergoing testing in South Korea, but it isn’t expected to go on sale until 2027.Hyundai is also expected to drop the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission from the current turbocharged petrol variant in favour of a conventional eight-speed gearbox.Sister brand Kia has made a similar move in its Sportage, ditching a dual-clutch for a more city-friendly standard eight-speed auto transmission.The 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol motor makes 206kW and 422Nm and drinks 9.1 litres per 100km of the cheapest unleaded fuel.The Santa Fe will likely keep its hybrid setup and add a plug-in hybrid variant to more markets, as the brand increases its focus on plug-in petrol-electric power.The standard hybrid is already available on the current Santa Fe. It pairs a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor to make a combined 172kW and 367Nm. Fuel use drops to 5.6L/100km.A plug-in hybrid is already available in other markets but not Australia yet. Hyundai is working on the next generation of its plug-in tech, which is claimed to boost electric-only driving range to at least 100km.The Hyundai Santa Fe has been a success in Australia, with sales up more than 20 per cent through the first eight months of this year.Some styling tweaks to tone down its design could give it a boost to chase down the segment's top-selling Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger.

If you’re in a market for a new Hyundai Ioniq 5, then act quickly, because the highly-acclaimed and ground-breaking electric vehicle (EV) is about to become $6400 more expensive to access, thanks to the deletion of the base Standard Range battery grade.Why? It is understood that Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) is making room for the coming Elexio/EO expected here sometime next year.This is the fresh mid-sized SUV EV fraternal twin to the popular Kia EV5, co-developed and built in China through the brand’s Beijing Hyundai joint-venture program with BAIC Motor.The number of Ioniq 5 grades for 2026 has been slashed, from 11 to just four, including the N flagship that now costs around $4600 more than before. The Dynamiq and Epiq variant names are also disappearing – perhaps due the Volkswagen Group’s coming Skoda Epiq EV SUV.“We have nothing to say about future product and nothing has been confirmed at this stage,” HMCA General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Bill Thomas, told CarsGuide.According to a dealer source, the slow-selling, entry-level 125kW single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) 63kWh Standard Range (SR) battery grade, starting from $69,800 (all prices are before on-road costs) is about to be dropped for the 2026 model year.This comes barely 15 months after the Ioniq 5 RWD 63kWh SR was announced, as part of a wholesale mid-cycle facelift in July, 2024.Stepping in its place will be the continuing, more-powerful 168kW RWD 84kWh Extended Range (ER) version, that is now $400 more expensive than before from $76,200, followed by the fresh Elite 168kW RWD 84kWh ER from $81,200, which usurps the previous Dynamiq 168kWh RWD 84kWh ER from $80,800.The upside of the ER is usefully more WLTP range compared to the SR (up from 440km to 570km in its most efficient specification wearing 19-inch wheels), as well as stronger performance, though – as before – torque remains the same in both motors, at 350Nm.Buyers will need to fork out an additional $6400 for a 2026 Ioniq 5 with the rousing 239kW/605Nm twin-motor and all-wheel drive (AWD) ER powertrain.This is because the current mid-spec Dynamiq 84kWh ER AWD from $85,300, its sportier Dynamiq N-Line 84kWh ER AWD from $87,800, up-spec Epiq 84kWh ER AWD from $88,800 and sport/luxury Epic N-Line 84kWh ER AWD from $91,300 will also soon be gone for 2026.All but the latter will be wiped out, to simplify a complex model-walk structure, and replaced by the newly-minted N-Line Premium 84kWh ER AWD grade from $91,700.While all the AWD versions also use the 84kWh ER battery, the added weight of the second motor plus other items means that its WLTP range drops compared to the RWD equivalents, from 570km to about 500km.Additionally, for 2026, all versions adopt the so-called Digital Key 2.0, enabling owners and users to operate their vehicle with a compatible smartphone, rather than having the experience the inconvenience of carrying a regular key fob.Meanwhile, the previously-optional Vision Roof – a fixed panoramic glass roof with an electric sunshade – is now standard equipment in the Ioniq 5 N, accounting for its circa-$4600 price hike. Whether that affects its 3.4-second (on boost) sprint-time to 100km/h from standstill is not yet known.Finally, the highly-controversial digital side mirror that forced drivers to rely on even more screens instead of an intuitive exterior-mirror glance has been discontinued.We understand that Australian production for the 2026 Ioniq 5 range kicks off next month, with cars reaching dealers possibly before Christmas.Stay tuned to find out more.

Hyundai is joining the ute arms race.The South Korean brand has confirmed it will build a ute to rival the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux before 2030.The company confirmed it would be fit for purpose with rugged ladder frame underpinnings, which supports all the other four-wheel drive utes.Hyundai is expected to use the expertise gained from sister brand Kia’s new Tasman dual-cab ute, which launched in Australia this year.Hyundai’s workhorse is likely to forgo the Tasman’s diesel-power and focus on petrol, hybrid or plug-in hybrid grunt.New Hyundai Australia boss Don Romano told CarsGuide recently, "Australia doesn't need another diesel ute".Instead, petrol, petrol-hybrid or plug-in hybrid options are being explored."I think we have to look at options. And I can't tell you whether that's a PHEV, a HEV or a BEV, but I think those are options that have to be considered. And I think those are the areas that will give us an opportunity for expansion," he said.This will give Hyundai a genuine competitor to the Ford Ranger PHEV and the instant hit BYD Shark 6.BYD’s Shark 6 makes a combined 321kW and 650Nm and can sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in 5.7 seconds.Ford’s new Ranger PHEV makes 207kW and 697Nm from its petrol-electric combo. The Ranger also has a 3500kg towing capacity compared to the Shark 6’s pedestrian 2500kg.Any Hyundai PHEV ute will need to match or better these two market leaders if it wants to stand a chance.A plug-in hybrid or hybrid is more likely to give the Tasman some breathing room, so it doesn’t have to compete with its own corporate cousin.It also points to the Hyundai ute being more focused on North America and other global markets where petrol is preferred over diesel.Strengthening the vehicle’s North American bent is Hyundai has confirmed it will co-develop the ute with General Motors.US Outlet Car and Driver claimed Hyundai’s global boss Jose Munoz said the ute would spawn a rugged off-roader.This would give Hyundai an answer to the popular Toyota Prado and Ford Everest.Kia has also been linked to a tough 4WD based on its Tasman ute.Kia hasn’t confirmed the vehicle but said it is a possibility, but it needed to make sure the Tasman was a success before it spawned any other variants or vehicles.

What feature of your car annoys you the most? I’ll go first. Our eight-year old Skoda locks itself after about 30 seconds. Sounds good, but it isn't. It’s led to all manner of annoying moments, but locking itself while the keys were inside the car probably wins — don’t ask.

How this Japanese company is innovating on current battery technology to bring more range to EVs sooner.

Hyundai's Palisade is a three-row family SUV up against some heavy-hitters in the large SUV segment. It's second-generation model's party trick is a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain and we've had a brief preview drive of a pre-production version.

Hyundai is priming a rival to the Tesla Model Y.

Hyundai has showcased its next big thing in electric cars at the 2026 Munich motor show.Dubbed the Concept Three, the show car previews the future Ioniq 3 small EV.The boldly styled concept brings some futuristic design with a heavy dose of Veloster, and could go on sale by 2026.It will be one of 21 global electric models for Hyundai due to enter production by 2030. Hyundai also plans to have an electrified version of every model on sale in Europe by 2027.The brand’s commitment to a new small electric car puts it in the fast lane to catch up to its sibling brand, Kia, which has so far been leading the roll out of electric cars.President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe Xavier Martinet said: “Concept Three represents the next step in Hyundai Motor’s electrification journey.”The Concept Three has a similar footprint to the Hyundai i30 hatchback measuring 4287mm long, 1940mm wide, 1428mm tall with a wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear axles — of 2722mm.That last figure reveals that despite its compact exterior dimensions it will have large car space inside.The radical-looking concept has the Ioniq range’s signature pixel headlights and adds some wild aerodynamic elements.Inside the Concept Three highlights the company’s commitment to increasing the use of sustainable materials. It said the concept uses ocean waste textiles and lightweight aluminium foam.It is understood the Ioniq 3 will be based on the same platform as the current Kia EV3 SUV.This means it is likely to use a similar set-up with a 58.3kWh unit and long-range 81.4kWh pack on offer. Power should come from a single electric motor that makes 150kW and 283Nm and drives the front wheels.It will use 400V charging architecture, which means DC fast charging is capped at about 135kW compared to 350kW in the more advanced — and expensive — 800V set-up used by the larger Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9.

Hyundai’s just-released Ioniq 9, a large, three-row electric SUV, has come through independent Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety testing with a maximum five-star rating.Evaluated against the organisation’s latest 2025 protocols, the dual-motor, all-wheel drive six- and seven-seater 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 impressed across ANCAP’s four key pillars - Adult Occupant Protection (84 per cent), Child Occupant Protection (86 per cent), Vulnerable Road User Protection (77 per cent) and Safety Assist (85 per cent).In announcing the result ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said, “Consumers and fleet buyers can be confident the Ioniq 9 provides high levels of protection for occupants, as well as other road users.”Adopting test results from sister organisation Euro NCAP, ANCAP called out numerous Ioniq 9 safety highlights including a stable passenger compartment in frontal offset testing and maximum points for protection of the driver in the full width and side impact tests.At the same time maximum points were awarded for child dummies in the frontal offset and side impact crash tests, with head-protecting airbags extending to the third row.The car’s active bonnet, designed to minimise injury in a pedestrian impact, also came in for special mention as did “high levels of performance across a range of collision avoidance test scenarios – particularly detection and crash mitigation with cyclists and motorcyclists”.Further detail on the Hyundai IONIQ 9's safety performance is available at www.ancap.com.au.

Hyundai Australia has raised the price of its highest-profile hot hatch and sedan models as a direct result of the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) regime and “European factory sourcing”.