A NEW era of Hyundai’s iMax/iLoad twins could possibly be simply across the nook for Australia with the native subsidiary (Hyundai Motor Firm Australia) progressively shifting nearer to trademarking the ‘Staria’ nameplate Down Beneath.
Recognized abroad because the Starex, the current-generation iMax and iLoad have been on sale in Australia since 2008 and have been handled to varied facelifts and powertrain upgrades throughout its 12 years available on the market.
Now nevertheless with this pending trademark utility lodged with IP Australia, it may solely be a matter of time earlier than the new-generation folks service and van emerge with abroad stories hinting at a 2021 reveal forward of a 2022 mannequin 12 months introduction.
With concrete particulars nonetheless skinny on the bottom, there’s little at this stage to substantiate the next-gen iMax/iLoad will definitively undertake the Staria nameplate, nevertheless discussion board posts and pictures have appeared on-line linking the title to the third-gen folks service and van, probably the most thorough of which options on tech community ElectroDealPro.
Studying in isolation it will be straightforward to dismiss the claims as pure hypothesis however when thought-about along side the trademark utility and the very fact the iMax/iLoad twins are actually comfortably to oldest fashions in HMCA’s present line-up issues start so as to add up.
What’s extra, a number of key rivals each within the folks mover and lightweight business segments have both been considerably up to date (Volkswagen Transporter/Multivan, Renault Trafic) or just lately had an all-new model launched (Toyota Hiace, Mitsubishi Specific).
Making issues worse for the growing older iMax particularly is the approaching arrival of the all-new Kia Carnival, the present model of which occupies a mighty 56.6 per cent of the sub-$60,000 folks mover phase.
Hyundai Motor Firm Australia (HMCA) is remaining tight-lipped on the way forward for the iMax/iLoad twins, telling GoAuto it was “too early to say” when a brand new era is due in Australia and that there is no such thing as a set life-cycle for the model’s gentle business automobiles.
Regardless, the model is reportedly pleased with the present fashions’ gross sales performances to this point this 12 months with a spokesperson describing the pair as “strong sellers”.
For reference, the iMax presently accounts for 9.2 per cent of the sub-$60,000 folks mover phase with 528 gross sales this 12 months ending October whereas the iLoad accounts for a more healthy 19.2 per cent (2959) of the two.5-3.5t van phase.
Solely time will inform when the brand new LCV twins are on account of emerge and precisely what mannequin title they’re adorned with – HMCA has a behavior of rebadging fashions to swimsuit the native market, e.g. the second-generation Tucson (ix35) and the all-new Elantra (i30 Sedan).
