Hyundai ix-onic, A sexy Hyundai!

Hyundai will show its ix-onic concept at the Geneva show next week, this future-looking compact SUV showing a new design direction for the brand. Looking sharp, the oddly-named ix-onic will face up to rivals like Ford's Kuga and Volkswagen's Tiguan when it goes on sale. It's certain to seriously undercut them price-wise and come with Hyundai's mega warranty too.

It'll also be something of an economy champion, the 168bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine emitting just 149g/km of CO₂. To help achieve that Hyundai has fitted stop-start technology. With all wheels driving through a double-clutch gearbox the Hyundai promises to be an engaging as well as environmentally sound drive. Novel features include a plastic rear window that allows a more wind-cheating shape to be created, while the stereo's speakers are fitted much higher up in the doors than usual for the ultimate listening experience.

Kyle Fortune