Unprecedented model will be manufactured in Piracicaba (SP) to operate between the HB20 and the Creta; utility may take the place of the HB20S sedan in the future
Hyundai has confirmed that its plant in Piracicaba (SP) will produce an unprecedented model from 2026. The new vehicle will be the third member of the São Paulo assembly line, alongside the HB20 hatch and the Creta SUV. According to the South Korean automaker, the launch will occupy a mid-range segment, strategically positioned as an entry-level compact SUV.
Although the official name has not been revealed, the market’s main bet is the Hyundai Bayon — a model already sold in Europe and Turkey. In the national portfolio, the utility will be located between the HB20 and the Creta, serving as a more robust option to the hatchback and more affordable than the SUV already launched. In a medium-term horizon, the model has the potential to replace the HB20S sedan, although the company points out that, for now, the three-volume will remain in regular production.
SEE ALSO:
The design of the new SUV, which has already been spotted in camouflage tests in South Korea, should bring strong aesthetic and technological influences from the Hyundai Kona. The units seen abroad suggest the adoption of hybrid mechanical assemblies and the possibility of a sporty variant of the N Line. Marcos Oliveira, Hyundai’s COO, said that the model will offer the generous interior space and robustness characteristic of the brand’s SUVs.
With the novelty, Hyundai directly targets consolidated competitors, such as Fiat Pulse and Renault Kardian and Volkswagen Tera, in addition to the future Jeep Avenger and Chevrolet Sonic. The initiative is part of an investment cycle of US$ 1.1 billion planned for Brazil until 2032. To accommodate the expansion, the Piracicaba unit was recently modernized, increasing its annual production capacity beyond 215 thousand vehicles.
