Hyundai Hexa Space

Hyundai came up with a surprisingly clever concept car for the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi, India. It’s called the Hexa Space and it uses an ingenious system to provide eight seats inside. Hexa Space, codenamed HND-7, carries Hyundai’s characteristic “Fluidic Sculpture” design language, including the bold character lines on the side panels. Inside, Hexa Space incorporates other elements of family design, such as Hyundai’s distinctive hexagonal grille, which is applied to the seat designs. Its party piece is the eight slim, hexagonally shaped seats that fit together like puzzle pieces, maximizing internal space while minimizing vehicle width. From honeycombs to architecture, the hexagon is known as an optimum shape for space efficiency. It is the perfect car for the over populated India where space is the most important factor for a new car buyer. Hyundai press release: Hexa Space is targeted at young urban families in their 30s and 40s; customers who live a practical and demanding lifestyle in the bustling and exciting cities of the world’s emerging economies. These customers need their vehicles to serve many roles and Hexa Space satisfies those needs with its unique seat design. The seats offer multiple configurations for seating – center seats fold flat for greater comfort, the second row folds flat to create a limousine function, the back row folds flat for light-cargo use. In addition, seven seats fold flat for heavy hauling and all eight fold flat for camping. The center seat in the first two rows of Hexa Space is positioned slightly behind the seats on either side, allowing passengers to sit three-abreast without feeling cramped. Getting in and out of Hexa Space is easy, thanks to its innovative door design. The rear doors lift out and slide back, creating wide-open entry on each side. Hexa Space’s interior is completed with high-tech features, including a touch-screen center console, a push-button shifter and a cluster ionizer air purifier. Several storage spaces are tucked throughout the interior. Despite the roomy interior, Hexa Space maintains a narrow overall width, key for maneuvering the crowded urban streets of India and the world’s emerging nations. Hexa Space shares a platform with Hyundai’s compact ix20 and is only slightly wider. Externally, Hexa Space is 4,300 mm long, 1,820 mm wide and 1,647 mm high, giving it substantial headroom. The wheelbase is 2,750 mm and runs on 19-inch tires. Hexa Space is powered by Hyundai’s Kappa 1.2-liter turbo GDI engine, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.