Hyundai Wants More Cohesive Designs Without Going Full 'Photocopier'

Hyundai execs say the lineup should have a clearer family resemblance, without every model looking like a clone.

Motor1's Cool Car Cup: Hyundai Ioniq 5N

Photo by: DW Burnett / Motor1

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Feb 17, at 10:25am ET

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the breakdown

Hyundai wants its models to have more cohesive design cues.
The company doesn't want its models to resemble a 'photocopier machine.'
Designers will lean more into familial cues.

Every Hyundai has its own distinct look—and for many buyers, that’s part of the appeal. Your Hyundai Santa Fe isn't just a bigger version of your neighbor’s Hyundai Tucson, for example. But the brand may be dialing things in slightly as it looks to create a stronger family resemblance across its lineup.

In a recent interview with Autocar, Hyundai Motor Europe CEO Xavier Martinet said the company wants to build a clearer visual connection between its models. That doesn't mean Hyundai’s boxy SUVs will start looking like its sleek EVs, but each segment will share subtle design cues that tie them together.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe

"Maybe in the past, there was not this systematic sense of family between our vehicles," Martinet explained. "It’s something we’re working on, but we will never use a 'photocopier machine' and go the other way around. We’ve seen a few brands that maybe went too far in that direction."

So don’t expect a lineup full of clones. Hyundai still wants every vehicle to have its own personality, following head designer SangYup Lee's "chess piece" philosophy, where each model plays a distinct role and has a unique character.

That means Hyundai’s SUVs will continue leaning into a tougher, more squared-off look—like the latest Santa Fe—while EVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Hyundai Ioniq 9 will keep their cleaner, more aerodynamic styling.

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As Martinet put it, the goal is to create "a sense of family that shows they belong to something that makes sense."

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9

Source: Hyundai

Motor1's Take: Hyundai has some of the best-looking cars and SUVs in the business. Hopefully this doesn’t mean that the company plans to neuter its lineup with more cookie-cutter offerings—though, it doens’t sound like it.

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