Hyundai ix-onic

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Hyundai ix-onic

To help you avoid embarrassing tongue-tied attempts at pronouncing the Hyundai ix-onic concept car's name, repeat after us Hyundai ik-sonnik.

Great, now that we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at the car itself, which shows how the Hyundai Tucson replacement will look when it goes on sale next year.

It is bigger than the outgoing Tucson and will rival the Ford Kuga. It will be offered in two- and four-wheel-drive variants.

The concept car is powered by a new 168bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine that emits just 149g/km of CO2. It's likely to be used elsewhere in Hyundai's range possibly starting with the i30 - in the near future.

The ix-onic also has a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox, while the ISG engine stop-start technology it showcases will appear in the Hyundai i30 from September.

Other standout features include LED daytime running lights and a concave plastic rear window, which helps reduce drag and integrates with the rear spoiler.

Oh, and if you're still struggling with that name, then don't fret too much: it'll be re-named the Hyundai ix35 when it hits showrooms in spring 2010.