2022 Hyundai Custo Minivan Teased With Unconventional Styling

A teaser campaign for what is possibly the least desirable body style – the minivan – might seem unnecessary, but the Custo is no ordinary MPV. The seven-seater vehicle developed by the Beijing Hyundai joint venture is showing off its interesting exterior design in teaser images released by the automaker on its official Weibo social account.

Granted, these previews are a bit redundant seeing as how the full exterior design made the headlines in April when the minivan surfaced on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) website after being formally approved for China. The best way to describe its design would have to be a minivan-styled Tucson, complete with sliding doors.

It adopts the intricate headlight design of the compact crossover as well as the rear light bar, although the taillights themselves have a "C" shape different than what you get on the Tucson. While it certainly won't go down in history for the most beautiful vehicle ever made, the Custo does look fairly interesting and brings a bit of spice to the minivan segment.

It's not the only Hyundai minivan that has caught our attention in recent times seeing as how the larger Staria with its futuristic styling is also a genuinely interesting people-mover. The upcoming Custo is substantially smaller, measuring 4,950 millimeters (194.9 inches) long, 1,850 mm (72.9 in) wide, and 1,734 mm (68.2 in) tall.

Beyond size, technical specifications are limited at this point. However, the MIIT website revealed Hyundai will offer the Custo in China with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine good for 167 horsepower (125 kilowatts). We're expecting a front-wheel-drive-only layout as it will be a budget-friendly minivan without any sophisticated powertrains.

As a final note, China is an interesting market for minivans considering some automakers have even launched luxury versions. The Buick GL8 Avenir and Lexus LM are prime examples. With the Custo, Hyundai is addressing lower-income families or people who simply don't want to shell out as much as $215,000 for a fully loaded LM, essentially an upmarket Toyota Alphard with all the bells and whistles.