New Hyundai Casper is funky SUV-supermini for South Korea

Hyundai has revealed the Casper as an extremely compact, SUV-style supermini for its South Korean home market.

The inspiration for the name is said to come from the skateboarding trick ‘Casper’, in which the board is flipped upside down and back to front all in one swift movement. 

Hyundai says this trick embodies its own efforts “to change the landscape and stereotypes of the existing automobile market.” 

The small SUV has a 2400mm wheelbase and is 3595mm long, 1595mm wide and 1575mm tall – making it almost exactly the same size as a Volkswagen Up. The model will be launched with the option of an entry-level, naturally aspirated 1.0 MPI engine or the more potent 1.0 T-GDI turbo motor, as available in the UK in the i10 supermini. The T-GDI model gets upgraded sporty styling with a mesh grille and turbo engine. 

The Casper has been designed with functionality in mind, complete with roof rack and a wide boot opening for easy loading. The rear passenger doors show off pronounced wheel arches and the rear door handles are hidden next to the windows. 

The front end is split visually, with thin indicators placed towards the top and large round headlights further down. The rear features the same design approach, with the indicators sitting just below the rear window. Skid plates on the front and rear give the Casper a more rugged look, although Hyundai has yet to reveal the Casper’s performance data. 

Hyundai has a dedicated website for the Casper launch so customers can register their interest and start early reservations this month. Cars are expected to be delivered before the end of this year. The Casper will be available in Korea only. 

Hyundai has stated that the Casper is focused on safety and space. Executive vice president of Hyundai’s design department Sang-yeop Lee said: “The Casper is a vehicle designed for all generations that pursue individuality and youthful sensibility.”