2022 Hyundai Casper unveiled in Korea – Hyundai’s smallest SUV that is inspired by skateboards

After camouflaged units were spotted in the past year, Hyundai Motor has revealed its smallest SUV ever and it is directly targeted at younger buyers. The 2022 Hyundai Casper will be the first model of its kind in Korea as the market has never offered a sub-4 meter crossover.

However, this segment isn’t alien in some markets like India where the Casper would be facing rivals from the likes of Suzuki, Tata, and Mahindra.

As for the name, Hyundai said that it comes from a skateboard flip technique called the Casper. So, it’s not from a friendly ghost after all.

Unlike the Perodua Axia Style or the Proton Iriz Active, the Hyundai Casper isn’t based on an existing model. As seen in the exterior design, the Casper is unique and sticks out from the rest of Hyundai’s line-up.

In front, we see a separate light set-up with the turn signals placed on top while the LED DRLs are housed together with the headlights at the bottom. This set-up does remind some of the first-gen Nissan Juke but it’s a bit more pleasing to the eyes.

However, the best-looking part of the Casper in my opinion is the side profile. The little, boxy style might make this a hit with buyers. It is interesting to see the front windows being a little larger than the rear but this asymmetry does work in favour of the little SUV.

Hyundai claims that the Casper provides very good visibility and gives a sense of openness. The Korean Lambang H has yet to release interior photos but hopefully it would look as funky.

Overall, the Casper looks chunky and even the roof racks appear to be functional and not just for show. There will be two variants available at launch – a base model powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre MPI engine and the Active that is powered by a turbocharged 1.0-litre T-GDI engine.

The Casper Active will feature a more aggressive look which includes a pair of circular intercooler intakes and a mesh-type grille in front. This or the Iriz Active?

Also read: Priced from RM 40k, 2022 Proton Iriz MC2 facelift launched alongside crossover-like Active

Hyundai has not revealed the power figures of both engines but it is likely that they could be taken from the Hyundai i10. The Smartstream G1.0 MPI makes 76 PS and 95 Nm while the turbocharged Smartstream G1.0T makes 120 PS and 172 Nm on the i10.

The model is likely to be launched in Korea in the third quarter of 2021. Prices have not been revealed and further details like the safety features and the interior will be revealed later so stay tuned.

Also read: Hyundai has 10 SUVs on sale globally and 3 of them are in the same segment, here’s a guide