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Hyundai’s wildly different design themes between models will be phased out, with a stronger family resemblance set to link future models.
Hyundai appears set to move back towards a harmonised design language from model to model, after abandoning a look-alike approach used previously.
Hyundai’s latest design language, dubbed Art of Steel, is set to see models across different market segments pull from a more familiar and identifiable set of styling cues.
Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design theme, used from around 2010 onwards, saw Hyundai rationalise its design language with a familiar grille design and body sculpting that linked models across passenger and SUV segments.
As the brand introduced its new Sensuous Sportness design themes from 2018, cars started to adopt widely different styling.
2019’s curvaceous Sonata was soon paired with the blocky and angular Ioniq 5 electric SUV from 2021, while the 2020 Tucson and i30 Sedan took on a separate visual identity of their own.
Now, in an interview with Autocar, Hyundai Europe’s CEO, Xavier Martinet, has revealed that the brand’s newest Art Of Steel styling themes will move cars back towards a more familiar look between models.
"Maybe in the past, there was not this systematic sense of family between our vehicles," Martinet said.
At the same time, Martinet reassured that Hyundai was not going to head too far in the other direction.
"It's something we're working on, but we will never do the 'photocopier machine' and go the other way around.” he said “We've seen a few brands who went maybe too far in this direction."
Hyundai’s likely solution will see some of the brand’s current unifying elements made more prominent.
Currently, Hyundai uses ‘Parametric Pixel’ lighting designs on its EV models, with grid-like LED lighting providing a casual link between cars like the bold Kona EV, swoopy Ioniq 6, and stately Ioniq 9.
Other Hyundai vehicles are linked by ‘Seamless Horizon’ lightbars, like the Kona, Sonata and Staria.
Martinet said that the ‘Chess Piece’ design strategy, introduced by head designer Sang Yup Lee, would remain, ensuring that individual models would maintain a distinct identity, allowing Hyundai to separate cheaper compact models from more premium-positioned large SUVs and EVs.
While that currently shows a less identifiable relationship across models in the Hyundai range, the revised approach would see "a sense of family that shows they belong to something that makes sense," according to Martinet.
The 2026 Hyundai Nexo introduced the production version of Hyundai’s Art Of Steel styling, with pre-production versions of the next i30 sedan showing similar front-end styling.
In 2025, Hyundai also showed the Concept Three electric hatch concept, previewing an i30-sized small hatch that also falls under the Art Of Steel banner.
With a sleeker overall look than the Nexo, but shared angular rear pillars and overlapping body panel creases, the relationship between the two isn't immediate, but certain elements provide a styling connection.
Next-generation vehicles, including the 2027 Tucson medium SUV, are expected to follow a similar approach, while updates to existing models like the Santa Fe will use detail changes to elements like bumpers and lights to create a visual connection across the range.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
