Hyundai Australia plans to expand both XRT and XRT Pro variants after early success with N and N Line models, targeting larger SUVs first and assessing demand for smaller segments.
Hyundai Australia intends to grow its XRT and XRT Pro sub-brands, following a similar phased rollout used for N and N Line.
Hyundai will prioritise large SUVs for XRT Pro while researching suitability for medium and small SUV segments.
Past local success with performance-based N models gives Hyundai confidence that Australian buyers will embrace rugged XRT variants.
Hyundai Australia told media it plans to expand its XRT and XRT Pro off-road sub-brands in the Australian market. Jonathan Lam, Hyundai Australia's general manager of product planning, said the company will look at global XRT offerings to guide which models and variants could arrive locally.
The local product planning team points to the success of Hyundai's N and N Line models in Australia. Those performance-focused ranges achieved one of the highest take-up rates globally, which Hyundai interprets as evidence that Australian buyers like distinct, character-driven variants. Hyundai wants to apply that approach to rugged, adventure-oriented models using the XRT name.
Hyundai plans to follow the path it took with N and N Line: start with a single model and broaden the sub-brand across the range over time. Mr Lam noted that with N they began with the i30 N in 2018 before rolling N Line across other models and expanding performance variants into the Kona N and others. For XRT, Hyundai expects XRT Pro makes the most sense for large SUVs first. The company will research medium and small SUVs to decide whether XRT or XRT Pro variants would be suitable for the Australian market.
What's already been done in Australia
Hyundai says more XRT Pro versions of other SUVs are expected internationally and that XRT appearance packages will expand. Locally, Hyundai will use global model availability as a guide while conducting research on demand for medium and small SUVs before committing.
Why this matters to buyers and buyers' choices
Hyundai Australia is proactively planning a broader XRT presence, relying on the market patterns it observed with its performance sub-brands. The Palisade XRT Pro demonstrates the company's commitment to factory-developed off-road variants, and further XRT and XRT Pro models could arrive depending on research and global availability.
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