Hyundai HDC-2 Grandmaster Concept Unveiled: Is This the Kia Telluride’s Twin? [News]

Hyundai may name this full-size crossover the “Palisade”

At the Busan Auto Show in South Korea, Hyundai just unveiled the “HDC-2 Grandmaster” concept. It’s a new three-row full-size SUV concept that will fill the gap above the Santa Fe. It’s big, it’s bold, and it will ride on the same platform as the Kia Telluride three-row concept. This one tones the styling down a bit – it looks like a traditional Hyundai – but is no less vast.

As an evolution of an earlier concept Hyundai debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, this would complete the company’s crossover conquest, should they start production. From the diminutive Kona, the Korean automaker’s lineup expands to the Tucson and the Santa Fe. Now, the revised 2019 Santa Fe does not have a three-row version, unlike the old model. Instead, if you need a larger Santa Fe, the old version is still marketed as the Santa Fe XL. There will be a new three-row midsize crossover coming, but this HDC-2 Grandmaster slots above that.. Reports suggest this car will be named the “Palisade”. Like the Kia Telluride concept that preceded it, this Hyundai is also named after a town in Colorado. Maybe the next Hyundai will be named the Durango…oh, wait.

The HDC-2 Grandmaster concept is one of the latest moves in Hyundai’s crossover-heavy strategy over the coming years. Before 2020, the company plans to introduce eight new crossovers. So far we’ve seen four: the Kona, the Nexo fuel-cell vehicle, the new Santa Fe and the recently revised Tucson. It stands to reason then, that we’ll see the Palisade, or whatever it’s ultimately called, by this time next year. Hyundai may also produce an A-segment crossover below the Kona as well.

The HDC-2 Grandmaster will likely share the Telluride’s powertrain

As far as powertrains are concerned, odds are Hyundai will use the powertrain from the Kia Telluride. That means a 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to an electric motor, making a combined output of 400 horsepower. On top of that, this full-size crossover may also get more than 30 MPG thanks to the hybrid setup. No word on whether the huge taillights will make it to production.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views and real-world reviews. Check out Hyundai’s smallest current crossover – the Kona – below: