TheCarConnection.com's spies caught the new 2010 Hyundai Portico crossover testing in the California desert earlier this year--now, it's becoming clearer that the Portico is headed for a debut at the 2009 Chicago auto show.
It would be the crossover's second Chicago appearance: the original Portico concept first was unveiled at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show.
The production Portico is expected to reach the market as a 2010 model, slotting in above Hyundai's Santa Fe and Veracruz. It could compete with a range of upscale SUVs, from Ford's Flex, to the Buick Enclave, to the Mercedes R-Class. There's no firm word on mechanicals, but the Portico could be drawn from the Sonata platform--or, possibly, the rear-drive architecture that underpins the new 2009 Hyundai Genesis and in shortened form, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
The original Portico concept sported staggered middle seats, a big V-6 engine and six-speed automatic, and with rear-mounted electric motors, hybrid adaptability and all-wheel drive.
Meanwhile, Hyundai product chief John Krafcik says Hyundai's planning to show off its green initiatives at the coming 2008 Los Angeles auto show--and says the company's goal is to meet the new 35-mpg CAFE requirements before any other automaker.
