Hyundai Trajet
The Hyundai Trajet, is a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle that was manufactured by Hyundai Motor Company between 1999 and 2008. The series was officially launched in 1999, with choices of gasoline, diesel, or LPG fuel. In the United Kingdom, initially only the 2.0 GSI model was available; the limited-edition SE with a 2.7-litre V6 engine was added in 2001.
Sales began in South Korea in spring 1999 and the UK premiere was at the London Motorfair in October of that year. Vehicle sales in Europe began in spring 2000.
The name is derived from the French word "trajet" which means "journey", "path, walk, course, haul, itinerary" or to "travel from one point to another." In South Korea, it was marketed as the Hyundai Trajet XG to align it with the more luxurious Grandeur XG which uses the same platform.
Overview
2000–2004
Hyundai developed a seven-seat MPV targeting large families and the shuttle market segments. It is based on the platform shared with the Sonata and the first-generation Santa Fe. The Trajet was styled in Frankfurt, and made its public debut at the 1999 London Motor Show. The front end design was similar to some U.S. minivans and featuring a chromed grille flanked by horizontal headlamps and a sedan-like front bumper. The Trajet's tall greenhouse, front-hinged side doors, and a large liftgate "made it look like a large station wagon."The Trajet features three rows of seats. The front seats can rotate 180 degrees to face the passengers in the back when the car is stationary, and the back seats can also be converted into tables, creating a virtual office space or a picnic area. The second- and third-row seats are double-folding and can also be completely removed. Because the Trajet is larger than many of its rivals, it offers comfort and space for seven adults, as well as cargo capacity with all the seats in place.
According to reviews, the Trajet does not do as well compared to the best European and Japanese MPVs because of "an overly firm around town" ride that "becomes bouncy at speed" with a "lot of body lean around corners." The light steering does not have enough feedback, and the engines are noisy under acceleration. Other reviewers, however, stated that the ride was comfortable but did not handle very well, with excessive body lean. The gearing on the 2.0-litre petrol four also came in for criticism for being to long, meaning that the car was significantly slower than the competition - the high gearing did, however, pay off at the fuel pump.
In European specifications, the petrol Sirius II engine produces at 5,800 rpm and at 4,000 rpm, enought for a claimed top speed with the five-speed manual transmission.
2004–2008
The model range was updated in September 2004. The petrol-powered 2.0 GSI used the Beta II engine, which included CVVT, and went from, with lowered CO2 emissions from 223 g/km to 208 g/km.Fuel consumption was improved — the combined figure rose from. Trajets now included three point seat belts for all rear passengers.
Departing from most minivans that offered sliding doors, Hyundai retained the regular hinged rear passenger doors. Following the pattern of U.S. minivans, the automatic transmission gear selector was mounted on the steering column and the center console was eliminated. For specific markets and engines, a 5-speed manual with a floor-mounted shifter between the front seats was available.
Rather than developing a new vehicle, Hyundai adapted an existing line market needs even though consumer trends had already shifted. Just like the name of the model "itself, meant a route to follow, and the vehicle was adequate for that. Production and marketing ended in 2008 without a direct successor.