Meet Hyundai Mufasa, The Bigger, Butcher SUV For China That Slots Above The Creta

• Mufasa SUV will slot above the Creta in China and has a similar size as the Alcazar. 

• Bears a radical design that looks as sharp and cutting-edge as the Tucson. 

• Hyundai SUV will likely get similar powertrains as the Alcazar. 

• Global premiere and China launch at Auto Shanghai later in April. 

• A launch outside China is unlikely at this point, but an official confirmation is awaited. 

The Chinese domestic car market is vast and has a much larger amount of China-exclusive cars from global markets than we do in India. Hyundai has spilled the beans on its upcoming (likely China-only) mid-size SUV that’ll slot between the Creta and Tucson in the carmaker’s lineup in China. It’s aptly named “Mufasa” after Simba’s dad in Lion King; with that wild styling and ready-to-pounce stance, it does look a bit like a big cat. 

Hyundai Mufasa SUV looks incredibly cool 

While its specs, features and interior are yet to be revealed, the images in this article are official. The carmaker posted images previewing its upcoming SUV on its channel on the Chinese social media website, Weibo. 

At the front, the Mufasa has a giant front grille with a Parametric mesh design, flanked by split headlights with massive main headlight units. The number plate holder is placed on a trim bit that separates the upper and lower grilles. The base of the “bumper” has two silver trim elements and a faux skid plate-like lower lip. 

Over on the sides, the Mufasa SUV gets thick side cladding on the doors and bulging front and fenders. The window line slopes upward at the rear and a C-pillar trim bit adds a floating-roof effect at the rear. In the SUV pictured above, the alloy wheels have a similar machined-finish design as the India-spec Alcazar. 

Speaking of the rear, the design here is as striking as the front-end styling. The C-shaped LED taillights are connected at the top and bottom, forming a full-width oval with a body-coloured or contrast-coloured (depending on the variant) trim piece at the centre. The third brake light is a vertical unit in the centre of the roof spoiler. Lower down, the bumper features sporty trim elements and a faux skid plate. 

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The Hyundai Mufasa looks like it could steal some customers away from the Creta. It’ll be unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2023 (April 18-27), going on sale in China shortly thereafter. However, it remains to be seen if the Mufasa SUV will be offered outside China. In India, the Mufasa’s equivalent is the Alcazar, which goes up against the Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari and Jeep Compass.