Hyundai Curb: Images and Info

If you’ve ever dropped your cell phone or spilled coffee on your computer, you know that delicate technology and a high-impact lifestyle do not mix. Hence the need, says Hyundai, for an “Urban Activity Vehicle” like the Curb concept—sorry, Hyundai, but we think the Predator drone may have laid claim to those initials. The 12th concept vehicle to come from Hyundai’s California design studio, the Curb debuted at the 2011 Detroit auto show.

“Technology rugged” is the theme for the exterior, according to Hyundai, and thus the Curb incorporates a wraparound windshield meant to evoke the wind deflector of a motorcycle helmet. Free-form head- and taillights are recessed slightly beneath clear lenses, and various lighting tricks such as the backlit Hyundai badges and the white “Curb” lettering on the tailgate are of the sort that could soon make their way to production vehicles. The 22-inch wheels look even bigger thanks to spokes that extend beyond the rim to hug the tire sidewalls.

All is meant to “protect” the connectivity-themed interior, which is dominated by an acrylic screen spreading from the driver to the front passenger. Additional displays can be found in the backs of the front headrests. Since the big screen spreading across the dash apparently doesn’t have enough room for all the information the driver needs, a head-up display with navigation was also fitted. The Curb debuts Hyundai’s “Blue Link” technology, which is essentially a combination of OnStar emergency assistance and the Microsoft Sync technology found in Ford vehicles. It also features the ability to locate the whereabouts of an incoming caller and set it as one’s destination, so if you’re the cheatin’ type, do not buy your significant other one of these.

The Curb’s seats are rendered in a fast-drying board-short material over slim air bladders, allowing for proper support and comfort while maximizing interior space, Hyundai says. Like the lighting tricks, this is the sort of technology that many makers are working on incorporating into production cars. Just make sure all sharp objects remain secured in the cargo area.

The Curb has its share of concept-car dreamworks, including a pop-up roof rack and exhaust vents that transform into a bike rack, presumably to hold a bike you want warmed by the heat of the exhaust.

That warmth would be coming from the turbocharged, direct-injection, 1.6-liter four-cylinder under the hood. Mated to an automated manual transmission, the four is rated at 175 hp, which would be plenty to get the sub-14-foot-long runabout around with ease. Fuel economy is estimated to be upwards of 30 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway, but we don’t expect to see the Curb hit the streets.