HYUNDAI’S top-selling light SUV, the ix35, has been given a meaningful facelift that does much to address the shortcomings of the first iteration that replaced the Tucson in 2010.

Direct-injected petrol engines and a locally inspired chassis tune-up headline the mechanical changes for the Series II ix35 now arriving in showrooms.

Projector headlights, new alloy wheels and refreshed interior trim are among the other changes to lift the ix35 to new level in the super-competitive compact SUV class.

The question is whether the company has done enough to maintain its sales dominance over rivals such as the Subaru XV and Mitsubishi ASX, as well as compete with larger competitors such as the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, among others.

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