It features two captain's chairs in front of two benches that each seat three passengers. The rear seats are accessed by a pair of sliding doors intended to facilitate entering and exiting for people of all sizes.
Power comes from a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder CRDi diesel engine that is intercooled and equipped with a variable-geometry turbo and mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The engine makes 170 horsepower and 215 pound-feet of torque.
Hyundai says the i800's capacious fuel tank lets its driver go 560 miles between fill-ups.
"Anyone wanting to carry eight people in carlike comfort currently has to take two cars — or spend a lot more than £20,000 [currently equivalent to about U.S. $39,000]. We think the i800 will prove massively popular with families and businesses who need to move people in style," says Tony Whitehorn, managing director of Hyundai U.K.
This road-trip monster will go on sale in the U.K. at the end of June. Reportedly a lower-priced, more basic and less powerful version will come out a few months later.
What this means to you: Take a good look at the Hyundai i800, a classy and comfortable way of carrying eight people and luggage. — Mike Lysaght, Correspondent

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