Hyundai Trucks and Buses unveil County New Breeze minibus
Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI, formerly Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc.) has officially unveiled the latest model of its flagship minibus, the County Breeze.
The body has a fresh new face and improved body dimensions that can accommodate 29 passengers plus the driver. Gross vehicle weight (GVW) is 6,190 kg – 10 kg heavier than the previous model – while the curb weight is 4,305 kg. It stands taller at 2,870 mm, factoring in the roof electric ventilator and condenser unit for the air conditioning, respectively. Relocating the A/C condenser unit to the roof reduces exposure to dirt, therefore, makes the cooling system more efficient. It’s also 25mm longer compared to the previous model.
The Extra Long variant of the County New Breeze provides extra space for 29+1 reclining seats or an additional row that allows for 32+1 standard seats.
Exterior features include a chrome and matte black grille, new headlamps that have a new square design inspired by the golden ratio and are fitted with LED positioning lamps and projector-type fog lamps to ensure better road visibility, vertical rear combination lamps, rear fog lamps, a cargo flap door can be conveniently flung wide open for easier loading and access to luggage, and rear reflectors for added safety.
Inside, it gets seats upholstered with modern PVC material with additional overhead lighting, an air-conditioning system with high cooling capacity and digital dual climate controls for driver and passenger, and an LCD to monitor the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system status.
In front of the driver is a newly designed layout featuring the new crash pad and instrument cluster and a more functional tilt-adjustable telescopic steering wheel with a new four-spoke design and button controls. In the middle is a 3.5-inch Supervision LCD cluster that displays a wide range of information, like odometer reading, trip data, and other vehicle functions.
The driver also has access to the audio system fitted with a radio, CD player, TV, driver speaker, aux input, USB, and hand microphone.
Safety equipment includes dual front airbags (for driver and front passenger) and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), and front disc brakes with an auto adjuster and pad wear indicator.
The suspension gets semi-elliptic laminated leaf springs with mono-tube shock absorbers, while the rear setup has long-span tapered leaf springs. Under the hood is a turbocharged and intercooled CRDi diesel engine that makes 140 PS at 2,700 rpm and 372 Nm of torque at 1,600 rpm.