The critical project that Loasby's team will take on soon is asking, "OK, where does that take us next?" Loasby said, referring to the current design look. "If this generation is Sensuous Sportiness, do we carry on with that? Is that still relevant in five years? Or does it need to take a directional or radical step change?"
Loasby said he doesn't have an answer yet. But he's not afraid to think outside the box about Hyundai's products.
"Do we need conventional sedans anymore?" asks Loasby, 51. "A serious question: How many more petrol-engine, diesel-engine cars do we need?
"These are fundamentals we'll get into for the next generations of our high-volume products."
Future designs will have to accommodate fast-changing trends in technology, he said.
"What excites me about the new job is the whole move toward EV platforms, autonomy, drones, robotics," Loasby said. "What's next — that will be the challenge for us."
Loasby said he will need to start working on the new look soon for it to be ready for the next-generation Sonata, which is expected in about five years.
Loasby will oversee Hyundai brand design and report to SangYup Lee, who leads Hyundai and Genesis design as head of the Hyundai Design Center, and to Luc Donckerwolke, who is in charge of Hyundai, Genesis and Kia as chief design officer of Hyundai Motor Group.