Pope Francis Debuts New Hyundai Version of Popemobile

It's another example of the Catholic leader shunning flashy options.

ByABC News

June 11, 2015, 2:24 PM

Pope Francis arrives in St. Peter's Square, with his new Popemobile, for his weekly audience on June 3, 2015 in Vatican City.
Franco Origlia/Getty Images

 -- Pope Francis is known for his humble attitude, and it appears he's taken another step to be more like the common man.

The latest so-called "popemobile" to be added to the Vatican's fleet of vehicles reportedly is a Hyundai, marking a shift from the higher-priced Mercedes Benz that has been preferred by prior popes.

Pope Francis, right, walks toward his Popemobile as he leaves his general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on June 3, 2015.

The white Hyundai car, which is said to be a model of the Sante Fe line of the South Korean car giant, made it's public debut earlier this month in Vatican City.

According to the Catholic News Service, the narrow body of the Hyundai allows for guards to stand along the car as it is driving down crowd-lined streets.

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The move could be seen as another example of the pope's preference for the practical over the flashy -- as was his decision to live in the Vatican's guest house rather than the papal apartments after he was elected in 2013.

The Catholic News Service reported that the tradition of having a "popemobile" dates back to 1909.

Swiss Guards salute Pope Paul VI as he waves to crowds in Vatican City on Sept. 21, 1972.

Pope John Paul II blesses the statue of the Virgin Mary on Dec. 8, 2004 as he leaves in his Popemobile from Rome's central square of Piazza di Spagna, after celebrating the traditional feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Pope Benedict XVI arrives in his Popemobile for his weekly general audience on Oct. 3, 2012 at St Peter's Square at The Vatican.

In recent years, most of the cars used by the pope were made by Mercedes Benz, and though Pope Francis may be seen out in his Hyundai more frequently now, the Mercedes cars have not been removed from the fleet completely: He was spotted back in a Benz on Wednesday.