Hyundai Tucson returns with futuristic touches
The new Hyundai Tucson / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
By Nam Hyun-woo
Hyundai Motor on Tuesday premiered the fourth-generation Tucson SUV, which went through a drastic makeover with futuristic touches in its looks and features.
Since the Tucson stands as one of the most important volume models in Hyundai Motor's lineup, the sales trajectory of the compact SUV will likely offer a glimpse into the carmaker's capability to make a fast recovery from the current slowdown in the global vehicle market.
Hyundai Motor unveiled the new Tucson during an online showcase event via YouTube. Building on a new platform, the full change model scaled its size up ― stretching the length by 150 millimeters to 4,630 millimeters ― as its rivals in smaller segments such as the Kia Seltos, the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Renault Samsung XM3 bulk up to meet domestic customers' demands for more cabin space.
As the vehicle lengthened, so did its cabin. Its wheelbase grew by 8.5 centimeters to 2.76 meters, giving second-row passengers 1.05 meters of legroom, up 8 centimeters from its predecessor.
The new Tucson's exterior also went through a dramatic makeover. The daytime running lamps are integrated into its oversized jewel-pattern grille, becoming completely invisible when they are off.
On the side, the new Tucson wears more curves and edges to create a futuristic appearance as well as the posture that the vehicle is ready to give chase. It also adopted a raked roofline and short overhang to give it a more aggressive look. The back showcases a sporty appearance with exaggerated fenders crossed by a full-width light bar.
The interior of the new Tucson / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
The vehicle interior also defies conventional looks. To emphasize the spaciousness, Hyundai flattened the top of the dashboard and removed its housing, creating a garnish line wrapping around the cabin. The vehicle offers two 10.3-inch touchscreen panels in the dashboard and center infotainment console.
The new Tucson will come in 12 powertrains ― six gasoline, four diesel, one hybrid and one plug-in hybrid ― each starting from 1.6 liters and going up to 2.5 liters.
While introducing the new Tucson, Hyundai called attention to the hybrid model, which creates 180 horsepower, 27 kilogram-force meter of torque and 16.2 kilometer per liter of fuel efficiency with its Smartstream 1.6-liter turbo hybrid engine.
Hyundai also brought changes to Tucson's HTRAC all-wheel drive system. So far HTRAC has offered eco, comfort and sport driving modes, but the HTRAC in the new Tucson will provide mud, sand and snow modes to improve its drivability in various terrain conditions.
The carmaker will start receiving preorders for the new Tucson in Korea on Wednesday, with plans to roll them out later this month. The company said the SUV will be launched in the global market after Korea, but did not reveal a timetable. Depending on regions, the new Tucson will be available in either a long-body or compact version.
The gasoline models of the new Tucson will be priced at between 24.35 million won and 31.55 million won. The diesel models are priced at between 26.26 million won and 33.46 million won. The hybrid model will be priced next month.
“We feel the all-new Tucson is the right vehicle for our times, because it is so adaptable to highly diverse lifestyles,” Hyundai Motor Global Chief Marketing Officer Cho Won-hong said during the showcase. “To address such diversity Hyundai is launching the Tucson in different types in different regions with various eco-friendly vehicle options.”
The Tucson has been one of Hyundai's best-selling vehicles. Since the first generation's debut in 2004, the company has sold more than 7 million Tucsons around the world.
Hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hyundai Motor's sales in the first half of this year stood at 47.18 trillion won, down 7 percent from a year earlier. Its operating profit declined by 30 percent to reach 1.45 trillion won.
The new Hyundai Tucson / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor