Groundbreaking new Hyundai Tucson suffers a mishap while testing
One of the UK’s favourite family SUVs is about to be reborn with all-new tech and style
A brand-new generation of the Hyundai Tucson is just around the corner, and the latest spy shots show the Korean giant has gone all-out by introducing a striking new design language and cutting-edge interior tech.
Due to be revealed in the next few months, the next-gen Tucson has ambitions to be one of the country’s highest-selling cars, fending off the Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Tiguan, and a tranche of new Chinese rivals.
Spied testing in its final development stages here in Europe, the new Tucson will be part of a huge new product offensive from Hyundai, which will also include a new Bayon and Kona, plus eventually an updated Santa Fe.
Hyundai has so far revealed very little technical information regarding the new Tucson. Yet the company has released lots of range-wide details of elements we could expect to see on the next-gen car, including a tough-looking Hyundai Elantra-inspired exterior, a hi-tech interior, and fresh hybrid powertrains.
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What will the new Hyundai Tucson look like?
Hyundai’s new design era is just about to start, so we have a fairly clear understanding of what the next Tucson will look like. Last year, the company’s chief exterior designer, Simon Loasby, told us: “Art of Steel is our next-generation design language that we launched last year, and you’ll see that on multiple new models.
“We don’t like to do nesting dolls, but you’ll see how that is developed across a range of products. We’ve got a busy two years of new stuff coming,” he added. A key new model which will inform the new Tucson is the Korean-specification Avante, which could also arrive in the UK as a replacement for the old i30.
Elements such as the clamshell bonnet, exaggerated wheelarches and complex LED lights with vertical and horizontal features will completely diverge from the current car’s aesthetic, and give it an even more distinctive and contemporary look.
This is all-but confirmed in the latest spy shots, which show off elements such as a wraparound appearance to the windscreen thanks to the use of blacked-out A-pillars. These also frame large side windows to create a more upright silhouette than on the current model. This more rugged design is in harmony with the Santa Fe, and is a distinct departure from the current Tucson’s dramatically rising windowline and curved body panels.
The tailgate will be quite upright compared with the current model to allow for a more open and versatile boot. The SUV will also sit on a set of large, intricately styled wheels in round wheelarches.
New Hyundai Tucson’s interior, tech and space
Spy shots have also revealed more of what to expect with the new model’s interior, and it’s now all-but confirmed that the new Tucson will have a completely new digital interface. Core to this is a large touchscreen mounted on the dash with a row of physical buttons below. Instead of the twin-screen set-up used now, this will be complemented by a small, high-mounted driver’s display that’ll reduce the amount of time it takes to look down from the road.
In order to make it visible above the steering wheel, it also means Hyundai’s latest models will feature smaller, Peugeot-like steering wheels. But this won’t mean it’ll be an overload of tech, because the overall interior spaces are said to feel more open and luxurious than before, rather than creating a sporty driving environment. Loasby said: “It’ll be a much more comfortable and calm space than a tech fest. That’s been our balance with the product.
“Over the next two years you’ll see our next generation of interiors coming out. The safest way to drive is to keep our customers’ eyes on the road, so you build your philosophy around that. You quite quickly realise that the centre screen is actually just a distraction.”
This suggests the Tucson will balance the use of screens and physical controls, and avoid the integration of oversized digital interfaces. Instead, we expect there to be new displays high up on the dash, with key physical controls for the most-used controls and commands.
“We believe nine is the best number of both legal and physical, regular interactions,” Loasby added. “They’re all physical buttons and they will stay physical buttons because they are things that I want to adjust without looking away [from the road].”
Beyond this, the next-gen Tucson should retain a versatile five-seat interior, with lots of rear legroom and the kind of decent boot size that makes the current car a popular choice for families.
What powertrain options will the new Hyundai Tucson have?
We expect the new Tucson to come with a range of powertrains, with mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines taking precedence in the UK and Europe. We can also expect the introduction of a new generation of full-hybrid engines.
Developed in-house by Hyundai for its next-generation models, the new hybrid set-up will combine a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two e-motors – a large one mounted in the gearbox, and the other acting as a starter generator.
Hyundai says this improves efficiency by more than four per cent compared with the previous system, while offering more torque and better driveability.
Peak power is yet to be confirmed, but torque will be 380Nm – 13Nm more than the brand’s previous hybrid set-up in this class. There won’t be a full-electric version of the Tucson – electric car buyers in this class will be catered for by the forthcoming Ioniq 4 – but there is likely to be a hot N model with a new high-spec hybrid powertrain.
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