2027 Hyundai Tucson: What Australia Gets, and What It Doesn't

The all-new 2027 Hyundai Tucson has made its debut in New York, but the version arriving in Aussie showrooms in mid-2027 won't be exactly the same as the one sold elsewhere.

Australia gets the long-wheelbase Tucson, built in Korea, and only as a hybrid. That means no petrol, no plug-in hybrid, no hardcore XRT PRO and none of the fancy features Hyundai is keeping for the shorter-wheelbase European mid-size family SUV.

Read on for the hits and misses.

Hyundai builds two versions of the new Tucson. The long-wheelbase car is built in Korea and the US, while the short-wheelbase car is for Europe. Australia gets the long-wheelbase version, and that one decision explains most of what's below.

The first hit is the hybrid itself. A 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine teams up with two electric motors (13kW and 48kW) and a 1.5kWh battery, driving through a proper six-speed automatic.

Korean-market figures convert to 174–180kW and 380Nm, which is up on the current Tucson Hybrid's 172kW/367Nm.

Hyundai also says two of its cleverer features are hybrid-only.

'E-Traction' sends torque where it's needed to reduce wheelspin mid-corner. 'Stay Mode' lets you run the air-con, heating, audio and device charging with the engine off, which is handy while you're waiting for shorter periods and don’t wanna run the petrol engine.

Then there's the space. The long-wheelbase body is 4700mm long (+60mm), 1905mm wide (+40mm) and rides on a 2785mm wheelbase (+30mm). That gives 1064mm of rear legroom, and the doors now open to 83 degrees – much wider than before.

The tech list is strong too. There's a 12.9- or 17-inch touchscreen running Hyundai's Android-based Pleos Connect, plus 100-watt USB-C ports in the seat backs and dual 15W wireless pads.

Hyundai notes that Gleo AI's availability and timing can vary by market, though. Which means it may not be available in Australia when it rolls into showrooms mid-2027.

The tougher-looking XRT is also confirmed for Australia, with chunky cladding, skid plates and a forged-carbon-look finish.

Engines are the big miss. Overseas, the Tucson comes with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol or a 2.0-litre petrol engine with up to 142kW, which would give the brand a cut-price entry-level model.
 
At the other end of the spectrum is a Toyota RAV4-rivalling plug-in hybrid that's the pick of the range.

The PHEV makes 215kW, has a 17kWh battery good for an estimated 81km of electric-only range. It charges at 7.2kW and is rated to tow 1910kg.

It's quick too, with a 0-97km/h (0-60mph) time of 7.9 seconds for the all-wheel-drive version.
 

Next on the miss list is the XRT PRO, which is the Tucson SUV with real off-road kit. It gets 210mm of ground clearance (+30mm over regular models), all-wheel drive, all-terrain tyres, recovery hooks and Hyundai's first ever Smart Terrain Assist gizmo.

That system gives you a colour-coded 'stuck score' and has 2–25km/h crawl control. On Aussie beach tracks and fire trails, that'd be bang on the money.

The short-wheelbase car also keeps a few posh extras to itself. Hyundai's footnotes list all of these as short-wheelbase only:

You won't miss the heated windscreen much in Northern Queensland but the pixel headlights would come in handy on a dark country road at kangaroo o'clock.

Hyundai's hybrid-only call for Australia looks like it's following the market. The US accounts for about 20 per cent of the Tucson's global sales, and hybrids made up 31 per cent of US Tucson sales in 2025.

Still, a medium SUV without a plug-in option will stand out as Chinese PHEVs – and the RAV4 PHEV – keep winning buyers.

Australian pricing and specs haven't been confirmed yet. For context, the current Tucson Hybrid starts at $42,850 plus on-road costs.

Hyundai will also show a new sport-inspired Tucson at the Paris motor show on October 12. Whether that one comes here is a story for another day.

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