Hot Tucson to top range

Hyundai will expand its SUV offering with extra Tucson models in coming years. A three-row seven-seater is “possible” but the first range extension could be altogether more exciting — an N-badged high performance model.

N is to Hyundai what M is to BMW or RS is to Ford. And although the brand is yet to debut its first pukka N model, it is already hinting that a powered-up variant of the new Tucson will be part of the line-up.

Speaking at the new soft-roader’s launch in Berlin overnight, Tucson lead designer Hyundai Design Europe’s Nicola Danza confirmed the launch of the N range of Hyundai models was imminent and named Tucson as part of the performance offering.

He hinted the variant could be launched in Europe as soon as early 2016.

“Soon we’re going to launch N versions of cars… And not immediately, for the next few months of production, [but] there will come a sportier version [of Tucson as part of the line-up].

“It will not be the first car [to wear an N badge] because it is not the right type of car [to debut the brand]. But if you do this you cannot just have one type of car,” he explained.

Danza hinted the enhanced Tuscon would have at least 150kW. Other sources have suggested the N-badged Tucson would pack more punch and leverage the new 180kW turbocharged 2.0-litre engine featured in the new Sonata.

Likely to appeal to an even wider market is a mooted three-row 5+2 seat version of the Tucson. Nissan has successfully sold a ‘stretched’ version of QASHQAI with three rows and logically Hyundai could follow suit.

But Danza’s comments suggest the ‘big’ Tucson was still on the drawing board.

“At the moment, it is only five-seat,” he explained.

“There has been consideration but we are still thinking about it. It will probably come but there is no guarantee,” he said.