Next-gen Hyundai Tucson breaks cover

The wraps have come off the all-important new Hyundai Tucson SUV, which will leverage its audacious design and innovative technology to lure new customers into showrooms.

Arriving in Australia in the first half of 2021 and expected to be priced from about $30,000 plus on-road costs, the fourth-generation Tucson’s edgy styling inside and out will certainly be a conversation starter.

Pitched as a high-tech offering in one of the most popular and fiercely contested segments in the new car market, the Korean mid-size SUV has emerged with petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and a bold new interior design featuring a 10.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

Owners don’t even need a key anymore, with a smartphone-based app and NFC (near-field communication) system meaning your phone becomes your key.

The new Tucson can also be driven remotely without anyone in the driver’s seat – albeit very slowly and chiefly for tight parking purposes.

Hyundai Australia has confirmed the new Tucson will be topped by a sporty N Line model, but unlike many overseas markets it will not be sold here with the headline new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (141kW/246Nm).

However, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions – based around a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and producing a combined 171kW/350Nm – are under consideration for Australia and are expected to launch here as soon as they become available for this market.

The mid-size SUV category is the biggest-selling segment in Australia and Hyundai has gone all out to make sure people sit up and take notice of its Tucson, which will go into battle against the all-conquering Toyota RAV4 and other popular models like the Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Nissan X-TRAIL.

Apart from the arresting exterior styling, the redesigned Hyundai Tucson comes with a range of advanced driver safety systems and most of the high-tech features from the more expensive Kia Sorento, such as live video feeds of the SUV’s blind spots.

There are short- and long-wheelbase versions of the all-new SUV available overseas, but Australia will only get the longer version that offers more cabin and boot space than the current model.

Bigger in all key dimensions than the third generation which launched in Australia in 2015, the latest Tucson is 4630mm long (+150mm), 1865mm wide (+15mm) and 1665mm high (+5mm).

The wheelbase is also 85mm longer to 2755mm, helping create more interior space.

Like all Hyundai models, Australian-delivered Tucson SUVs will get locally-calibrated suspension.

Currently priced between $29,640 and $49,150, price and spec for the new 2021 Hyundai Tucson will be revealed closer to its local launch.

With the 2.5-litre petrol engine and 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid versions off the agenda for now, Australian-spec versions of the new Hyundai Tucson will continue with a familiar powertrain line-up – an entry-level 2.0-litre petrol, up-spec 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

Hyundai Australia says the new Tucson will receive “new-generation engines based on the current Australian range” which should mean lower fuel economy and improved driveability via a few more herbs and spices.

It’s not clear how the 2.0-litre petrol (122kW/205Nm) and diesel engines (136kW/400Nm) will be enhanced, but the 1.6-litre turbo is expected to receive a boost from 130kW to 145kW, as seen on the Hyundai Kona.

Front- and all-wheel drive layouts will be offered along with dual-clutch and conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions. Manual gearbox options are likely to return with price-leading model grades, too.

As well as featuring new autonomous driver tech, remote parking and smartphone-based vehicle access, the cabin has a concept-car look and feel – just like the exterior – with a wrap-around dashboard punctuated by a large and seamlessly integrated 10.2-inch central floating touch-screen infotainment system.

Hyundai has ditched the vast majority of ‘hard’ controls, such as dials and buttons, the minimalistic execution adding an upmarket look to the cabin. Even the gearstick is gone, creating a flat area between the front occupants usually found in prestige cars.

High-end models will be offered with a ‘hoodless’ 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster that includes blind-spot video streaming of the car’s flanks – as seen on the new Kia Sorento – which pop into view when you flick on an indicator.

The cabin also features wireless phone charging, 64-colour LED-based ambient mood lighting, Apple CarPlay, Android auto and loads of remote functionality.

Two smartphones can be connected to the Tucson simultaneously, plus there’s a Bose premium audio system and improved voice control. Occupants can say things like “warm-up the car” and the heated steering wheel and seat warmers will switch on.

As mentioned, the new Tucson features NFC (near-field communication) so owners can use their smartphone as the vehicle key to unlock/lock the vehicle and start the engine. It also works up to 27 metres away and can be used to pre-condition the vehicle, too.

There’s also the remote smart parking assist (RSPA) system, which you can see in action on our Kia Sorento video review. It allows owners to park and extract the vehicle from tight spots without being inside the vehicle, as the key fob controls forward and reverse motion.

Hyundai’s all-new SUV comes with a sophisticated ventilation system that benchmarked aircraft set-ups to ensure purified cabin air. There’s even a real-time air pollution display that uses a fine-dust detection sensor.

Hyundai has gone to town with the Tucson’s advanced driver aids as part of the Hyundai SmartSense package, which includes the following systems:

• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Lane Following Assist (LFA)
• Blind-Spot View Monitor
• Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW)
• Highway Driving Assist (HDA)
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection (aka AEB)
• Surround View Monitor
• Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (RPCA)
• Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA)
• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
• Advanced Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop and Go
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW)

Inspired by the 2019 Vision T concept, the Hyundai Tucson’s side profile and proportions are fairly conventional but the finer details are radical. Hyundai's designers wanted the new SUV to stand out.

Hyundai has infused the new Tucson’s front and rear end with futuristic optics, or as the Korean car-maker calls them ‘parametric dynamics’. This is an elaborate way of saying “the LED daytime running lights blend seamlessly into their surroundings”.

They’re designed to seamlessly blend in with the jewel-like patterning of the grille, and Hyundai has made no secret of the fact that the Tucson’s dramatic styling is in response to current SUV design trends and its desire to bring a “distinctly different” look to a “crowded segment”.

Thomas Schemera, Hyundai’s global product boss, said the Tucson is the latest expression of the Korean brand’s evolving ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language and its bold new design will infect its entire SUV range.

“We are thrilled to introduce the all-new Tucson, the latest model in Hyundai’s SUV transformation,” he said.

“This exciting vehicle sets a new benchmark for innovation in its segment, delivering an impressive blend of design, technology, packaging and performance.”

The rear end also features a number of eye-catching design features including pixel-like triangular LED tail-lights that reflect the headlight design, plus there’s a full-width LED light bar.

As a result, the Hyundai logo has been moved up, now integrated into the glass, while the rear wiper is hidden under the rear spoiler.

The Tucson is one of Hyundai's top selling products globally, with more than seven million of the SUVs finding homes since its original launch in 2004.

Stay tuned for more news on the 2021 Hyundai Tucson soon.