Hyundai’s popular Tucson is getting a mid-life update with an overhauled interior but only mild tweaks to the exterior.
The Korean brand has released a handful of images and details of the updated mid-sized crossover.
CarExpert understands the updated Australian-market Tucson, which will continue to be sourced from Korea, will arrive here around the middle of 2024 at which point the previously confirmed hybrid will belatedly join the range.
Instead of getting a substantial external facelift like the Sonata, the Tucson’s changes are more subtle.
There’s still the distinctive blocky grille with hidden daytime running lights, but Hyundai has restyled the front bumper and added a full-width skid plate to give the vehicle a wider stance.
Likewise, there’s a revised rear bumper with an integrated skid plate, while redesigned alloy wheels also feature.
The big changes are inside, where the Tucson’s distinctive dual-cowl dashboard and waterfall centre stack have been replaced with something more conventional and reminiscent of the new Santa Fe.
The touchscreen and digital instrument cluster are situated in one assembly mounted on a restyled dashboard, with ‘hidden’ air vents and a new climate control pod with a pair of dials.
There’s a new steering wheel, behind which sits a column-mounted shifter. With the latter moved from the centre console, Hyundai has also treated this part of the cabin to a substantial redesign.
While Hyundai has released images of the updated Tucson, it hasn’t confirmed if there are any changes under the skin.
It’s currently offered in Australia with a choice of three powertrains.
There’s a 115kW/192Nm naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder with front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic; a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and all-wheel drive; and a 137kW/416Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed auto.
Joining the range next year is a hybrid, which has already been on sale in other markets for some time now. The Tucson Hybrid currently uses a turbo 1.6-litre petrol four mated with a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh battery pack, for a total system output of 169kW and claimed fuel economy of 5.7L/100km.
A plug-in hybrid is also offered overseas, but is unlikely to come here.
Revealed in 2020, the current Tucson was launched in Australia in 2021.
It’s one of the best-selling vehicles in the hugely popular mid-sized SUV segment. Hyundai has sold 17,935 examples this year to the end of October, behind only the Mazda CX-5 (19,404), Mitsubishi Outlander (20,000) and Toyota RAV4 (24,986).
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