PAJU, Gyeonggi — Hyundai Motor finally lifted the veil on its new Tucson SUV, which arrives with a sweeping design overhaul — roomier, boxier and sharper than its predecessor.
The redesign marks the SUV's first full revamp in six years, with a world premiere set for New York in early October. Tucson is Hyundai's best-selling model in the United States, accounting for 26 percent of the brand's U.S. sales last year.
Pronounced front and rear fenders, a sharp crease running the length of the doors and a heavier-looking lower body give the Tucson an unmistakable road presence.
Up front, Hyundai's familiar family face has been sharpened into something more angular. In profile, crisp character lines carry through to a horizontal rear light bar — a combination that puts the redesigned Tucson squarely in competition with its rival, the Toyota RAV4.
"When we set out to redesign the Tucson, the first question we asked was 'What do customers truly want from an SUV?'" said Seo Man-Kyu, vice president who handled the development of the Tucson at Hyundai Motor, in an unveiling event in Paju, Gyeonggi, on Friday. "Our answer was family comfort, everyday convenience, and a driving experience customers can always trust, and we rebuilt the vehicle from the ground up."
"Our first priority was making sure that the moment someone chooses this SUV, they feel just how solid and dependable it truly is."
Hyundai Motor's new Tucson SUV, the SUV's first revamp in six years.HYUNDAI MOTOR
The rear of the TucsonSARAH CHEA
The Tucson XRT version, suitable for off-roadersSARAH CHEA
Overall length increases by 60 millimeters (2.36 inches) to 4,700 millimeters, while width increases by 40 millimeters to 1,905 millimeters and the wheelbase extends by 30 millimeters to 2,785 millimeters. Rear-seat headroom rises 29 millimeters to 1,031 millimeters, and the rear doors now open to 83 degrees, up from 73, easing entry and exit.
The interior sees an equally significant shift. While the outgoing Tucson used a single panoramic curved display spanning the instrument cluster and navigation screen, the redesigned model separates the two with a 17-inch driver display sitting apart from an oversized center touch screen.
Physical buttons survived for essential controls like climate and volume — a decision that has won favor with owners of Hyundai's newer models. A hidden armrest tray beside the driver's seat adds discreet storage.
Two powertrains will be offered: a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing 193 horsepower and 27.0 kilogram-meters (195.3 pound-feet) of torque, and a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid delivering 245 horsepower and 38.7 kilogram-meters of torque.
A hidden armrest tray beside the driver's seat adds discreet storage.SARAH CHEA
The central display with physical buttonsSARAH CHEA
Safety technology headlines the upgrade list. Most notable is a redundant door-unlock power system that allows doors to be opened even if the vehicle's main power supply is cut — an answer to criticism long leveled at Tesla, whose door mechanisms have drawn scrutiny in crash scenarios.
By drawing on backup power, the system is designed to help occupants escape quickly in an emergency.
A memory-based reverse-steering assist that retraces a vehicle's path through tight or winding roads, and a segment-first "Ground View" feature that displays the terrain beneath the car, aiding visibility in cramped or complex spaces.
Hyundai's Pleos Connect platform is installed, marking the first time an SUV from the brand has offered it. Through the Pleos App Market, owners can download apps including Gleo AI, a large language model-based generative assistant capable of fluid, continuous conversation.
Pricing will be announced in October, though the scale of the redesign and its expanded feature set suggest a notable increase over the outgoing model.
