There's no question that Hyundai is big on SUVs right now, from the Kona EV to the super-sized Palisade. But there's one model that's dragging the range down, despite a recent facelift, and that's the Tucson. Thus, we were quite excited to see these photos in our mailbox today.
We've always felt like the Tucson wasn't allowed to be bold. And while that may not have hurt sales, Hyundai recognizes that a number of potent rivals are now lined up for the CUV crown. This all-new model marks a sharp departure in styling that's sure to polarize. However, the number of people who don't want an attent-grabbing 4x4 is quite small.
While we don't doubt the 2021 Tucson has been testing for a while now in South Korea, this is our first contact with the model. It was spotted testing in the heat of the Sierra Nevada mountains outside Grenada, Spain.
Since Hyundai doesn't have a uniform styling language, we wondered which relative the 2021 Tucson would take after. And, surprisingly, it's the NEXO, their hydrogen-electric vehicle, which is a big surprise. You can see it mostly in the angular headlights and the mesh of the grille. We could be wrong on this, but the second set of lights which are hidden as intakes could house the main beams.
The rest of the bodywork is hidden under the heavy black cladding. But there's no reason to believe it isn't as wild as the front. On the other hand, the Tucson needs to stick to its bread-and-butter status, offering conventional powertrains. Right now, that means a 2.0 or a 2.4-liter four-banger in America, and we could see Hyundai going down the turbocharging route while it chases the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V.
We also expect to see at least one fuel-sipping hybrid model, which most likely will rely on a naturally aspirated 2-liter. Over in Europe, the C-segment contender will still have a bunch of diesel engines which will be matched to more efficient gearboxes.
While we don't doubt the 2021 Tucson has been testing for a while now in South Korea, this is our first contact with the model. It was spotted testing in the heat of the Sierra Nevada mountains outside Grenada, Spain.
Since Hyundai doesn't have a uniform styling language, we wondered which relative the 2021 Tucson would take after. And, surprisingly, it's the NEXO, their hydrogen-electric vehicle, which is a big surprise. You can see it mostly in the angular headlights and the mesh of the grille. We could be wrong on this, but the second set of lights which are hidden as intakes could house the main beams.
The rest of the bodywork is hidden under the heavy black cladding. But there's no reason to believe it isn't as wild as the front. On the other hand, the Tucson needs to stick to its bread-and-butter status, offering conventional powertrains. Right now, that means a 2.0 or a 2.4-liter four-banger in America, and we could see Hyundai going down the turbocharging route while it chases the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V.
We also expect to see at least one fuel-sipping hybrid model, which most likely will rely on a naturally aspirated 2-liter. Over in Europe, the C-segment contender will still have a bunch of diesel engines which will be matched to more efficient gearboxes.