Meet the new Hyundai Tucson. To those of you who remember, we used to get a model by the same name a few years back, until it was rechristened the IX35. This is the new one though, and word is Hyundai are doing away with the alphanumerical name in favour of the older name. As Shakespeare once wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
As far as sweet looking things go, the Tucson certainly fits the bill – adopting styling from the Santa-Fe big brother, which itself is a pretty stellar looking thing. The masculine styling will hopefully attract a group of buyers that previously avoided the IX35 due to its more feminine appearance. The new design features Hyundai’s new hexagonal grille, and according to Peter Schreyer – President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai – the design has a bold and athletic presence.
We’re not sure about Athletic, but the new Tucson features LED headlamps, LED DRLs and blacked out B and C pillars. Additionally, the Tucson’s features include automatic park assist, 513 litres of luggage space, heated and ventilated front seats, autonomous braking, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, and a host of others – all par for the course in Hyundai’s efforts to give buyers maximum value for money.
On the engine front, the Tucson will feature 2 petrol variants – a 1.6-litre GDI engine generating 99kW and a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine generating 130kW – and 3 diesel engines – a 1.7-litre generating 85kW and a 2-litre offering 2 states of tune at either 100kW or 135kW. The T-GDI petrol engine will be available with a new 7-speed dual clutch transmission from Hyundai, whilst other models will make do with either a 6-speed manual or conventional 6-speed automatic gearbox.
The stylish new Tucson is set to go on sale in the 2nd half of the year in Europe, with the SUV likely to reach our shores early next year.
You can read our review of the Hyundai IX35 1.7 Diesel, which features the same engine as the new Tucson, here: Review – Hyundai IX35 1.7CRDI
