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At first, only Martin Winterkorn was afraid. “There’s nothing there,” complained the former VW boss at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show in view of the Hyundai i30’s steering wheel adjustment, causing its engineers to tremble. But it’s not just the Volkswagen Group that has long cared about every new model from the Korean automaker. Because it has made a steep curve of success from the economy brand to the pioneer in electric and hydrogen cars.
With the new generation of the Tucson, which was last updated in 2015, Hyundai ignites the next level on the scale of terror open to the top. Because the compact SUV now wears a Darth Vader or Batman-style skin on the front and completely breaks with Hyundai’s previous design. Motto: We dare to do something. With the daytime running lights, the five LED modules on the left and right or the main headlights on, the 4.50-meter five-door model always looks different. In profile, the folds and edges stamped on the sheet play with light and shadow. No series-produced Hyundai has ever looked so futuristic. There are also 17-, 18-, and 19-inch aluminum wheels and a contrasting-colored roof.
New interior and lots of space.
There’s also a completely new interior design with animated instruments, a new steering wheel, and the center console with a 10.25-inch focusing screen. Very careful: the space available at the front and rear, which benefits from an additional two centimeters in length and an additional centimeter in wheelbase. Only a front display screen is missing. The cargo volume ranges from 620 to 1799 liters.
The new Hyundai Tucson is powered by 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines with a 48-volt electrical system. There is a choice of a six-speed manual transmission, seven-stage dual-clutch transmission, and front- or four-wheel drive. The two basic gasoline engines produce 150 or 180 hp; the 1.6-liter turbo diesel comes with either 115 or 136 hp. The top model is the hybrid version, offering 230 hp and 350 Newton meters of maximum torque, as well as a six-speed automatic and, if desired, all-wheel drive. No need to fear: This means that the Korean offers less power than the competition from Europe or Asia, which draws in this league with up to 240 diesel or more than 300 horsepower of gasoline.
The plug-in hybrid will follow later
An even more powerful version with a plug-in hybrid unit will come next year; Also, a particularly sporty N version like the i30 is definitely planned. The new Tucson will be launched at the end of the year. Prices are still unknown, but they should start at around 33,000 francs.
