The Hyundai Tucson is now bigger on the outside, has an all-new interior design and uses a more robust hybrid powertrain. There’s also a brand-new XRT Pro trim level that offers additional ground clearance and off-road capable tires.
The new Hyundai Tucson will be longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. Hyundai also extended the wheelbase of the new vehicle which created additional passenger space in the back and increased cargo area by approximately 42 cubic feet.
The changes are not limited to the exterior. The redesigned Tucson gets a new 12.9-inch touchscreen as standard, an available 17-inch display, Hyundai’s Pleos Connect infotainment system and a slim digital display for the driver. Physical controls remain below the main screen for audio and climate functions.
The engine options are also changing. Hyundai is replacing its previous naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (the one that was in the base model) with a new, smaller, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder, which produces 184 horsepower. The hybrid version of this new turbo engine will have two electric motors and produce 233 horsepower.
Larger and More Upright Design
The new Hyundai Tucson has a much more upright shape than the outgoing model. The body is longer and wider, while the longer wheelbase gives the SUV more room between the axles.
Hyundai is doing things differently in terms of how they light their vehicles. The entire width of the vehicle’s front is illuminated by a single LED light bar, which incorporates the daytime running lights. The headlamps themselves are located lower on the front bumper and therefore less obvious than the other lights that were placed higher up.
The rear follows a similar theme. A horizontal light element spans the tailgate area, while the taillights have a three-dimensional shape that stands away from the body.
The larger dimensions are useful beyond the visual changes. The additional length and wheelbase give rear passengers more legroom, while the cargo area now measures about 42 cubic feet.
The new design also gives Hyundai more room to separate the regular Tucson from the more rugged XRT Pro.
New 1.6-Liter Turbo Engine
The standard gas-powered Hyundai Tucson will receive a new turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that will generate 184 horsepower – slightly fewer than the former model’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine.
This new engine will provide a slightly different form of delivering power. It has 195 pound-feet of torque; therefore, this smaller engine will have the same torque as the larger, naturally aspirated engine did before.
The smaller engine also fits into Hyundai’s broader effort to improve the Tucson’s powertrain lineup without making the SUV larger under the hood. The redesigned vehicle itself has grown considerably, but the base engine has moved in the opposite direction in terms of displacement.
Hybrid Gets 233 Horsepower
The hybrid remains the more powerful option in the lineup. Hyundai combines the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors, bringing total output to 233 horsepower.
Hyundai has said that both front wheel drive and all wheel drive models of the Hybrid are available. Hyundai also stated that the front wheel drive Tucson Hybrid will get as high as 42 miles per gallon when combining city/highway mileage.
This figure represents a gain in fuel economy over the previous version of the Tucson Hybrid (which had AWD). The new Tucson Hybrid also allows for increased towing capabilities – increasing from 2,000 lbs. to 3,000 lbs.
The hybrid uses an automatic transmission rather than a continuously variable transmission. Hyundai has kept the basic turbocharged engine while adding the electric motors to provide additional output and improve fuel economy.
There is one important change for the U.S. market: the plug-in hybrid will not continue with the redesigned Tucson.
Hyundai has discussed range-extender technology for future vehicles, but that does not form part of the current Tucson powertrain lineup.
More Space Inside
The larger exterior dimensions give the Tucson a roomier cabin. Rear-seat passengers gain additional legroom, while the cargo area grows to about 42 cubic feet.
The dashboard is also completely different. A 12.9-inch center touchscreen comes standard, while a larger 17-inch display is available.
Both screens use Hyundai’s Pleos Connect infotainment system. The system includes an AI assistant designed to understand more natural voice commands.
Hyundai has not moved every function onto the touchscreen. Physical controls remain underneath the main display for functions such as audio and climate settings.
The gear selector has also moved to the steering column. That leaves more space around the center console and changes the layout of the front cabin.
Other available equipment includes Ergo Motion front seats with massage functions and dual wireless smartphone charging pads. These features move the Tucson further toward the equipment level found in more expensive SUVs without changing its compact crossover layout.
XRT Pro Adds Off-Road Equipment
The XRT Pro is a new addition to the Tucson range and takes the existing rugged XRT idea further.
Instead of relying only on exterior styling, the XRT Pro adds equipment intended for driving away from paved roads. It has additional ground clearance and all-terrain tires, along with skid plates underneath the vehicle.
The trim also gets a different front-end treatment and red recovery hooks. Carbon-fiber-look trim is used as part of the exterior design.
The extra clearance gives the XRT Pro more room underneath the vehicle when driving over rough surfaces. The all-terrain tires are also better suited to gravel, dirt and other loose surfaces than conventional road-focused tires.
Hyundai did not turn the Tucson into an off-road body-on-frame SUV. The XRT Pro is still a compact crossover, however the additional hardware gives it a different role in the Tucson lineup.
The regular SE, SEL and Limited trims will continue alongside the XRT Pro.
New Interior Technology
Technology is another major area of change in the new Hyundai Tucson.
The larger center screen provides the main interface for navigation, media and vehicle functions, while the new Pleos Connect software brings Hyundai’s latest infotainment system to the SUV.
The thin digital display that sits on top of the dash (near the windshield) replaces all of the gauges found in an older style instrument cluster. This allows for less clutter on the dash and still provides all of the information a driver may need to know while driving including their speed.
Hyundai has provided additional amenities that have been included in the Tucson for the first time. The Ergo Motion seat provides a massage function, and there are two wireless charging pad locations where you can plug your smartphone into and it will be charged wirelessly.
The combination of a larger screen, new software and physical controls gives the redesigned cabin a different feel from the previous generation.
U.S. Availability
Hyundai has stated that a new design of the Hyundai Tucson will be arriving in U.S. dealerships in early 2027. There will be both gas and electric versions of the Tucson available to consumers. The XRT Pro is being added to the standard SE, SEL and Limited trim levels.
Hyundai has not announced pricing for the new Tucson yet.
The redesigned model changes the Tucson in several areas without moving it into a different vehicle class. It remains a five-seat compact SUV, but the larger body gives it more passenger and cargo space.
The XRT Pro gives the lineup a more capable option for rough roads with additional ground clearance, all-terrain tires and underbody protection.
With the redesigned exterior, larger cabin, new infotainment system and updated hybrid powertrain, the new Hyundai Tucson enters its next generation with changes to the areas that matter most to a compact SUV: space, fuel economy, technology and everyday usability.
