Driven: All-new Hyundai Tucson touches down

HYUNDAI Motor Firm Australia (HMCA) has accelerated its ambition to maneuver its product traces upmarket with arguably its most essential mainstream mannequin – the all-new Tucson medium SUV.

Now into its fourth era, Hyundai’s new NX4 Tucson is underpinned by a wealth of active-safety expertise (together with a number of class firsts), a newfound give attention to modern design and complete ranges of kit, beginning at $34,500 plus on-road prices.

That value is for the entry-level mannequin merely known as Tucson, which incorporates a revised 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated, multi-point-injected four-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive and a typical six-speed computerized transmission.

A six-speed handbook will not be provided – it beforehand made up lower than 4 per cent of Tucson quantity in Australia.

In an effort to supply a extra egalitarian method to tools ranges and corresponding drivetrain configurations, HMCA can even offer the front-drive 2.0-litre auto in mid-spec Tucson Elite ($39,000 plus on-road prices) and top-spec Highlander ($46,000 plus on-road prices) trim ranges.

And in a similar way, come July/August, an non-compulsory N-Line bundle will grow to be out there – provided on each Tucson mannequin grade, no matter drivetrain.

Costing $3500 additional on a Tucson, $2000 additional on a Tucson Elite and $1000 additional on a Tucson Highlander, the N-Line bundle introduces bespoke entrance and rear bumpers with sports activities detailing, a gloss-black grille, LED head- and tail-lights, facet skirts, colour-coded wheelarch trim, twin-pipe exhaust outlet, distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels, leather-based and suede upholstery, a ten.25-inch LCD instrument cluster, N-Line skid plates and N-Line badging.

Uniquely, Tucson Elite and Tucson Highlander can even be out there with all-wheel drive. That includes both a new-generation 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre direct-injection, turbo-petrol 4 cylinder tied to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a closely revised 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder (now with an alloy block, saving 20kg in weight) mated to a brand new eight-speed computerized, these drivetrains command a $4000 or $6000 premium respectively over the FWD 2.0-litre.

Official mixed gas consumption is rated at 8.1 litres per 100km for the two.0-litre, 7.2L/100km for the 1.6-litre turbo, and 6.3L/100km for the two.0-litre diesel.

The delayed turbo-petrol is because of arrive in a month’s time (June) whereas the turbo-diesel is scheduled to land at first of the third quarter (round July/August).

By way of further worth, it’s the bottom Tucson that has been elevated most importantly – priced bang-on the place nearly all of Tucson quantity beforehand occurred (across the $33-34K mark).

Changing each the previous TL Tucson Energetic and Energetic X variants, the brand new $34,500 Tucson prices $2360 greater than its Energetic X 2.0 FWD auto equal however options an intensive new suite of security gear, together with a centre-front airbag, blind-spot collision avoidance (a phase first), clever speed-limit help, ahead collision junction and turning help, main car departure alert, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, adaptive cruise management with cease and go, and safe-exit help.

That’s along with new auto-folding door mirrors, 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia with Android Auto, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and 4 USB ports (two entrance, two rear), tyre-pressure monitoring, premium slush-moulded dashboard and door trims with material inserts, and a Drive Mode selector.

The bottom Tucson additionally options 17-inch alloys (together with a full-size alloy spare), roof racks, a leather-based steering wheel, energy driver’s lumbar help, an acoustic windscreen, rear-seat air vents, and a rear digital camera and parking sensors.

The Elite expands on that with 18-inch alloys (with full-size alloy spare), keyless entry/begin, rain-sensing wipers, totally flush 10.25-inch multimedia system with embedded navigation, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, perforated leather-based seats, entrance seat heating, electrical driver’s seat adjustment, dual-zone local weather management with multi-air ‘diffuser’ (a phase first), rear privateness glass, superior rear-seat alert, entrance parking sensors, auto up/down rear home windows, and ‘shift-by-wire’ push-button gear selector (in addition to paddle shifters) on 1.6T and a pair of.0 CRDi fashions.

For its further $7K, the Highlander features 19-inch alloys (with full-size alloy spare), LED head- and tail-lights, dark-chrome grille, electrochromatic mirror, LED cabin lighting, LED ambient temper lighting, a panoramic glass sunroof, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, ventilated entrance seats, two-position driver’s seat reminiscence, electrical passenger’s seat with walk-in operate (a phase first), a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats.

The Highlander additionally features Bose premium sound with eight audio system and amplifier (six audio system on the opposite two variants), a surround-view digital camera, blind-spot monitor (on either side of the automobile – a phase first), distant sensible park help (diesel solely – additionally a phase first), parking collision avoidance help and an influence tailgate.

Eight colors will probably be provided, together with Shimmering Silver, Amazon Gray, Silky Bronze, Deep Sea Blue, Titan Gray, White Cream, Phantom Black and Crimson Crimson (N-Line solely). The Highlander additionally gives two inside trim colors – gentle gray leather-based or brown leather-based.

Chief competitors for the NX4 Tucson will probably be from Toyota’s RAV4 and Mazda’s CX-5. The bottom Tucson ($34,500) competes in opposition to the RAV4 GX 2.0 ($34,695) and CX-5 Maxx 2.0 auto ($33,190), whereas the Tucson Elite 1.6T AWD ($43,000) is up in opposition to the RAV4 GXL Hybrid e-4 ($42,915) and CX-5 Touring 2.5 AWD ($41,280).

The Tucson Highlander 2.0D AWD’s ($52,000) major rivals embrace the RAV4 2.5 Edge AWD ($48,915) and Mazda CX-5 Akera Diesel ($52,380).

HMCA expects the Australian mannequin break up to favour the bottom Tucson (50 per cent), adopted by the Elite (30 per cent) and Highlander (20 per cent).

As soon as the N-Line comes on stream, HMCA expects as much as 50 per cent of Aussie Tucson patrons to pick the non-compulsory bundle.

By way of drivetrain combine, the front-drive 2.0-litre is predicted to make up 60 per cent of complete gross sales, with the 1.6 turbo-petrol and a pair of.0 turbo-diesel break up equally (20 per cent every).

To the tip of April, HMCA has bought 3578 examples of the Tucson, down barely on the 4120 examples bought to the identical level final yr.

2021 Hyundai Tucson pricing*

*Excludes on-road prices

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