Hyundai Motor unveils all-new Tucson starting at W31.4m

Hyundai Motor said it will begin taking orders Wednesday for the all-new Tucson, the fifth-generation fully redesigned model, after revealing its key specifications and pricing.

The Tucson is Hyundai Motor's flagship compact SUV and is expected to surpass cumulative global sales of 11 million units by the end of this year. The new model marks the first full redesign in six years. It will be offered with two powertrain options — a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid — across four trims: H-Pick, Exclusive, Inspiration and XRT.

Pricing for the 1.6 turbo gasoline variant starts at 31.4 million won ($23,600) for the H-Pick, 35.3 million won for the Exclusive, 37.9 million won for the Inspiration and 36.8 million won for the XRT. The 1.6 turbo hybrid is priced at 36.15 million won for the H-Pick, 39.9 million won for the Exclusive, 42.7 million won for the Inspiration and 41.65 million won for the XRT. All prices reflect applicable tax incentives.

Hyundai Motor said it has loaded even the base H-Pick trim with Plex Connect and a wide range of safety and convenience features that customers most frequently request. Plex Connect, built around a 17-inch or 12.9-inch display, comes standard on all trims along with an app marketplace, allowing drivers to download and use navigation, music streaming, games and other apps inside the vehicle.

On the safety front, the H-Pick trim introduces — for the first time on a Hyundai Motor vehicle — door-unlock power redundancy, along with nine airbags including a front-row center side airbag (up from eight), pedal misapplication safety assist, highway driving assist, navigation-based smart cruise control 2, and electronic shift-by-wire emergency braking in park mode, all as standard equipment.

Convenience features also come standard, including a surround-view monitor with transparent view, front and rear parking collision avoidance assist, walk-away lock and a 100W ultra-fast USB charger. Hyundai Motor said it priced the H-Pick at a level comparable to the outgoing Tucson's mainstream trim while packing in these features to raise the model's overall value.

Industry observers have called the new Tucson's pricing "reasonable." The assessment stands in contrast to the all-new Avante, which debuted in August and drew criticism after popular features such as Hi-Pass, a surround-view monitor, Digital Key 2, parking collision avoidance assist and a premium sound system were made optional add-ons — with the fully loaded top hybrid trim exceeding 43 million won.

The new Tucson's design is rooted in Hyundai Motor's "Art of Steel" design language. The front features a clamshell-type hood, vertical H-Edge lighting daytime running lights and a horizontal slim center lamp, while the rear carries prismatic taillights. Inside, a floating-structure crash pad with separate upper and lower sections and a large center display create an open, airy feel.

An XRT trim is also available for customers who prefer an outdoor lifestyle, featuring a dedicated front grille, wheel arch garnish and skid plate. The exterior palette offers eight colors, including five new shades, while the interior comes in four options, three of which are new.

Interior space has grown as well. Overall length, width and wheelbase each increased by 60 millimeters, 40 millimeters and 30 millimeters respectively compared with the outgoing model, and the rear door opening angle widened from 73 to 83 degrees. Trunk capacity has been expanded to 645 liters. Hyundai Motor said it raised the proportion of ultra-high-strength steel to 58 percent and reinforced the connections in the main body structure to improve rigidity and driving stability, while expanding the use of acoustic glass and sound-absorbing materials to reduce cabin noise.

The 1.6 turbo gasoline model produces a maximum output of 193 horsepower and peak torque of 27.0 kgf·m — 13 horsepower more than the outgoing model — and replaces the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with an eight-speed automatic. The 1.6 turbo hybrid adopts Hyundai Motor Group's next-generation hybrid system, delivering a combined system output of 245 horsepower, up 10 horsepower from before. Combined fuel economy improves by 1.2 kilometers per liter to 17.4 km/l, measured on 17-inch wheels in two-wheel-drive configuration.

Hyundai Motor is rolling out a range of marketing activities to coincide with the Tucson's launch. Customers who place an order in October will be entered into a draw for prizes including Hyundai Department Store gift certificates worth up to 5 million won ($3,750), a MacBook Neo and a 50,000-won fuel gift card. The company is also launching a new advertising campaign inspired by the work of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick, built around the slogan "The beginning of the power to face the world" and produced as an SF cinematic concept combining live-action footage, visual effects and generative AI.

Hyundai Motor has also opened a brand website called "The Empowered TUCSON" and will run an "SF film poster certification event" through Nov. 20, with prizes awarded by draw among participants. A Tucson exhibition runs through Thursday at Hyundai Premium Outlets in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, before moving to other major locations.

"The all-new Tucson is an SUV that combines bold design with advanced technology and practicality to give customers confidence in their everyday lives," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We will communicate the value of the new Tucson through our advertising campaign and a variety of experiential content."