EU-market 2024 Hyundai Tucson previews what's ahead
The Hyundai Tucson does big business in Europe, the compact SUV beating all segment competitors for the European sales title, named Top Gear’s best family car in 2022, and Auto Express’ mid-size SUV of the year in 2021, 2022, and 2023. No surprise, then, that the automaker bills the refreshed EU-market 2024 Tucson as “crafted with European customers in mind.” We’re not sure if that means anything philosophically, the changes bringing the Tucson into line with the rest of Hyundai’s updated global product portfolio. Outside, the grille gets a less ornate, more angular mesh framed by eight Parametric Jewel DRL elements that are each slightly larger than the 10 Parametric Jewel elements on the current SUV. Going for a more rugged look, the bumper and lower intake stands out with a simpler motif underlined by an element meant to resemble a skid plate.
Being just three years old and a design jolt when new, the sheetmetal doesn’t change and still looks fresh atop a new wheel design. Hyundai didn’t provide an image of the rear, but tells us the skid plate motif repeats here to visually elongate the vehicle’s width.
More work’s been done inside. A three-spoke steering wheel matches the tiller from the Kona, its hub bearing the Morse code signal for “H.” Behind it, the two screens in the current Tucson merge into a single, curved display holding two 12.3-inch screens. The redesigned instrument panel is split by a full-width HVAC vent, carving out a cubby above the vent to the right of the display and placing HVAC controls on a panel beneath the vent. And get a load of those buttons, physical switchgear returning for climate and audio functions. Below that, the pushbutton gear selector panel is no more, traded for a shifter stalk on the steering column. A wireless charging pad lives in the space the buttons vacated, next to the cupholders. It looks like there’s a little more storage space ahead of the redrawn console area, too.
The Europeans get a crack at this Tucson early next year. It’s anticipated in the U.S. later in 2024 for the 2025 model year. Powertrain choices are thought to carry over, the entry-level 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, a hybrid built around a turbocharged 1.6-liter with a combined 226 hp, and a plug-in hybrid using the same 1.6-liter that makes 261 combined horses.
