Hyundai is preparing to radically reinvent the Tucson, its best-selling model, giving the family SUV a boxy new look inspired by the larger Santa Fe.
It's expected to go on sale in the latter half of next year, with test mules having been spotted on public roads.
They reveal it will adopt the brand's rugged new ‘Art of Steel’ design language, as seen on the Santa Fe and the hydrogen-powered Nexo.
While both of those models share that design philosophy, they also have their own unique cues – something Hyundai design chief Simon Loasby has previously said was key to making the range like “chess pieces” rather than “Russian dolls”.
The Tucson mules are heavily disguised but it is clear that the new model receives a longer bonnet, chunkier wheel arches and a more upright stance.
The change from fourth to fifth generation looks to mirror that of the Nexo, which Loasby said now has a character that is “much more SUV-like” and “capability-driven”.
Explaining that car’s upgrade, Loasby said: “We deliberately wanted to turn the volume up on the capability and SUV-ness. Pretty much every region in the world has become more comfortable with SUVs and wants [the seating position] to be up.”
The Tucson’s new shape is likely to result in more interior space, too, and could even improve on the current car’s vast 620-litre boot.
It will have the brand’s next-generation interior, which Loasby and Hyundai Group design boss Luc Donckerwolke said could result in a smaller infotainment display and simpler software for the touchscreen – as well as more physical buttons – in an effort to improve safety.
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I do w9nder 9f these car reporters even look at cars today or are they so lazy in there writing and viewing The new Tucson is angular box like the Santa Fe and ev9 and the box shspe of the pixel8nbthe ioniq range oand the Toyota land cruiser its nothing like a land rover defender which is fill of curvy organic shapea. To say it copying the defender is rubbish its following the current design language of the pixel with lots of square and rectangular boxy shapes which is far from the fluid organic shapes of landrover.
This new design language is very much the hyundia kia ev box style
This clean style will appeal to many an smaller santa fe
JLR will not be losing sleep over this so called Defender rival.
The Defender appeals to road-ragers. Is that what Hyundai is going after, really?
I would rather say an appeal to Discovery owners.