Although the all-new 2021 Hyundai Tucson is about a year away, there have been various prototypes spied out and about. These have given digital artists something to work with in regards to predicting its design. As is the case here.
These renderings have been put together by Russian website Kolesa and they could give us a good indication of what the new model could look like. At the front we see a full-width grille, which does seem similar to the prototypes that have been spotted (below), while the split headlight design is almost a given considering the Kona and Santa Fe now showcase this theme.
Around at the back the taillights are depicted as being much thinner and wider, like on the Santa Fe, with a perched-up crease line protruding out like an integrated spoiler. There’s also the obligatory grey garnish for the diffuser area, with matching side sill highlights.
Hyundai Design Centre president Sangyup Lee has previously been quoted as saying the next Tucson will feature a design that will make you “freak out”. Well, to be more specific, he was describing the design of the new Venue, and saying that if you thought that was exciting, the next-gen Tucson will go even further than that.
As for the powertrains? It’s anyone’s guess at this stage. Hyundai, like many car brands, is very busy developing next-gen hybrid and electric systems. Hyundai has also invested a lot into the development of hydrogen energy. Either of these avenues could be on the cards.
As far as we know, Hyundai is about the launch a next-gen 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine which will essentially replace the existing 2.0-litre turbo. However, the 2.0T is not available in the Tucson; it’s only available in the Sonata in Australia (and the Genesis G70).
Unless Hyundai suddenly decides it wants to blow some of the competition away with power, the new 2.5T probably won’t be offered. And even if that was the case, there’s always the possibility of a Tucson N further down the line.
It’s a shame as the new unit is likely to produce somewhere around 200kW to 220kW. This could help make the Tucson the most powerful SUV in the hugely-popular and almost overcrowded mid-size SUV segment. For us performance fans, we hope the new model at least moves up to the higher-output 150kW/275Nm 1.6-litre turbo. Currently, only the 130kW/265Nm version is offered, which is the same power as the Kona 1.6T.
We suspect Hyundai will first unveil a concept of the next-gen Tucson before releasing the finished product to market later in 2020. Seen as though prototypes are well and truly doing the rounds, a concept unveiling could take place within the next three to six months.
