Better known in Australia as the ix35, Hyundai has revealed its 2016 Hyundai Tucson ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
SET TO BE revealed at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the all-new 2016 Hyundai Tucson is expected to continue the company’s worldwide success in the small SUV segment (more than 20% of Hyundai’s sales were in this small SUV class). And, the arrival of the 2016 Tucson sees the death of the ix35 name Down Under.
“Design expresses our progressive spirit and passion, and it is transforming our brand. The All-New Tucson has a bold and athletic presence achieved through refined, flowing surfaces, bold proportions, sharp lines and most importantly, our newest generation hexagonal grille – our brand signature,” said Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer at Hyundai Motor Group.
At the front, the All-New Tucson features Hyundai’s signature hexagonal grille, which connects with the LED headlights to create “a distinctive face”. The front bumper has been given a wing-shaped look, and incorporates LED daytime running lights, giving the thing a wide, hunkered down stance from the front.
The A-pillar has been pushed back to give the car a sleeker, almost coupe-esque look. “The directional shape of the wheel arches contribute to the agile and dynamic appearance, even when stationary, while the expressive ‘Z’ character-line above the rear wheel arches creates a sculptured side profile and a powerful stance. The rear has a clean design with horizontal lines that flow from the rear wheel arches and accentuated by slim tail lights,” says Hyundai.
On the inside, the Tucson which is built on a new platform has been optimised to ensure maximum interior-to-exterior ratio. Indeed, with the rear seats in place, there’s 513 litres of bootspace.
Depending on the model, the all-new Tucson features heated and ventilated front seats, with longer seating cushions for improved comfort. A smart powered tailgate (which opens at the approach of the key-holder) and Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS) with parallel and bay parking function are also available.
The new-generation navigation system is allegedly more than three times faster than the previous version fitted in other Hyundai models and comes with a seven-year free subscription to TomTom LIVE services (subject to market specification).
In terms of safety, the Tucson gets, and this will be dependent on final market specification, an Autonomous Emergency Braking system – with three operation modes: pedestrian, city and inter-urban – which triggers automatic braking whenever it detects an unsafe closing speed with a person or vehicle in front, and operates from low to high speeds. Also offered will be a Lane Keeping Assist System proactively corrects the steering to avoid unintended lane departure, and the Rear Traffic Cross Alert system uses radar to scan a 180-degree area behind the vehicle, alerting the driver to any approaching cross-traffic. The Tucson will also feature an Active Bonnet System which raises the vehicle’s bonnet to cushion the impact shock in any frontal collision with a pedestrian or cyclist.
The Tucson will be available with a range of engines, from 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol and turbocharged petrol models right through to 2.0-litre non-turbo and turbo petrol units and a new turbocharged 1.6-litre diesel engine. All engines will be available with either a seven-speed DSG or six-speed manual, although exactly what engines will be offered in Australia remains to be seen.
We’ll know more about local specifications after the reveal at the Geneva Motor Show.
