Hyundai isn’t wasting time doing all it can to be number one.

It costs a lot of money to make a minor change on a vehicle and so the extreme makeover for the fourth-generation Tucson signals the fierce determination and resources Hyundai is dedicating to topple top-selling Japanese SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Rav4. It’ll even shake the Euro tree with the styling and tech stuffed inside.

Inside this new Tucson we see a reimagination of what Hyundai’s best-selling SUV should be. It has touch-sensitive areas for controlling the infotainment, a thin new central display, and a fully digital driver’s dash that’s keeping up with not just European counterparts but also its own leading technology in cars such as the upcoming Santa Fe. This time around we see a flat dash top too, so it should be an expansive feeling space to match the new model’s larger dimensions.

Wandering outside it is clear that the new Tucson will never be mistaken for the old model. The front features Hyundai’s own ‘Parametric Hidden Light’ design which integrates seamlessly with the grille and is something we’d expect from Mercedes-Benz on its flagship EVs. The rear is equally impressive a rethink, with a fully-connect LED taillights design that looks contemporary and cutting edge.

Practically, we expect the wheelbase might grow slightly, and width plus the important head and knee room space should increase ever slightly.

Underneath the bonnet will be an electric-petrol hybrid to compete squarely against the Toyota Rav4 and other manufacturer’s upcoming hybrid SUVs. Like the new Kona N-Line revealed yesterday, the Tucson is expected to bring both an all-new N-Line, but also an N model, with the latter fitted with a 250kW-plus 2.5-litre turbo engine, and the N-Line a 210kW-odd motor. Specs and details are yet to be confirmed, but more information is headed our way on September 15.

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