Hyundai’s Tucson hit the U.S. market way back in 2005 as a frumpy SUV that delivered generous enough value to make up for its middling style and performance. In the 20 years since, it has grown in capability and overall size, with sales climbing to follow suit. Now, Hyundai’s bestseller is getting a complete reboot.
For 2027, the Hyundai Tucson is not only swelling in every dimension but is also gaining performance both on road and off road, plus a fresh tech experience on the inside. It’s all wrapped in a striking, angular style that again shows Hyundai’s designers are willing to swing for the fences.
Hyundai calls it the “Art of Steel,” and while it’s not as boxy as the Boulder, it is miles more compelling than the 2025 model we reviewed a few years back.
In short: After 20 years on the market, Hyundai’s bestselling Tucson is getting a comprehensive reboot. With more range for the PHEV, more efficiency for the hybrid, and a more capable XRT Pro, it’s an even bigger threat to the SUV stalwarts.
Improved Drivetrains
The new Tucson will be available in three separate powertrain options, starting with the base 1.6L, 184-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder. That’s down a few ponies from the outgoing car’s 187-horsepower 2.5L inline-four, but it maintains its 26 mpg combined EPA rating for the all-wheel-drive trim and 28 for the front-drive model.
Next is the improved hybrid offering. The current hybrid makes 231 horsepower and offers a maximum combined EPA rating of 38 mpg for front-drive. However, the new one raises power to 233 horsepower and steps up to 42 mpg in front-drive, and 40 for an all-wheel-drive machine.
The plug-in hybrid is also upgraded. System power output should be around 288 horsepower (this is based on the metric horsepower rating, as a U.S. horsepower rating wasn’t provided), up roughly 20 on the current generation, while all-electric range is estimated to be approximately 50 miles thanks to a 17.1kWh battery pack, versus 13.8 kWh in the current model.
Real Off-Road Stuff
The battery isn’t the only thing that’s bigger. The Tucson has gained 2.4 inches (60 mm) in length, 0.8 inches (20 mm) in height, and 1.6 inches (40 mm) in width. That means more cargo space on the inside (41.7 cubic feet), but for those who need even more, the Tucson now offers up to 3,000 pounds of towing. That’s a 1,000-pound boost over the previous version.
To further increase its cred in that department, Hyundai added a new Trailer Reverse Assist mode, helping timid towers back that thing up into their campsite without becoming the evening’s entertainment for the neighbors. Sadly, though, Hyundai won’t offer that mode for North American Tucsons, at least not initially.
American Tucsons will be available with several other driving modes and features designed to help increase its off-road abilities, though, like an automated crawl mode called Target Speed Control, a new transparent hood feature called Ground View Monitor, and four different terrain modes (snow, mud, sand, and rock), plus the ability to pick the right one automatically.
The SUV will even detect grip conditions and provide a “stuck score.” It’s a color-coded visual cue meant to warn the driver before they get in too deep.
To capitalize on the Tucson’s more muscular styling, Hyundai’s coming straight out of the gate with two ruggedized versions: XRT and XRT Pro. The base XRT gets the requisite black plastic trim around fenders and bumpers, all embossed with a pattern meant to emulate forged carbon fiber.
The XRT Pro literally steps things up a bit, offering 8.3 inches (210 mm) of ground clearance, 1.2 inches (30 mm) more than standard. It also rolls on all-terrain tires to provide more security on slippery terrain and gets all of Hyundai’s Smart Terrain Assist off-road driving modes and features.
Safety and Technology Upgrades
On the safety side, the new Tucson offers standard automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and lane centering. The system can also interface with the integrated navigation to automatically reduce speed when approaching fast corners.
That’s part of a wholly new interior digital experience Hyundai calls Pleos Connect. It’s a customizable touch interface built on Google’s Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS). It comes with the requisite integrated AI assistant, perfect if you’re looking to talk more to your car.
If that isn’t to your liking, the Tucson supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both wirelessly, with a pair of wireless charging pads to match.
Whichever interface you choose, everything runs on a QHD resolution (2,560 x 1,440) touchscreen in either a 12.9- or 17-inch size, depending on trim. There’s also a slender 9.9-inch display behind the steering wheel serving gauge cluster duties.
Those new front and rear bumpers may be farther apart than before, but Hyundai still managed to upgrade just about everything that’s found in between them. There’s a lot to like, but the big remaining question is whether this reboot retains the SUV’s core value proposition.
Sadly, we’ll have to wait a little longer for pricing. The new Tucson enters production later this year and hits U.S. dealerships in 2027.
