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By Carsales Staff
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid will have a new challenger in 2024.
Hyundai has recently revealed details of its updated Tucson mid-size SUV that is due in Australian showrooms by the middle of this year, confirming it will be offered with a hybrid powertrain for the first time.
The facelifted softroader will provide a fuel-efficient alternative to the petrol-electric RAV4, which has been hamstrung by its own popularity with new owners forced to wait up to two years for delivery.
The upgraded Tucson is expected to be offered with a choice of four powertrain options, including carry-over versions of the current 2.0-litre petrol, 2.0-litre turbo diesel, 1.6-litre turbo petrol and the new Hybrid, which pairs the latter engine with an electric motor and small battery pack.
Hyundai Australia has yet to announce final specifications for the 2024 Tucson line-up, and it remains to be seen if Hyundai will be restricted by similar availability issues to sister brand Kia, which is limited to offering only front-drive versions of its new Sportage Hybrid, immediately putting it on the back foot against the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER – both of which are exclusively offered with all-wheel drive.
Regardless of how many wheels it will turn, the Korean hybrid system out-punches its Japanese rivals with combined outputs of 169kW/350Nm compared to the Toyota’s maximum 160kW and Nissan’s 157kW. However, it can’t compete with the 179kW/510Nm system offered in the GWM-Haval H6 Hybrid in terms of sheer firepower.
A six-speed automatic transmission will be offered on all Tucson Hybrids, with European versions consuming between 5.9L/100km (front-drive) and 6.6L/100km (all-wheel drive) on the WLTP cycle.
Alongside the addition of a hybrid powertrain, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson features a number of subtle exterior styling changes, including more segmented daytime running lights within a bolder new front grille and a revised front bumper, as well as fresh alloy wheel designs and a new rear apron designed to emphasise the Tucson’s width.
However, it’s a different story within the cabin, where the changes are abundantly clear: the existing Tucson’s centre fascia-mounted infotainment system has been binned in favour of the new-generation dual-screen arrangement as per the related Kia Sportage.
The switch has also seen the digital instrument cluster relocated from under the dash-top to in front of it, which not only facilitates the dual-screen set-up but also brings it more into the driver’s line of sight.
A new steering wheel is also present, along with a redesigned HVAC panel, integrated air vents and a heap more straight lines as the Tucson transitions away from the familiar curved theme and towards a space-liberating horizontal design.
Hyundai Australia will release more details of the 2024 Tucson line-up, including price and specification adjustments, ahead of its arrival in local showrooms this year.
Disclaimer: Images supplied by Hyundai.
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