Even in its twilight years can Hyundai’s best seller outgun its rivals?
The best-selling Hyundai Tucson has been treated to a revised hybrid system for 2026, before it’s replaced by an all-new model within the year. It has been six years since the current fourth-generation car went on sale and boosted the Hyundai Motor Group’s positioning to the fourth-biggest manufacturer in the world.Big-name rivals – such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Kuga and Honda CR-V – have been humbled by a model that offers more style, technology and ease of use for less money. It has been representative of Hyundai’s product improvement, resulting in better and better cars across its conventional line-up and success in identifying growing segments, such as family SUVs and crossovers, and pitching models into them with not just aggressive pricing but also genuine quality and ability. For 2024, the Tucson was given a mid-life facelift aimed primarily at improving the usability of its interior while retaining that eye-catching exterior styling. A minor 2026 update has left everything, bar the self-charging Hybrid, as before.Hyundai Tucson range at a glanceAll of the Tucson’s powertrains are based around a turbocharged 1.6-litre ‘Gamma’ four-cylinder petrol engine. It’s worth mentioning that in the previous generation it suffered from a poor reliability record, but it has been continually revised since. The range opens with a 147bhp pure-petrol engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, followed by a 48V 147bhp mild-hybrid mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic ’box. The 236bhp Hybrid is next in line (212bhp before ‘26), followed by a 249bhp plug-in hybrid with up to 44 miles of electric range. Both are paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Four-wheel drive is only available on the Hybrid and PHEV. Previously, a higher-powered mild-hybrid was offered with four-wheel drive. Currently, the Tucson is available in five trim levels: Advance, Premium, N-Line, N-Line S and Ultimate.Premium and N-Line, and Ultimate and N-Line S are roughly equivalent in terms of spec, with N-Line only adding a racier bodykit and sporty interior touches but no mechanical changes.
