ON a cold winter’s day like today, where snow is falling in parts of NSW and Queensland, and rain is pouring from the sky in Sydney, it seems like a good time to talk about SUVs, and Hyundai is doing just that.
The shiny new Tuscon, a re-birthing of the iconic mid-sided SUV model which was replaced by the ix35, and is in turn replacing that very model, will hit the road on August 1 – offering up a bigger, better equipped and more sophisticated option for Australian families to sink their motoring teeth in to.
Keeping with the company’s fluidic sculpture 2.0 design methodology, the Tuscon will feature a stronger and safer body structure, a wider and longer stance, Hyundai’s ‘brand signature’ hexagonal grille, dramatically-styled projector headlights topped with LED Daytime Running Lights and 0.33Cd aerodynamics.
New technology abounds including autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition (Highlander model), Apple CarPlay smartphone support technology (Active and ActiveX models), LED headlights with static bending lights, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Advanced Traction Cornering Control (AWD models), Trailer Stability Assist (Active, Elite & Highlander models), and hands-free power tailgate (Highlander model).
Significantly, the Tucson Elite and Highlander models adopt a re-tuned version of Hyundai’s Gamma 1.6T GDi power plant – the potent and fuel-efficient high-tech turbo petrol engine shared with Veloster SR Turbo. The 1.6T GDi engine is matched exclusively with Hyundai’s own advanced seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
Four models make up the range – the Active, ActiveX, Elite and Highlander, with pricing from $27,990 through to $45,490 (plus on-roads), and a range of engine and gearbox configurations available – including 2.0L petrol and turbo diesel models (as well as the 1.6L turbo GDi motor).
