The Tucson is the second best-selling Hyundai SUV in the United States, and for the 2022 model, it's coming with some drastic changes which were beyond expectations. Along with the Santa Fe and the Palisade, the Tucson's new generation seeks to increase Hyundai's share in the competitive SUVs market, and thanks to the bold changes, this seems very likely.
In the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, almost everything in both exterior and interior has changed, and seemingly, we're facing an entirely new SUV. The excellent reception of Hyundai's new design language in the Sonata and Elantra encouraged the Korean automaker to use the same design style in 2022 Tucson. Here are the 10 significant changes that we'll see in the new Hyundai Tucson.
10 Completely Revamped Exterior Design
Making sharp changes is a huge risk that few companies are willing to take, but Hyundai has dared to do it. The most significant change is Hyundai's new design language that is being employed, giving a more modern and aggressive look to the 2022 Tucson. The front grille is reminiscent of the new Sonata. The headlights are placed into the grille and create an integrated space.
Designers were allowed to use more sharp edges at the sides of the new Tucson, as opposed to the previous generation. Matching today's trends in car design, there's a strip that connects the brake lights. The design is according to the Vision T concept that Hyundai debuted at the 2019 LA Auto Show.
9 N-Line Variant
The performance versions of Hyundai cars come under N-Line variants and experience some exterior and interior enhancements. So if the standard versions are not attractive to you, you can opt for sportier versions. The N-Line version of 2022 Tucson gets a more aggressive look, and unique N-Line exterior and interior accents are installed.
According to Hyundai, there's also a pack of 19-inch black wheels, black trim for the roof, and a rear bigger diffuser than the standard model. For the interior, There will be N-line exclusive seats with a sporty steering wheel. As Hyundai says, "unique equipment and color selections are also planned for production models."
8 New Interior
Not only the exterior but also the interior has changed completely to match with the new design. The interior follows a simple scheme, and it is trying to represent a modern and futuristic car. There will be an 8-inch central touchscreen in the standard version, and for the high-end variants, a 10.25-inch display is included. Both versions support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Hyundai tried a lot to digitalize the cabin, and in light of this, all traditional physical buttons are replaced with capacitive-touch buttons. For interior customization, a 64-color ambient lighting kit is available.
7 More Engine Options
A 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine is included as standard. This engine is naturally aspirated and can produce 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, which is more than decent for a compact SUV. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the output to the front or all wheels. Compared to the previous generation, the engine specs show a leap for the standard trims. A fuel economy of 28 miles per gallon is also expected.
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson also has a hybrid version. In this version, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is paired with a 44.2-kilowatt electric motor and a 1.49-kWh battery pack to increase the output to 226 horsepower. This trim comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.
6 Plug-in Hybrid Version
If 187 and 226 horsepower doesn't seem fair enough for you, there's another variant to choose from. According to Hyundai, the 2022 Tucson has a plug-in hybrid version that offers more power, and it can travel 28 miles on a single charge. The fuel economy will be around 70 mpge, and with a Level 2 charger, it takes less than 2 hours to recharge the vehicle.
The plug-in hybrid uses the same 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, but thanks to the 66.9-kW electric motor and 13.8-kWh battery, it can reach 261 horsepower.
5 New Driving Modes
In the previous generation of Hyundai Tucson, drivers could choose only Eco and Sport as driving modes. Fewer modes may limit vehicle functionality in different circumstances, so Hyundai decided to add new driving modes to the 2022 Tucson. Smart, Eco, Comfort, and Sport are available as driving modes, and in AWD models, drivers can also choose Snow, Sand, and Mud.
Adding new drive modes to Hyundai Tucson is a piece of good news for those who want to use the vehicle in rugged conditions. Hyundai also added a new feature called E-Handling to improve the stability of the car.
4 New Tech Toys
Hyundai vehicles' new generation is coming with many techs inside, and the Korean automaker is trying to stoke interests in its affordable cars with tech stuff. The new generation Hyundai Sonata was at the forefront of receiving new tech toys, and now, the 2022 Tucson is taking the same path. Remember Hyundai's Super Bowl' Smaht Pahk' ad? This feature is coming to the new Tucson.
Smaht Pahk is a parking assist technology that lets drivers park the vehicle or get it out of the parking using a key fob. The 2022 Tucson will also support voice commands.
3 Affordable Price Tag
The final price is yet to be announced, but it is expected that there will be no considerable price gap between the old and new generation Tucson. The new Tucson arrives early in 2022, and the price starts from $25,000 for the base model and soars to around $40,000 for high-end trims. Despite adding many new features, the price is similar to the previous generation, which can guarantee high sales for the new Tucson.
In the US market, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson has a tight competition with other compact SUVs like Ford Escape and Honda HR-V.
2 Larger Dimensions
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is bigger than the previous model, and this is good news because the passengers will have more space in the cabin and the cargo area. The wheelbase is now 108.5 inches, which is 3.4 inches more than the 2021 model, and 6.1 inches is added to the length to make it 182.3 inches. Width and height are 73.4 inches and 65.5 inches. Also, the rear legroom is now 41.3 inches.
A bigger dimension leads to a bigger cargo area. The cargo volume is now 38.7 cubic feet, about 7.7 cubic feet more than the previous generation. The cargo space can increase to more than 70 cubic feet when the seats are folded.
1 New Standard Safety Features
Safety is a priority for most people when choosing a vehicle. So, Hyundai has added new safety features as standard in order to make the new Tucson safer than before. The new standard features include forward-collision monitoring and pedestrian detection, active lane control, driver attention monitoring, automatic high beams, and automatic emergency braking.
Some other safety features are optional, including blind-spot monitoring, reverse-collision warnings, automatic parking feature, rear cross-traffic alerts with emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view monitor. The optional features will add to the price, but it's worth paying more money for keeping passengers safe.