A facelift for Hyundai Australia’s best-selling SUV is on the horizon in Europe. It is due in Australian showrooms next year.
The 2024 Hyundai Tucson is due to receive a facelift in Europe by the end of this year – ahead of expected Australian arrivals sometime next year – but spy photos show the changes are largely skin deep.
The latest Hyundai Tucson went on sale in Australia two years ago, but it will soon mark three years since it was unveiled by Hyundai overseas – meaning it will be due for its scheduled mid-life styling update later this year.
It has been confirmed for a European launch this November. Australian arrival timing is yet to be confirmed, but it is expected sometime next year.
The facelift could coincide with the addition of a hybrid option, as part of plans to offer a hybrid or electric vehicle in every SUV market segment Hyundai competes in by the end of next year.
Images captured by Drive’s European spy photography partners show changes for the facelifted Tucson appear to be mild.
While much of the car is covered in a black camouflage material, visible through the disguise is what appears to be a different grille pattern – but in a similar shape to before – and new alloy wheels.
The distinctive front daytime-running lights integrated into the grille – with the main headlight beams below – appear to carry over, as do the claw-like tail-lights.
The dashboard of this prototype is covered in fabric, though a new steering wheel from the new Kona small SUV is visible, distinguished by a strip of trim in its centre – where the Hyundai would usually sit – with four dots, which translates to ‘H’ in Morse code.
Technology from Hyundai and Kia’s latest models which could make their way to the updated Tucson include larger dual 12.3-inch screens (replacing 10.25-inch displays), new infotainment software, adaptive LED projector headlights (replacing reflector LED beams), and a head-up display.
A trio of four-cylinder engines – a 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol, 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel – are expected to remain available in Australia, alongside the expected addition of the hybrid version.
The hybrid has long been unavailable due to the lack of a suitable version for Australia: a ‘long-body’ model like the petrol and diesel Tucson range, built in South Korea on the same production line.
There is a right-hand-drive Tucson hybrid available in the UK, but it is built in Europe and wears the shorter body – while a long-body hybrid is produced in South Korea, but is made solely in left-hand drive.
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