Tag Archives: Hyundai

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The Hyundai Tucson Turns 20 – And It’s About to Grow Up

Blow out the candles and cue the awkward singing – the Hyundai Tucson has just hit 20 years old. And instead of treating itself to a sensible mid-life facelift and a pair of comfy slippers, Hyundai’s best-seller is reportedly gearing up for a rather serious glow-up.

Yes, the family-friendly crossover that quietly went from “budget choice” to “global sales champ” is about to undergo its biggest transformation yet. And if the rumors are true, Hyundai isn’t playing it safe. In fact, the next-gen Tucson might just bin its petrol-only option altogether. Bold move.

Bigger, Boxier, Bolder

The current Tucson, with its creased bodywork and origami face, already stands out in a car park full of soft-edged rivals. But the new one? Expect something squarer, tougher, and a little more Santa Fe-lite. Hyundai designers are allegedly sharpening their pencils in the direction of a clamshell bonnet, a “floating roof” effect thanks to blacked-out rear pillars, and light signatures bold enough to make Audi owners squint jealously.

Oh, and yes, it’s going to grow. Word is, the US-spec version will even get a longer wheelbase for maximum cupholders, school bags, and Costco hauls.

Inside: Say Hello to “Gleo”

Step inside and the tech takes centre stage. Hyundai’s new Pleos operating system will debut here, complete with its built-in AI voice assistant called “Gleo.” (Imagine Alexa, but more… Korean.) Big screens are a given, but mercifully, Hyundai promises not to kill off physical buttons for essentials like climate control. Take note, Volkswagen.

Practicality remains the Tucson’s calling card, so expect even more room behind the second row. Hyundai knows this thing is often less “weekend warrior” and more “child carrier,” so no silly coupe-roof sacrifices here.

Petrol? Never Heard of Her.

Here’s the controversial bit: rumors from Korea suggest the next Tucson could drop the pure gasoline engine entirely, going hybrid-only. That means goodbye to the entry-level 2.5-liter gas burner that currently starts at $30k, and hello to a base hybrid starting closer to $35k.

The hybrid itself will likely feature Hyundai’s newer TMED-II setup – basically the one from the Palisade, but diet-sized. Expect something around the current 231hp mark, but with smoother efficiency and fancier electric wizardry.

And then there’s the spicy one: the long-whispered Tucson N. Auto Express claims Hyundai is cooking up a hotter hybrid with nearly 300hp, an e-motor on the rear axle, and AWD as standard. Think of it as the family crossover that could embarrass a hot hatch at the lights before hauling the weekly shop home. We approve.

Timing Is Everything

Don’t get too excited just yet. Hyundai isn’t expected to peel the covers off the new Tucson until late next year – and that’ll be for Korea first. The rest of us? We’ll likely be waiting until 2027 or even 2028 before the hybrid-only Tucson lands in US showrooms. By then, Toyota’s next-gen RAV4 (also hybrid-only) will already be strutting around, so Hyundai’s timing is more about keeping pace than breaking ahead.

The Big Question: Will Buyers Pay More?

Right now, the Tucson range starts just above $30k, but a hybrid-only lineup means the entry price creeps closer to $35k or higher. That could put it out of reach for some buyers who still want a straightforward gas option. But Hyundai seems to believe the market is ready. Judging by the sales success of the hybrid models already, they might be right.

So, here we are: two decades in, and the Tucson is about to reinvent itself yet again. Bigger, bolder, and probably pricier – with a hybrid heart and maybe even a performance edge. Not a bad way to celebrate a 20th birthday, is it?

Source: Reuters

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Forget Plug-Ins—Hyundai Bets the Future on Hydrogen

Hydrogen. It’s the fuel that’s always five years away from saving the world. Yet at the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16) in Busan, Hyundai Motor Group strutted in like it already owns the future, slapping its “HTWO” hydrogen badge across the global stage with the confidence of a K-pop star at Wembley.

Forget battery packs, plugs, and range anxiety memes. Hyundai wants us to picture a world where we juice up our cars with the most abundant element in the universe, squeeze out nothing but water vapor, and still manage a smug 700 kilometers between pit stops. The messenger? The all-new NEXO fuel-cell SUV, which Hyundai handed over to ministers, dignitaries, and assorted global powerbrokers as official state cars for the event. Yes, for the first time at a major international summit, fuel-cell vehicles were chauffeuring the suits. A little flex, then.

At the helm of Hyundai’s hydrogen evangelism was Ken Ramirez, Head of Energy & Hydrogen Business. He didn’t just bring PowerPoints—he brought a sermon. Ramirez laid out Hyundai’s master plan: hydrogen trucks hauling cargo, hydrogen ports buzzing with activity, hydrogen airports feeding planes, and even waste-to-hydrogen projects that turn yesterday’s trash into tomorrow’s tankful. Sounds like a Bond villain’s wet dream—except Hyundai’s promising it’ll save the planet, not blow it up.

And here’s the thing: they’ve been at it for almost 30 years. Long before Tesla made EVs sexy and Toyota turned hybrids into middle-class virtue signals, Hyundai was tinkering with fuel cells. Now, with its HTWO brand, it’s ready to scale up—mobility, logistics, industry, the lot.

But the real kicker is infrastructure. Hydrogen doesn’t just need cars; it needs pipelines, electrolysis hubs, refueling stations, and, crucially, global rules on how it’s made and traded. Hyundai hammered that point home in Busan, calling for certification and standards so that green hydrogen doesn’t get undercut by… well, not-so-green hydrogen.

So, is this the tipping point? Possibly. If nothing else, Hyundai made a statement: hydrogen isn’t just a science project anymore, it’s diplomatic transport. And when you see a convoy of shiny NEXOs quietly whisking ministers through city traffic without a tailpipe burp in sight, it feels less like fantasy and more like a sneak peek at the inevitable.

For now, the NEXO remains a niche machine with a loyal cult following and an impressive spec sheet: 150 kW of power, five minutes to refuel, and a range that would make most battery EVs sweat. But Hyundai isn’t shy about its ambition—it wants a world where hydrogen powers everything from forklifts to ferries.

And if history tells us anything, this is a company that usually delivers on big, bold bets. Remember when Hyundai was a punchline in the ‘90s? Now it’s casually chauffeuring world leaders in hydrogen SUVs. The future, it seems, may smell less of petrol and more of progress.

Source: Hyundai

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Hyundai Tops J.D. Power Tech Index—Again. Here’s Why That Matters

For the sixth year running, Hyundai Motor Company has taken home the title of top mass-market brand for technology innovation in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study. That kind of streak isn’t just bragging rights—it’s proof the Korean automaker has built a playbook for rolling out useful tech that everyday drivers actually want to use.

Now in its tenth year, the TXI Study ranks automakers on how effectively they launch new features, weighing innovation, execution, and customer-perceived value. And while plenty of brands are stuffing vehicles with cutting-edge hardware, Hyundai has managed to stand out by prioritizing technology that feels intuitive rather than intimidating.

Take the redesigned 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, which pulled in multiple awards in this year’s study. The SUV scored hardware wins for both Driver Assist and Connected Vehicle tech, largely thanks to two features that punch above their weight in real-world usability: the company’s phone-based Digital Key system and the Blind-Spot View Monitor.

The Digital Key—now in its second generation and branded Digital Key 2 Premium—lets owners ditch the fob altogether. Instead, access is handled via a smartphone app leveraging Near-Field Communication (NFC), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Translation: walk up to your Santa Fe with your phone in your pocket, and the car unlocks itself. Start it, share access with a family member, even hand off digital credentials to a friend—all without passing around a physical key.

Then there’s the Blind-Spot View Monitor, a feature that still feels like a party trick even though Hyundai has been refining it for years. Click on your blinker, and a live feed from side-mounted cameras takes over the instrument cluster, showing you exactly what’s hiding in your blind spot. Whether it’s a cyclist in the city or a crossover hanging out in your left lane on the interstate, the system gives drivers an extra set of eyes—and more importantly, extra confidence.

Individually, neither feature is industry-exclusive. But the way Hyundai integrates them across trims, polishes the user experience, and listens to customer feedback is what keeps the brand at the top of J.D. Power’s innovation scoreboard. While luxury automakers often debut flashy, high-cost tech that trickles down years later, Hyundai has carved out a different niche: democratizing advanced features so that a wider audience actually gets to use them.

And that’s the real story here. In an industry where “innovation” is often synonymous with “expensive add-on,” Hyundai is proving that mass-market doesn’t have to mean second-best.

Source: Hyundai