All-new Hyundai Tucson: First impression

This is a surprise. We didn’t expect Hyundai to bring in the updated Tucson to the Philippines so fast. Showcased earlier this year at the New York Show, the new Tucson did come across as a striking machine. The facelifted Hyundai Tucson was revealed a few nights before at a personal conference that the Korean carmaker held for its investors. Prices were also revealed and we will come to that in a bit.

The 3rd generation Tucson has received its final update before an all-new model makes its way in 2021. Hyundai is yet to bring in the all-new Accent, a car which has been on sale in some global markets for almost a year now. However, we will leave this matter for another day. At present, let’s see how the new is the 2018 Hyundai Tucson.

Styling

More of an evolution than revolution here. The basic silhouette is retained while the grille has received the family face now. The cascading grille is a Hyundai signature and everything right from the Santro to the Santa Fe have received it. The headlamps look similar but have a new L-shaped DRL while the main bulb is a projector LED unit. The fog lights are placed a tad higher up now while the lower part of the bumper looks sparse. New 18-inch dual tone alloys are on offer as well. The taillights have been slightly revised in terms of internals.

There is no change to the length, width, and height. These basically stand at 4475 x 1850 x 1660 mm respectively. The kerb weight of the vehicle has increased slightly though. It stands at 1560 kg now for petrol and 200 kg more for the diesel. Ground clearance too has gone up by 2 mm and is now 172 mm.

Interior

The cabin has received its share of updates as well. This includes a new steering wheel, updated meters as well as the floating touchscreen infotainment system. Hyundai says that the floating screen is the in-thing and hence the update is giving customers a factory fitted kit. The 7.0-inch in GLS trim and 4-inch in GL units are the size differences. Only on GLS though do you get Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mirror Link. The music system is tuned by Arkamys.

The updated Tucson is still very much a five-seater and features powered seats for the driver and front passenger. The tailgate too is powered. Hyundai still doesn’t offer a sunroof on the Tucson, especially in the Philippines. No reason has been given yet for the same. The dual-zone automatic climate control along with vents at the rear help keep the occupants cool.

Engines and transmission

Like before, Hyundai offers two 2.0-litre engine options with the Tucson. The Hyundai Tucson facelift’s 2.0-litre CRDi turbo diesel produces 185 PS of power and 400 Nm of torque. One can order this engine with a 6-speed automatic. The petrol engine is a naturally aspirated unit and makes do with 153 PS of power and 192 Nm of torque. Even this engine can be ordered only with a 6-speed torque converter. Hyundai has discontinued the manuals citing low demand for the same.

Both the engines drive the front wheels. In the Philippines, Hyundai doesn’t offer the AWD version.

Safety

Hyundai has given due importance to safety features this time around in the Tucson. The new Hyundai Tucson specifications state that the vehicle comes with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, and brake assist as standard. Top trims receive six airbags, Hill Assist, Drive modes, auto hold and more. The Tucson was given a four-star rating by GNCAP for the outgoing model. It is likely that the new Tucson may score a higher rating now.

Overall

We quite liked the facelifted Hyundai Tucson. Especially for what it offers. The new Hyundai Tucson price in the Philippines starts from Php 1,250,00 for the petrol GL while the GL diesel AT is for Php 1,402,000. The top-spec GLS diesel retails for Php 1,720,000. These prices are around Php 10,000 more than before. However, given the equipment on offer as well as the fresh looks, it looks like Hyundai Philippines may have its order books full pretty soon.