- The 2027 Hyundai Tucson compact SUV arrives early next year.
- The Tucson debuts Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system in the U.S.
- A new XRT Pro trim turns up the rugged capability of this practical SUV.
We’ve seen previews and teaser images before, but the American version of the 2027 Hyundai Tucson is now fully out in public. Launching in early 2027, the new SUV has a striking visual redesign, AI-assisted tech and safety features, and useful interior space improvements that should make it a serious competitor in the compact SUV segment.
Exterior updates begin with new lighting elements, including the H-Edge front lighting system. It combines a front light bar and vertical LED daytime running lights into a unique “H” shape that Hyundai said “delivers a refined and futuristic front impression.” Updated taillights have a prism look, with a light bar that mirrors the front design.
A rugged new XRT Pro model replaces the outgoing Tucson XRT. The non-Pro XRT was little more than an appearance package, and the new XRT Pro brings more authentic off-road capability. For starters, it has forged-carbon-inspired accents on the wheel arches and lower rear bumper, along with underbody skid plates to protect against off-road obstacles. The XRT Pro rides more than an inch taller than other trims and features unique wheels and dark metal interior accents. In the United States, it comes only with the hybrid powertrain, which is optional on the Tucson’s other three trims.
Smart Terrain Assist (STA), a real-time terrain assessment function that provides a green, orange, or red “stuck score,” uses software to enhance the XRT Pro’s real-world off-road chops. It can automatically switch driving modes to cope with the terrain and provide options for safer routes through an area. The STA system pairs with a new Target Speed Control function that operates like a low-speed off-road cruise control.
Hyundai redesigned the Tucson SUV’s interior to improve ergonomics and create a calmer, more relaxed cabin feel. It features a two-tiered dash with a lower storage level and soft-touch materials, and the “Double D-Cut” steering wheel is shaped to provide visibility on the slim 9.9-inch digital gauge cluster.
Interior passenger space gets a boost for the 2027 model year, with more than an inch of extra headroom for rear passengers (without the sunroof) and 0.6 inches of additional rear legroom. Cargo space with the second-row seats upright increases to 41.7 cubic feet, topping the compact SUV segment.
Hyundai will offer gas and hybrid powertrains in the 2027 Tucson. At the heart of both is a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 184 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque in the gas model while returning up to 28 combined mpg. Meanwhile, the improved hybrid produces 233 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque with a targeted fuel economy rating of up to 42 combined mpg.
A 12.9-inch touchscreen comes standard, with an available 17-inch display. Both systems run the new Pleos Connect infotainment interface, based on Android Automotive OS. Hyundai says its new Gleo AI assistant understands natural conversation and can provide search results and other information in response to complex verbal queries. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and over-the-air updates are also standard.
New advanced driver assistance features include Memory Reversing Assist, which helps reverse in narrow spaces, a Ground View Monitor system with a transparent view mode beneath the vehicle, and Trailer Reverse Assist, which makes it much easier to use the SUV’s up to 3,000-pound towing capacity.
When the 2027 Hyundai Tucson goes on sale in early 2027, we expect its pricing to start in the low-$30,000 range.
