Hyundai Tucson facelift debuts with Hyundai SmartSense, coming to M’sia?



Hyundai Motor has pulled off the wraps of the refreshed Hyundai Tucson at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. The facelifted SUV gets a fresh design, revised powertrain line up as well as new advanced driver assistance systems to cater to the increasingly demanding customers.

The Tucson now boasts a more modern and athletic look thanks to the new Cascading Grille, reshaped bumper and full LED headlamps with revised light signature. Over to the rear, it gets a more elegant taillamp design as well as redesigned rear bumper and muffler. Expect a range of new alloy wheel design too.

The cabin design was left mainly untouched, but Hyundai has added new convenience features consisting of a Krell Premium Sound System, wireless charging tray, 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a rear USB charging port.

Four powertrain options are available with the refreshed Tucson – two turbodiesels and two petrol engines. Starting with the most powerful mill is the 2.0-litre CRDi turbodiesel packing 183 hp, mated to either a six-speed manual or a newly developed eight-speed auto to power all four wheels.

Completing the diesel line up is a 1.6-litre CRDi turbodiesel is available in two different states of tune – 114 hp and or 131 hp. Both output options are available with a six-speed manual and front wheel drive while the 131 hp mill can be optioned with a seven-speed dual clutch automatic (DCT) and four-wheel drive.

As for petrol option, the 1.6-litre T-GDI petrol engine delivers 174 hp, paired to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT with the option for front- or four-wheel drive. The entry-level Tucson, on the other hand, is powered by a 1.6-litre GDI naturally aspirated mill paired to a six-speed manual to develop 130 hp and is strictly front-wheel driven.

Hyundai’s latest Hyundai SmartSense active safety and driving assistance features also made its debut in the refreshed Tucson that bundles Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC), Speed Limit Indicator Function (SLIF), Hyundai’s Surround View Monitor (SVM) 360-degree camera and High-Beam Assist.

The facelifted Hyundai Tucson will make its European debut in the coming weeks with more details to follow. In Malaysia, Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia (HSDM) has three variants of the third-generation on sale in the form of a 2.0-litre MPI, 1.6-litre T-GDI and 2.0-litre CRDi. Will the facelifted model with its Hyundai SmartSense technology finally tip the scales to the Korean carmaker’s favour? Only time will tell.


IMAGE GALLERY