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2022 Hyundai Tucson: Concept car design on a tech-heavy production vehicle

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2022 Tucson

2022 Hyundai Tucson (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like it. The all-new 2022 Hyundai Tucson has one of the most unique lighting signatures – front and back – which makes the SUV look more like a kitschy concept than an actual production vehicle.

The vertical stack of horizontal lines that make up the headlights are seamlessly designed into the grille, and they somehow look reptilian and ready to strike with the least provocation. The taillights are similarly unique with a light bar across the back and bumped out diagonal lines creating texture and movement.

The entire exterior design is sculpted and futuristic. In my opinion, it wows.

2022 Tucson

2022 Hyundai Tucson (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

Tucson has been the best-selling SUV for Hyundai, so it makes sense this next-gen vehicle would get special attention – both in terms of design and tech features.

Moving inside, the most jarring feature for me is the behind-the-wheel cluster. It’s a crisp digital display, housed on what looks like a long horizontal tablet propped on the dash. I’ve also never seen anything like that, and while I really like the exterior design, the jury is still out on this one.

Tucson gets an available 10.25-inch touch screen on the center stack and boasts features such as wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and wireless charging.

2022 Tucson

2022 Hyundai Tucson (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

One of the more interesting things about this new Tucson, however, is the trio of powertrains.

The base powertrain will be your traditional gasoline one with a 2.5-liter engine that delivers 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. But then you’ll have two electrified powertrains: a straight hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Both of those operate off a 1.6-liter engine and a 44.2 kW electric motor.

The differences will be in battery pack and power output.

The hybrid will have a 1.49 kWh battery pack, whereas the PHEV will have a 13.8 kWh battery pack. On the latter, you’ll reap 28 miles of all-electric range and 70 MPGe. You’ll also get the most power output from the PHEV with 261 horsepower, versus 226 horsepower on the hybrid.

2022 Tucson

2022 Hyundai Tucson (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

When Hyundai asked current owners what they wanted out of a next-gen Tucson, more space and better technology integration seemed to be a common theme. So, the 2022 Tucson adds 7.7 cubic-feet of cargo volume and delivers best-in-class rear-seat legroom.

Another high point on the all-new Tucson: safety tech. Hyundai is targeting both a 5-star NHTSA rating and an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick + award. To that end, it includes standard automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, automatic high beams and rear occupant alert.

As a bonus, there are a whole host of up-level safety features available, including:

  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Rear cross-traffic alert with rear automatic emergency braking
  • Safe exit warning
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Ultrasonic rear occupant alert
  • Smart park assist
  • Blind-view monitor
  • Surround view monitor

We’ve seen all of these features in Hyundai’s larger, more expensive SUVs, so it’s nice to see the technology trickling down in to the more compact ones.

2022 Tucson

2022 Hyundai Tucson (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)

The bottom line on the 2022 Tucson

While we’ve seen the 2022 Hyundai Tucson in person, we don’t have too many more details to add. We know this will go on sale in the spring of 2021, and an N Line version (mostly a design package) will go on sale in the summer of 2021.

Pricing has not been announced, but for reference, the current generation Tucson has a range of $23,700 to $32,050, and we don’t expect Hyundai to raise prices tremendously from this point.

From what we’ve seen, this new Tucson will be another vehicle from Hyundai that knocks it out of the park. We can’t wait to drive it!

Related posts:

Hyundai teases next generation Tucson, highlights bold lighting accents

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe adds new looks, hybrid engine, more features

2020 Hyundai Venue SUV Makes Debut

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Jill Ciminillo

Jill Ciminillo is the Managing Editor for Pickup Truck + SUV Talk as well as a Chicago-based automotive writer, YouTube personality and podcast host, with her articles and videos appearing in outlets throughout the U.S. Additionally, she co-hosts a weekly radio show on car stuff for a local Chicago station. Previously, Jill has been the automotive editor for both newspaper and broadcast media conglomerates. She is also a past president for the Midwest Automotive Media Association and has the distinction of being the first female president for that organization. Jill is also currently a juror for the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY).

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