2019 Hyundai Tucson: A Minor Facelift

Published on April 3, 2018 in News by William Clavey

Introduced in 2016, the current generation of Hyundai’s compact crossover, the Tucson, has proven quite popular in the eyes of consumers seeking something a tad more affordable than a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4. For 2019, Hyundai gives its little truck a minor facelift so it can maintain its ranking on the sales charts. In 2017, the Tucson was the fifth best-selling compact SUV in Canada, so it’s only fitting for Hyundai to give it a bit more goodies to keep it relevant in this highly aggressive segment.

No More 1.6T

The most significant change is the disappearance of the 1.6-litre turbo four and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, available in higher trim levels. That drivetrain is replaced by a more conservative 2.4-litre, naturally aspirated four, coupled to a six-speed automatic. It pumps out 181 horsepower, six more than the 1.6T it replaces, but torque drops by 20 lb.-ft., peaking at 175. We’re rather intrigued by Hyundai’s decision, but since the 2.4-litre engine is shared with the Kia Sportage, we’re guessing it has something to do with production costs.

As for the base, naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four, which produces 164 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque, and the six-speed automatic, they remain unchanged for 2019.

The changes also include a heavily revised cabin, with a new centre stack, overall dashboard design and standard seven-inch, tablet-style LCD touchscreen, similar to what we’ll find in Mazda products. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration are now standard for all Tucsons.

Outside, this pimped-up Tucson gets new LED headlights, and new grille, a revised bumper treatment and new alloy wheel designs. It’s all rather subtle. The 2019 Hyundai Tucson also includes a wide range of driver assist technologies, such as autonomous emergency braking, driver attention warning and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology, a cool feature for when we’re stuck in traffic.

The 2019 Hyundai Tucson should make its way to Canadian dealerships this summer.

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