New Hyundai Tucson Sport 2018 with bigger engine for the US market

The new Sport trim will be slotted between the SEL Plus and SEL.

While worldwide car enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the facelifted Tucson 2019, those in the US market are about to welcome a new Sport trim for the 2018 model year. According to latest car news, the Hyundai Tucson Sport 2018 will be slotted between the SEL Plus and SEL.

>>> Complete guide to the current Hyundai Santa Fe Philippines

Hyundai Tucson Sport Concept

At present, Hyundai has yet to release official photos of the Tucson Sport. This is the photo of the Hyundai Tucson Sport Concept showcased in Las Vegas in 2017

Don’t confuse this with the performance version Tucson N since the Sport model comes equipped with Hyundai’s familiar naturally aspirated 4-cylinder 2.4L powertrain. Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and an optional AWD cost an additional $1,400, the Tucson Sport is expected to deliver 181 hp and 237 Nm of torque. Official output figures still needs to be confirmed by the Korean automaker though.

If these numbers were to be true, the Hyundai Tucson Sport 2018 would be the most potent model of the range as the turbocharged 1.6-liter only produces at 175 hp while the naturally aspirated 2.0L generates 164 hp. Worth of note, the higher torque of the former is made possible due to forced induction which is at 195 lb-ft.

facelifted Hyundai Tucson 2019 spy shot

The facelifted Hyundai Tucson is believed to come as a 2019 model year

The Hyundai Tucson Sport 2018 is said to borrow some safety features from the higher trim SEL Plus such as cross-traffic alert and lane change assist. Meanwhile, in comparison with the lower-spec SEL, the Sport is offered with a number of additional features including:

Leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear shifter;
Push-button start;
Dual-zone automatic climate control system;
Door handle-mounted LED approach lamps.

As for the facelifted Hyundai Tucson, it is believed to come as a 2019 model year. Through the spy shots surfaced earlier, it will likely receive a heavy makeover including a redesigned tail and a new fascia. Check out the sneak peeks of the refreshed Hyundai Tucson 2019 through our previous posts:

Some spy shots of the revamped Tucson 2019:

Some spy shots of the revamped Hyundai Tucson 2019

>>> Latest updates on upcoming Hyundai cars can be found in our Complete guide to the Hyundai Philippines' local lineup

Know more about Hyundai Tucson 2024

Hyundai Tucson 2024

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson is a five-seater compact crossover. Locally, this model has three variants.

Under the hood, the GLS+ CRDi variant uses a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine that can make up to 183 horsepower and 416 Nm of torque. The GLS meanwhile gets a 2.0-liter gasoline mill that can churn out 153 horsepower and 192 Nm of torque.

For transmissions, the diesel variant uses an eight-speed automatic tranny. The gasoline version meanwhile uses a six-speed automatic tranny. Both variants are front-wheel-drive.

Size-wise, the new Tucson is 4,630mm long, 1,865mm wide, and 1,665mm in height. They also come with a wheelbase length of 2,755mm, and a ground clearance of 181mm.

Locally, the Hyundai Tucson competes against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Chery Tiggo 5 Pro, Subaru Forester, Peugeot 3008, among others.

>>> New and used Hyundai Tucson 2024 for sale in the Philippines

Hyundai Tucson Launch

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson was launched together with Hyundai’s re-entry into the Philippine market under the management of Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc.

At launch, this compact crossover comes in two different trims. There’s the diesel-powered Tucson GLS+, and the gasoline-powered Tucson GLS.

Hyundai Tucson Exterior

On the outside, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson comes standard with LED headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, LED taillights, power-folding side mirrors, roof rails, front and rear fog lamps, and a rear spoiler.

The higher-spec GLS+ then rides on a set of 19-inch alloy wheels, whereas the GLS gets 18-inch alloy wheels.

Moreover, the GLS+ also comes with a power tailgate.

Hyundai Tucson Interior

Inside, the Tucson can seat up to five occupants. All are kept comfortable with an automatic climate control system, and it gets leather-wrapped seats with power adjustability for the front row for the GLS+.

The rear seats are also 60:40 split-folding, and the driver is also provided with a 10.25-inch TFT LCD digital gauge, as well as a push-to-start button. Also present are USB charging ports and a wireless charging pad.

Technology & Safety Features

Keeping its occupants entertained is an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The said headunit also has voice recognition, and it is linked to a six-piece speaker set.

The Tucson’s safety kit then includes dual front airbags, side and curtain airbags, curtain airbags, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, downhill brake control, hill-start assist, trailer stability assist, tire pressure monitoring, parking distance warning, ISOFIX child seat anchors, cruise control, among others.

Platform & Chassis

Underpinning the 2024 Tucson is the Hyundai-Kia N3 platform. It shares this with the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Kia Sportage.

For suspensions, this model uses a MacPherson strut for the front, and a multi-link suspension for the rear. It also gets disc brakes for all four wheels, and it gets an electronic parking brake as well.

Engine & Drivetrain

There are two engine options for the 2024 Hyundai Tucson. The more powerful of the two is a 2.0-liter turbodiesel mill that can make up to 183 horsepower and 416 Nm of torque. It is then connected to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Meanwhile, the other engine choice is a 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder that can make up to 153 horsepower and 192 Nm of torque. Unlike the diesel model, the gasoline version uses a six-speed automatic tranny.

The Philippine-spec 2024 Hyundai Tucson gets six different color choices. There’s White Cream, Shimmering Silver, Crimson Red, Deep Sea, Amazon Gray, and Phantom Black.