Newly facelifted Hyundai Tucson 2019 – The eccentric by China

The Hyundai Tucson 2019 is redesigned by Hyundai Beijing, promising a more aesthetic look; or not?

It is recently reported that Hyundai Beijing is preparing for the Chinese-spec Hyundai Tucson (facelift) with a totally transformed fascia. While many expect a much more aesthetic enhancement compared to the original, this version may fail to meet even basic principle of design.

Facelifted Hyundai Tucson 2019 has a strange (if not weird) front look with unparalleled curves and angles. From the lighting systems to the rigid Cascading grille, they all present an awkward combination of random features from available models, namely Hyundai Encino (or Hyundai Kona as we usually call) and Hyundai Santa Fe 2018.

Hyundai Tucson 2019 facelift

The front look of Chinese-spec Hyundai Tucson (facelift)

Fortunately, the rear looks less weird. The red stripe connecting 2 tweaked taillights does not cause strain for spectators, nor does it improve the aesthetic value to the model though. Meanwhile, the recess for license plate seems to be expanded a little bit, which may highlight the rear design.

Hyundai Tucson 2019 facelift

The rear end looks better than the front design

To give a comparison, the current Hyundai Tucson 2018 for China market measures 4,545 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width and up to 1670 mm in height and runs on two engine options: a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. Even though official information related to the refreshed Hyundai Tucson 2019's engine hasn’t been announced yet, we may expect something similar to a 2.0L naturally aspirated petrol mill as found in the previous version.

For other markets including the Philippines, the facelifted model of this auto may all look the same on the global scale. Its official premier is said to be scheduled in the first half of 2019.Latest updates on upcoming Hyundai cars can be found in our Complete guide to the Hyundai Philippines' local lineup. Let's wait and see.

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.