Hyundai has confirmed the all-new fifth-generation 2027 Tucson will go on sale in Australia in the middle of next year in hybrid form only – but we’re going to miss out on the most hardcore variant of what the company calls its “boldest SUV ever”.

Aussies will get the Korean-built long-wheelbase version of the Tucson but unlike other markets, there’ll be no petrol or plug-in hybrid options on sale down under. Surprisingly for a market and country so suited to more rugged off-road-focused vehicles, the XRT Pro is also off the cards and will only be available in North America.

Orange SUV driving on a dusty mountain road with rocky hills and a clear blue sky in the background, clouds above.
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Power comes from a new turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with two electric motors making 13kW and 48kW, fed through a six-speed transmission. Total output is 174-180kW and 380Nm, which betters the 172kW and 367Nm of the Tucson’s predecessor and is good for a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds.

The Tucson also gets a 1.5kWh battery, an estimated 81km of all-electric range, front- or all-wheel drive, and fuel consumption ranging from 5.6-6.2L/100km on America’s EPA combined cycle. 

Size has increased across the board too, with the Aussie Tucson 60mm longer than the model it replaces, 40mm wider, and the wheelbase has swollen by 30mm to give measurements of 4700mm long, 1905mm wide, 1685mm tall and 2785mm between the rubber. That will translate to more room inside, of course, with Hyundai claiming headroom in the second row is up by 29mm.

According to Hyundai’s information, missing out on the short-wheelbase version means Aussies won’t get features like three-zone climate control, trailer reverse assist, the brand’s Ergo Motion massaging front seats and Micro Pixel headlights with 25,600 LED pixels apiece. 

Modern car interior with a large central touchscreen display, digital instrument panel, and light beige upholstery; desert landscape seen through the windshield.
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While the XRT PRO is a loss, we will get the XRT, which looks the part of a tough, bush-bashing AWD but doesn’t get any significant increase in off-road ability. The XRT goes up a notch in terms of the brand’s Art of Steel design with chunkier front and rear bumpers, wheel-arch cladding and skid plates.

In good news, Hyundai has included a row of buttons for frequently used functions like ventilation and the sound system. The cabin also gets a central multimedia display of 12.9 or 17 inches, depending on the model, and they’ll run the new Pleos Connect infotainment system. 

Safety features have been upgraded with the addition of Door Unlock Power Redundancy, which will unlock the vehicle even if main power is out, Memory Reverse Assist, and Pedal Misoperation Safety Assist. 

“Millions of families around the world count on the Hyundai Tucson, and this is the best one we have ever built,” said Hyundai president and CEO José Muñoz. “Tucson opens the most ambitious product offensive in our history, including more than 100 new and refreshed vehicles globally by 2030.”