Hyundai unveiled the new Tucson in New York, unveiling what appears to be a direct challenge to the Toyota RAV4. Autonotion was there and managed, albeit briefly, to get its hands on the new not-so-compact SUV.
What is most striking, before entering, is the shape. Society is sliding towards a kind of cyberpunk dystopia and Hyundai seems to be the only automaker with the courage to design retro-futuristic vehicles that would fit right in with any kind of sci-fi fantasy. They weren’t kidding when they described the Tucson as their “boldest” SUV yet, its blocky design seems more suited to a place like Mars than New York or Los Angeles.
It’s something that divides people to a certain extent. You don’t make a “bold” choice and take everyone with you. But I’m also glad that an automaker is abandoning the generic, shapeless blobs that SUVs have become in recent years and at least trying to do something unique.
This is nothing new for Hyundai, they launched a futuristic Realtor Palisade a few years ago. It’s also a beautiful vehicle that stands out from its peers.
At first glance, the new Tucson appears almost as tall as the Santa Fe. But, while it’s longer than the 2026 model, the compact SUV is still five inches shorter than its three-row sibling. Although you wouldn’t think so if you were sitting in it.
The interior is a cut above
After sitting inside, I can verify that Hyundai wasn’t lying when they bragged about how spacious the new Tucson’s interior is. There’s plenty of room. Brian Armstead is one of the tallest automotive journalists in the industry, the man is at least six foot seven. But he sat comfortably in front and the person behind him had plenty of legroom. While the Tucson is comfortable in this extreme scenario, it’s large enough to be a family car.
As for the interior quality, the upholstery seems to be of very high quality, the seats are comfortable and the quality control seems to be there. But on this last point, the vehicles present at press launches are subject to intense scrutiny so not seeing a single point stand out isn’t really a shock.
The slightly square wheel is another potentially divisive, but necessary design choice in my opinion. Many manufacturers are moving towards this form factor as driver displays become more advanced. I’d have a clear view of the driver’s display on a round wheel any day.
What about the new infotainment system?
One of the biggest advancements Hyundai has made with the 2027 Tucson is its infotainment system. This system comes in the form of Pleos Connect, which features a new user interface combined with physical buttons to truly improve the in-vehicle experience. Hyundai used a wealth of data to define an ideal menu layout. The route
At the heart of Pleos Connect is Gleo AI, Hyundai Group’s new contextual intelligence that does everything from seat control to navigation management. It is both contextual and spatial, meaning it can know who is speaking and execute the command accordingly. It can also run multiple commands within a single query, meaning you can jump in, set the HVAC, set your destination, and play your music with just one (albeit long) phrase.
Pleos Connect is expected to appear in all Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles by 2030. But if you want to see it sooner, it’s present in the 2027 Tucson.
As for its performance, my time with the infotainment system was limited and the vehicle is still a prototype. However, I was able to try a few things. Those who know me know that I have a slight accent, which can make using voice commands difficult.
While I didn’t put it to the test to the same degree as Lucid or BMW’s AI, I was able to ask it how to get to Taco Bell and it taught me more than just where the chalupa supremes were. Looking at the text on the screen, the AI first heard the following sentence: “Can you give me instructions on how to tackle the belt.” But then he used the context to correct the entry for “Taco Bell” and listed local locations instead of giving me a piece by piece about fighting support for some pants.
This is a positive step, although it will be interesting to see if it tidies things up as effectively with less obvious phrases. Google’s Gemini seems to have trouble when I ask for specific music and it can’t make out the pronunciation. Accurately transcribing text messages is another thing I’ve seen AI struggle with, and I can’t wait to see how Gleo AI does.
As for the rest of the infotainment system, I found the menus a little confusing, but that’s the case with every new vehicle. It’s taking a little time to figure out where things stand, and I’ll need to do a full test to make a solid assessment there.
Can it compete with the Toyota RAV4?
From my hands-on experience, I can say without a doubt that the Tucson has a better interior than the RAV4 and its infotainment system is a cut above Toyota’s efforts. But what about the raw specs?
It’s important to note that this was just an unveiling and I have yet to drive the 2027 Tucson. But on paper, the vehicle looks like a potential RAV4 killer. First of all, fuel economy. 42 MPG makes it one of the most efficient vehicles, let alone SUVs, on sale in the United States. The RAV4 Hybrid slightly exceeds this figure, but the combined difference of 1 MPG is negligible.
In a world where gas and electricity prices are skyrocketing, the fuel economy alone is reason enough to pull the trigger on a vehicle like the Tucson or RAV4. However, as Toyota is still in its transition period, RAV4s are rare and Hyundai could benefit massively. With 242 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, it also has more punch than the RAV4.
The Tucson also absolutely kills the RAV4 when it comes to interior space. In terms of rear legroom, the Hyundai has more than four inches more. In terms of overall volume, you get almost 10 cubic feet more in the Tucson. Hyundai also beats the Toyota in cargo space (41.7 cubic feet versus 37.6) and has more than seven cubic feet of additional storage space with the rear seats lowered.
Obviously the driving experience plays a big role, but if Hyundai sticks to its old ways and the ride is comparable to the Santa Fe or Palisade, then Toyota will be in a lot of trouble.
Gn bussni
