Claiming ‘class-leading’ back-seat space and headlined by a tough new ‘XRT’ trim, the ‘all-new’ Tucson has made its debut Hyundai has unveiled its new-generation Tucson medium SUV overnight, showcasing a physically larger, roomier, radically restyled and potentially hybrid-only successor. Now entering its fifth generation, the new Tucson is expected to arrive in Australia sometime in 2027 and will likely follow its competitors and the larger Palisade in becoming a hybrid-only offering, as local regulatory pressure ratchets down on heavy-emitting petrol-only powertrains. The model shown overnight has been presented exclusively for the South Korean market, and differences could appear when it’s shown to the global market next month, but it’s fundamentally expected to remain the same. Once it arrives in Australia, the Tucson will compete against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Tesla Model Y and the GWM Haval H6. Measuring 4700mm long (+60mm), 1905mm wide (40mm+), 1685mm high (+20mm), and with a 2785mm wheelbase (30mm+), the already fairly large medium SUV has grown larger again, to achieve what it claims is “best-in-class interior space”. It comes as cut-priced Chinese competitors such as the Haval H6 double down on back-seat space, with the rear headroom of the new Tucson growing by 29mm and even the angle of the rear doors has expanded from 73° to 83° to make getting in, and fitting child seats, even easier. The current 1.6L turbo-petrol hybrid ‘plugless’ drivetrain is expected to make its way into the new-generation Tucson, but it’s unclear if it will be more efficient or offer a plug-in hybrid stop-gap between it and the all-electric Ioniq 5. Using a philosophy named ‘Art of Steel’, the new Tucson has pivoted again with a far more angular take on the family SUV, retaining common features like the enhanced wheelarches but with a more