"Tucson Cuts Through New York's Night"—Hyundai Motor Company Bets Big on the Global SUV Market

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor Company's global best-selling Tucson is making another push into worldwide markets with an all-new model. The company is enhancing the vehicle with a next-generation hybrid system and AI-based infotainment while pursuing a tailored strategy that varies powertrains and specifications by major market, including North America and Europe. Starting with the Tucson, Hyundai Motor Company plans to roll out more than 100 new and facelifted models worldwide by 2030.
Hyundai Motor Company held 'The All-New Tucson World Premiere' in New York City, U.S., on the 1st (local time), unveiling the new Tucson to global markets for the first time.
The event featured a runway-style stage set against the New York City skyline. Hyundai Motor Company invited global media and influencers to showcase the new Tucson's design, hybrid technology and new infotainment system.
José Muñoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, identified the new Tucson as a key model in the company's future global growth strategy. Muñoz said, "With millions of families around the world trusting and choosing Hyundai Motor Company's Tucson, the Tucson we are introducing today is the best of all the Tucsons we have ever made." He added, "By combining bold design, a spacious interior, smart infotainment and efficient hybrid technology, it will set a new standard in this market."
He added, "Starting with the Tucson, we plan to launch more than 100 new and facelifted models worldwide by 2030, including 58 new models in North America alone."
The new Tucson reinterprets the solidity of steel in a modern way, based on Hyundai Motor Company's design philosophy, 'Art of Steel.' The body has been enlarged to 4700 mm in length and 1905 mm in width, expanding interior space. It also features horizontally proportioned H-Edge lighting and 3D floating prism rear lamps.
The core of the vehicle's product appeal lies in electrification and software. The South Korean-market Tucson Hybrid is equipped with Hyundai Motor Group's next-generation hybrid system, delivering a maximum system output of 245 PS and a combined fuel economy of 17.4 km/l. It also features 'Stay Mode,' which allows occupants to use the climate control and infotainment systems without starting the engine while the vehicle is stationary.
It will also be the first among Hyundai Motor Company's SUVs to feature Pleos Connect, based on the Android Automotive operating system (AAOS). Through Gleo AI, an AI agent powered by a large language model (LLM), users can control vehicle functions or search for information in natural language. The vehicle also supports access to external services through the Pleos App Market.
The regional strategy has also been further segmented. In North America, Hyundai Motor Company will sell gasoline and hybrid models and add the off-road-focused XRT PRO, equipped with all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance. In South Korea, it will offer two powertrains—a 1.6-liter turbo gasoline engine and a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid system—while the XRT will be offered as a separate trim emphasizing an off-road design.
Hyundai Motor Company has also prepared a Europe-specific model. It plans to unveil an additional Tucson tailored to the European market at the Paris Motor Show in Paris on the 12th.
The Tucson is Hyundai Motor Company's flagship global volume model. The company's decision to vary its main powertrains and product configurations by country is seen as a strategy to maximize the market responsiveness of the high-volume Tucson.
A Hyundai Motor Company official said, "This world premiere was an opportunity for the Tucson to newly demonstrate Hyundai Motor Company's brand competitiveness on the global stage. We will continue expanding the Tucson's global sales through strategies tailored to the characteristics of each regional market."
Hyundai Motor Company first unveiled the new Tucson in South Korea at the CJ ENM Studio Center in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on the 18th of last month. It plans to announce the price this month and begin full-scale domestic sales.
[email protected] Dong-ho Kim Reporter