“A fully loaded model for 44 million won? That’s pricey for a Tucson”... Uproar as price of new Hyundai Tucson, kept “under wraps,” leaks [What do you think?]

[Financial News] The estimated price of the fifth-generation Hyundai Tucson (the All-New Hyundai Tucson), which Hyundai Motor is preparing to launch, has leaked online through the license plate of a test-drive vehicle. The estimated prices—around 44 million won for a fully loaded gasoline model and around 50 million won for a fully loaded hybrid—have prompted concerns that the Tucson’s reputation as a “value-for-money family SUV” is under threat.

The controversy began with a test-drive video of the new Hyundai Tucson uploaded on the 9th to the automotive YouTube channel “Woopa Blue Sky Woopa TV (Woopa TV).” The license plate of the test-drive vehicle was fully visible in the video, triggering the incident.
The issue escalated after a viewer entered the vehicle’s license plate in the Hey Dealer used-car trading app to look up its new-car delivery price and posted the information in an online community. Hey Dealer offers a service that lets users immediately check a new car’s delivery price, specific trim and registration date by entering just the license plate number, as the app connects to public databases.
The released photo showed a record of a “new-car purchase on September 29, 2026,” along with prices in the 43.9 million won range for two vehicles.
Based on the leaked price information, Woopa TV later estimated that, for a fully loaded 1.6-liter turbo gasoline 2WD model, the new version would cost 43.93 million won, up about 6.16 million won from the previous model’s 37.7 million won. It also estimated that a fully loaded hybrid would cost around 49.8 million to 49.9 million won.
The new Hyundai Tucson is a full redesign, the first in six years since 2020. Hyundai Motor previously unveiled the vehicle’s exterior and other details in the middle of last month, but said it would announce specific prices in October, when sales are set to begin.
Market interest in the Tucson’s price had already been especially high because the new Avante, launched in August, had sparked controversy after its gasoline model’s price rose by 3.36 million won and its hybrid’s by 3.87 million won, while the fully loaded hybrid exceeded 40 million won.

Some online commenters also questioned whether, after raising the Avante’s price and facing criticism, Hyundai was now testing the waters by leaking the Tucson’s price to gauge consumer reaction.
Consumers are especially sensitive to the Tucson’s price because of its vehicle class: a compact SUV. Along with the Kia Sportage, the Tucson is one of the two models that dominate South Korea’s compact SUV market. Its main buyers are household heads in their 30s who have children and are buying their first SUV.
A key reason buyers choose the Tucson is that it is a “value-for-money family car in the 30-million-won range,” several million won cheaper than midsize SUVs such as the Santa Fe and Sorento.
One member of an automotive forum pointedly remarked, “I bought a top-trim, 2WD Santa Fe hybrid for 49.92 million won, and it looks like the Tucson will be coming out at that price,” adding, “At this point, buying a base-model Santa Fe or Sorento almost looks like the better value.”
There have also been successive signs that prospective buyers are walking away. Online posts criticized the price, saying, “At this point, they’re basically mocking us by asking, ‘Would you still buy it?’” and “Hyundai Motor is Model Y’s top salesperson.” Others wrote, “I’m giving up on the Tucson I’d been waiting for and switching to a used car or a Tesla Model Y.”
On the other hand, many defended the increase, saying higher car prices were unavoidable. Some commenters said, “Raw material, parts and labor costs have all gone up; you can’t keep car prices stuck in the past,” “It’s acceptable given the recent rate of inflation,” and “The increase is more restrained than expected compared with the Avante’s.”
However, the figures circulating online this time are only estimates based on the test-drive vehicle’s registration information, not official sale prices confirmed by Hyundai Motor. The final delivery price may vary depending on the actual base price and options for each trim, as well as whether tax benefits are applied.

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter