- The 2025 Hyundai Tucson receives a facelift and interior makeover that were first previewed late last year on the Europe-market version.
- The Tucson gets a new grille with larger illuminated elements, and the dash is now available with two 12.3-inch screens sharing a single glass panel.
- Hyundai’s compact SUV also offers a new column shifter, more physical buttons, and—finally—wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on higher trims.
Since the current generation of the Hyundai Tucson debuted for the 2022 model year, it has easily been one of the most distinctive compact SUVs on the road—rivaled only by its corporate counterpart, the Kia Sportage. Now, Hyundai has decided it’s time to refresh the Tucson with a new mug and a revamped interior, one that boasts a set of screens that might look similar to a desktop.
Let Us See Your Grille
While we’ve already seen the European version of the 2025 Hyundai Tucson that was revealed last November, we now have details about the U.S.-spec lineup. Along with new wheel designs as well as restyled front and rear bumpers, the facelifted Tucson refines its eye-catching grille by making the elements larger and subsequently reducing the amount of individual daytime running lights from 10 to eight. There are also new anodized aluminum exterior badges, the rear wiper blade grows three inches longer, and the XRT model gains raised bridge-like roof rails.
As before, the Tucson comes with a standard 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. There’s also the choice of a 231-hp hybrid powertrain or a 268-hp plug-in-hybrid setup. Both variants come standard with all-wheel drive, and drivers can now choose between different levels of regenerative braking. Hyundai is also introducing three new drive-mode settings. Along with the individually adjustable My Drive, Baby mode helps provide smoother acceleration and Green Zone is aimed at optimizing the PHEV’s electric-only mode.
Desktop-Like Dashboard
Inside, the Tucson’s dashboard has been dramatically transformed. It’s now available with two 12.3-inch displays under a single glass piece, with the left screen showing the gauge cluster and the right functioning as the infotainment system. The switchgear also changes from predominantly touch-sensitive controls to more physical buttons and knobs, specifically for the stereo and the HVAC system. The old push-button shifter has been relocated from the center console to the steering column. Along with a redesigned center console featuring a new wireless charging pad, there’s now a useful storage shelf facing the front passenger.
Not only does the Tucson have a new infotainment screen, but the interface itself has been revamped. Hyundai says the system has faster processing speeds and better visual, and we’re happy to learn that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have cut the cord on higher trim levels, as wireless connectivity is finally standard across the board. Add the Tucson’s newly available head-up display, the fingerprint scanner on the dash that can be used in place of a smart key, and the addition of over-the-air software updates, and it’s clear there’s a lot of new content. That extends to the suite of driver-assistance tech, which now includes Forward Attention Warning to monitor the driver’s attention via an infrared camera on the steering column.
Hyundai hasn’t yet released pricing for the 2025 Tucson lineup, but we expect prices to increase compared with the outgoing models. For 2024, the 2.5T model started at $28,875, the hybrid started at $33,950, and the PHEV started at $40,100. Hyundai says the gas-only models will go on sale first, as they’re slated to hit dealers in June; the hybrid and plug-in-hybrid variants will follow sometime later this summer.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
