Tucson

Make
Hyundai
Segment
SUV

The all-new 2022 Hyundai Tucson is bound to receive attention wherever it goes thanks to its daring front-end styling and overall more aggressive appearance. It makes many rival compact crossovers look bland. And now the South Korean automaker has announced Tucson production has begun at its Montgomery, Alabama factory.

This is the first time the Tucson is being manufactured in the US, and the first time this factory has built four vehicles at once. The other three are the Sonata, Elantra, and Santa Fe. Hyundai expanded the size of the facility in order to accommodate the Tucson assembly line, but this was done because the carmaker is fully confident the new crossover will be a huge success, just like its predecessors.

"Adding this fourth Hyundai vehicle to HMMA's production lineup will help the Hyundai brand meet the growing demand for SUVs in the North American market," said Jose Munoz, President and CEO - Hyundai Motor North America. "It will also better position HMMA to fully utilize its vehicle assembly capacity." The Tucson's arrival also guarantees job security for many factory employees.

The Tucson, once known in overseas markets as the ix35, has been Hyundai's best-selling global model, and pushing design boundaries was determined to be essential as new players enter the segment. Hyundai calls the styling Sensuous Sportiness. The grille has "kinetic jewel surfacing details" similar to that of the Elantra and Sonata sedans. What's particularly cool is that the LED daytime running lights can only be seen when lit.

Power is provided by a US-built 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque, linked to an eight-speed automatic. The hybrid model features a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four and electric motor combo, generating a combined 230 hp and 258 lb-ft. A plug-in hybrid version with the same 1.6-liter engine, however, has 265 hp and 258 lb-ft and standard AWD. It can also travel on pure electric power for around 31 miles on a single charge.

The Tucson will once again face off against heavy-hitters like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape. Expect to see the 2022 Tucson go on sale in dealerships across America this spring.