2025 Hyundai Tucson to ditch diesel, gain hybrid in Australia, price rise likely

The 2025 Hyundai Tucson family SUV will say goodbye to diesel – and hello to petrol-hybrid technology – when it arrives in Australian showrooms in mid-2024.

A price rise is highly likely to account for additional standard equipment in the updated Tucson, including LED headlights across the range.

It coincides with a facelift for the popular Hyundai SUV, with revised exterior styling, a new interior with dual 12.3-inch displays, and updated infotainment technology.

The 2.0-litre diesel engine will be dropped for the 2025 model, and a new 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid added in front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.

It is despite diesel accounting for a significant share of demand – close to half of sales at one point in the current Tucson's three-year lifespan to date.

The new hybrid-petrol develops 169kW and 350Nm – more power but less torque than the diesel – and is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission, for claimed fuel economy in outgoing US models of 6.2L/100km.

The 115kW/192Nm 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol engine, six-speed auto and front-wheel drive combination remain in base models, as well as the non-hybrid 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and all-wheel drive.

Hyundai Australia has confirmed there will be "two to three" model grades in the updated 2025 Tucson range, with the N Line pack to be offered as an optional across the range, including on hybrid variants.

LED headlights will now be standard on all models – rather than exclusive to N Line variants, or the top-of-the-range regular Highlander – while some models will gain dual 12.3-inch screens replacing the dual 10.25-inch displays in top models today.

The new displays are integrated into one curved panel, and include Hyundai's latest ccNC infotainment system, with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, over-the-air updates (in all models), Hyundai Bluelink phone app support, and a head-up display.

Other interior changes include a new air-conditioning control panel with a mix of dials and touch-sensitive buttons – rather than all-touch-sensitive – plus a gear shifter now mounted as a stalk on the steering wheel in select variants, and a new steering wheel.

Exterior updates include new front and rear bumpers with a boxier grille, fresh wheel designs, and in the US, a 75mm-longer rear wiper blade.

Matte paint will become an option in Australia, while the safety suite is set to be expanded with more advanced semi-autonomous driving technology.

Australian models will use the same suspension tune as overseas models, however an 'e-Emotion Drive' system – which Hyundai USA claims "precisely applies electric motor torque control ... to improve cornering performance" – will be tuned locally.

The 2025 Hyundai Tucson is due in Australian showrooms in mid-2024, pending any delays.

Prices are yet to be announced, however they are expected to rise over the $35,650 plus on-road costs of the current base model, with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and halogen headlights.