Thursday, April 30, 2015

Refreshing or Revolting: 2016 Hyundai Tucson

We first saw the new 2016 Hyundai Tucson in Geneva, but we didn't get to see it in U.S.spec trim until the New York auto show earlier this month. The new model sports much-needed design and engine updates, as the current model was introduced over five years ago. While the design changes may be more subtle than we expected, the new engine, a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder is enough to get customers excited. How do you like the new Hyundai Tucson's look compared to the old model?

For the 2016 model year, Hyundai has taken design cues from the larger Santa Fe to design the new Tucson. Up front, the first thing that is immediately noticeable is the larger hexagonal grille with big horizontal slats. Following the lines, your eyes are drawn to the updated headlights that are much wider than those on the outgoing model. The new headlights feature a more angular design, foregoing the rounded and curvy look of the 2015 model. The foglight design has also been updated, following the design of the headlights to create a more cohesive look.

The body lines of the 2016 Hyundai Tucson are much more sculpted, giving the model a muscular and sporty appearance from the side. At the back, Hyundai has also updated the taillight design, which now features a tapered design with a sleeker turn signal light underneath to complete the look. Gone are the bulky lights of the outgoing model. Aside from the updated taillight design, the rear bumper is more sculpted, with sharper lines to match the front.

Inside, the cabin feels more upscale than the previous model, thanks to better materials and little touches like the stitching on the dashboard. However, while the layout of the center stack is much more organized, the button layout is still on the busy side. It has a much better flow than the outgoing model, with the updated infotainment system and clean lines running the length of the dashboard, but some might find the amount of buttons both on the steering wheel and center stack to be a bit too cluttered. While we are fans of the exterior changes of the new Tucson, we feel that more attention could have been paid to the interior. What are your thoughts of the new 2016 Hyundai Tucson?


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