Hyundai Motor Company's best-selling SUV Tucson, which sold more than 7 million units worldwide, now presents its fourth generation. It has been five years since the launch of the third-generation Tucson, and now it has become the all-new Tucson. Based on a completely new third-generation platform and a new powertrain, the automaker expects the new model to attract even more customers with its cutting-edge design, class-leading roominess, and state-of-the-art digital capabilities.
Tucson is offered in Smartstream gasoline 1.6-liter Turbo and Smartstream 1.6-liter turbo hybrid powertrains. Speaking of the hybrid model, this next-gen Smartstream turbo engine is coupled to an electric motor for excellent efficiency and acceleration. Here are the detailed features of the new Tucson hybrid, which is developed by the innovative powertrain technology.
The hybrid powertrain featuring powerful performance and excellent efficiency
The new Tucson hybrid proved its excellent efficiency by recording high fuel efficiency at the recent media test-drive. It included a round-trip course of about 80 kilometers on the highway. The Tucson hybrid marked various kinds of fuel economy at the test drive, with the top average fuel efficiency of 28.9 km/l. As the test drive was an official stage to check the performance of the vehicle, the difference between the lowest and highest fuel efficiency records was quite huge, but the average fuel efficiency recorded from a total of 91 drivers reached 18.22 km/l. This was way above the combined fuel efficiency (15.8 km/l) of the Tucson Hybrid Inspiration (18-inch wheel, built-in cam), and the Tucson Hybrid also showed excellent efficiency in driving tests conducted in various driving environments.
Speaking of the new hybrid powertrain, the next-gen Smartstream 1.6l-turbo engine is coupled to an electric motor for excellent acceleration, as seen on the spec chart. The 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain produces an estimated 180 hp, with a combined powertrain output of 230 hp. It also produces 27.0kgf·m of torque from the engine and 264Nm of torque with a maximum power of 44.2kW from the motor. This engine is coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission for optimal performance in different environments.
The new Tucson hybrid also features excellent fuel efficiency. Combined fuel economy, thanks to the new hybrid system, reaches 20.83 km/L (4.8L/100km). And speaking of the fuel efficiency in the city center, it reaches 16.9 km/l thanks to the characteristics of the hybrid system, which produces relatively higher efficiency in urban areas where people drive slowly and accelerate/decelerate quite often.
This high efficiency is based on the smart operation of the hybrid system. The hybrid system of the new Tucson optimizes the power of the engine and electric motor depending on the driving situation, featuring the highest level of efficiency. The vehicle mostly runs on the electric motor when the driver starts the vehicle and goes at low speeds, with low fuel consumption and no engine noise. But when the vehicle runs faster or goes up a hill, the engine and electric motor work at the same time to deliver strong power.
On the other hand, when driving at a constant speed, the electric motor will start running depending on the remaining battery or otherwise charge the battery. It maximizes energy efficiency by going back and forth between driving and charging modes without a break when relatively little power is needed. Also, when decelerating, the regenerative braking system restores the energy generated from braking and recharges the battery. And obviously, the engine shuts down when stopping or waiting for a signal, so there would be no emission or fuel consumption.
