2021 Hyundai Tucson N-Line to pack 215kW

Hyundai is getting ready to give its popular Mazda CX-5 rival a power boost.

Reports from Korean Car Blog claim the next-generation Tucson N-Line SUV will feature the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine as the Sonata N-Line, making the same 215kW and 420Nm.

That would make the N-Line the most powerful mid-sized SUV on the market in Australia. The Mazda CX-5 Turbo has 170kW and 420Nm, while the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line is only offered with a 162kW petrol engine.

The engine in the N-Line is expected to be hooked up with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive.

The new Tucson will be styled to look like the Vision T concept revealed at the 2019 Los Angeles motor show. As revealed by our spy photos, it’ll have slimmer lights up front, along with a more dramatic grille treatment like the i30 Sedan and Santa Fe.

Expect to see a full-width light bar at the rear, with sharper detailing in the bumpers and lights than the ageing current-generation car.

The cabin will feature more upmarket materials and a new infotainment system, with a vertically-oriented touchscreen in top-spec models.

Although it’s relatively young – it was revealed in 2015 and updated in 2018 – the Tucson is starting to feel its age in Australia’s most competitive new vehicle segment.

The recent overhaul of the Santa Fe, which gained an all-new platform at the juncture usually reserved for a visual nip and tuck, shows Hyundai is willing to accelerate its development cycle when required.

The Tucson (above) remains a reliable performer for Hyundai in Australia. It trails only the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 in the sales race to date in 2020, narrowly ahead of the Nissan X-Trail.

The all-new Tucson could be revealed as soon as next month.