The 42 MPG 2027 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Is A No-Brainer

Menu Home » The 42 MPG 2027 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Is A No-Brainer The 42 MPG 2027 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Is A No-Brainer By Matt Hardigree October 1, 2026 4:15 pm 53 Comments You’ve already seen the new global look of the 2027 Hyundai Tucson, which was revealed earlier this year. Like most new Hyundai models, the design is bold without being shouty, unique without being offensive, and premium-looking without making you worry that Patrick Bateman is about to chop you up under the cheery tones of Huey Lewis and the News.

The Tucson has to find a way to stand out against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4, which are the perennial favorites in this class. Japanese automakers have found success by rounding off the edges, growing a little bit bigger, and offering enough trim levels to make Malcom Gladwell blush. Hyundai is mostly following the playbook, albeit with a less toned-down visual presence.

To me, the hybrid is the model to get, and with a predicted 42 MPG in the FWD layout, it’s a little more competitive with the class leaders.

The Tucson is launching with a bevy of trims, each with their own moderate distinguishments. I’m focusing on the hybrid because I liked the previous model when I drove it, and all roads lead to hybrids these days.

While all models have those big, deep fenders as part of the “art of steel” design language guiding Hyundai’s aesthetic choices these days. The company’s press release calls it “The Boldest SUV” and it’s certainly bolder than the outgoing model. It’s also 60 mm longer, 40 mm wider, and 20 mm taller.

The most obvious difference between models comes at the front, where the space between the ‘H-Edge’ lighting signature is either filled below the hood line (as on the hybrid), open as on the non-hybrid, or offset with a shaper nose as on the XRT Pro.

By the time you’re reading this I’ll have been transported by boat to the reveal, so I can append my thoughts on the visuals with non-studio shots. It looks good.

Look at how happy this woman looks! There are buttons. Actual buttons. Yeah, there’s a huge center stack screen and a smaller one for the driver. Buttons. The press release even goes out of way to say there are buttons and knobs:

The Double D-Cut steering wheel pairs with a 9.9- inch slim display above the steering column to keep the driver’s visual field uncluttered. Below the center stack display, tactile buttons for frequent-use features including HVAC and audio settings provide intuitive control without the need for distracting screen-tapping while driving.

Hyundai bolded the buttons thing, not me. They believe in buttons.

I don’t mind the little screen high on the dash. More automakers are going this direction, and you shouldn’t be staring at a gauge cluster. The limited amount of information in that screen is probably all anyone is ever going to need.

Here’s another woman excited about buttons:

Maybe she’s more excited about pairing her phone. I’m not sure. I’m going to assume it’s the buttons.

What Hyundai has done here is create an interior that doesn’t have too much going on, nor too little. The shaping on the dash pad feels exaggerated here, so I’ll have to update you on how it feels.

The hybrid-only RAV4 gets 43 MPG combined in hybrid form. The FWD Honda CR-V gets 40 MPG combined. Hyundai only says that it’s targeting 42 MPG out of its FWD version with 17-inch wheels, though it’s not clear if that’s combined or city. Either way, it’s going to be an improvement over the outgoing Tucson, which doesn’t crack the mid 30s.

Here’s what the press release says:

Targeting up to 42 mpg12 and 0–60 mph acceleration in 8.5 seconds, this hybrid powertrain proves that leading efficiency no longer requires compromising performance or refined everyday drivability. The E-Traction system, applied exclusively to HEV models, further enhances handling performance by intelligently optimizing driving torque to reduce wheel slip during cornering. By increasing innertire grip, the system improves vehicle stability and control at the handling limit, contributing to a more precise, confident and refined driving experience. The class-leading HEV Stay Mode enables drivers to run features including air conditioning, heating, audio and device charging while the engine is turned off, creating an EV-like in-cabin experience that enhances quietness and comfort during breaks, outdoor activities or waiting periods.

If you’re looking to plug-in, the PHEV version returns with an estimated 81 km (or 50 miles) of range, which is about the minimum these days to feel like a competitive PHEV.

If I ever say “Hey, Gleo” to a car, just know that I am doing it ironically. It is a bit. It is not sincere. How do I even begin to explain why there’s a whole press release devoted to Gleo and Pleos? The short version of this is that what Chinese automakers, Tesla, and Rivian all exposed was that letting a bunch of disparate suppliers provide the brains for your car probably is a bad idea. That, in the future, cars would be “Software Defined Vehicles” or SDVs, and the way a car performs becomes less important than how you interact with it.

Maybe! That seems to be happening in China to some degree, where consumers like talking to their cars and having AI agents. Most automakers seem to think that’s the future in the US, and I’m open to the possibility.

For Hyundai, this means Pleos Connect, which is the overarching name for the SDV platform. This Android-based system will do a bunch of sensible things, like harmonize communication within the vehicle, and some flashy but maybe ultimately unnecessary things like having you talk to your car, oh, and your car is named Gleo.

Gleo AI can assist with navigation, compatible vehicle controls and information requests while providing context-aware responses and a more natural conversational experience. The system is designed to understand conversational history, helping customers complete tasks and access vehicle  functions through everyday dialogue. U.S. customers can activate the assistant using either “Hey Gleo” or “Hey Hyundai” wake phrases. Regular software updates will help Gleo AI to continue to evolve and improve. Gleo AI availability may vary by model and trim level.

Even Hyundai can’t fully commit, and the version of this in the Tucson will also allow you to just say “Hey Hyundai” as a “wake phrase.” Some firm or agency was probably paid more money than you will ever see to come up with the name Gleo, which is a thing to remember when it’s probably discontinued in a few years.

When is the car going to launch in North America? Uh, next year. I don’t know more than that. What will it cost? I also can’t answer that, but probably more than the current one by a small but not-too-small amount. I will be offered cocktails and a ride on a ferry in a few minutes, so just know that in between the cocktails and the boat ride I will maybe ask these questions/

It’s no fuglier than a new Toyota (Camry and Crown excluded)

0 Member Hugh Crawford 1 hour ago Oh, that Hyundai looks like it’s just stuffed full of brains and I bet losing one of the brains would be a very bad thing, so no-brainer is probably not where you want to go. But you know what really is a no-brainer? Mercedes-Benz W123 diesels. You could strip the entire electrical system out of it and with a little bit of effort on a warm day to get the thing started, it’ll run completely without electricity. That’s what I call a no-brainer. Bump starting a diesel is the sort of thing you do once to see if you can do it, but not something to do regularly.

I had a VW that often needed to be pushed. I drove in NYC confident that I could get it started. Once by a bunch of Dutch Hells Angels in front of CBGB on thanksgiving night in the 70s.

At the time it seemed completely normal to spent thanksgiving taking a bunch of Dutch Angels to CBGB in a car that you pushed to start.

I also got pushed by some Vogue editors and models. It’s not like I was always hanging around with the Hells Angles.

Perhaps it’s the fact that cars are so reliable that is killing young people’s social lives. “Could you help me start my car? You have to push, but it’s easier with more than one person pushing.” Next thing you know you have a party driving around with a bunch of strangers in a car that needs to be pushed.

0 Member InvivnI 2 hours ago I can’t wait for all this AI garbage to disappear. I don’t want to speak conversationally to my car. If I must use voice commands, I want to push the voice button on the steering wheel and issue the command as tersely as possible. Then the AI agent should confirm what I said, do the action, and say nothing more. Then I want my music to come back on. The interaction should take as little time as possible.

I’m already annoyed at Google for dropping the fairly laconic Assistant and lumping us with the chatty (and slow) Gemini on us in Android Auto.

The only upside of more advanced agents is their ability to understand different phrases for the same command. And that’s not even really that advanced, Google Assistant (RIP) had been doing it for years.

0 Member Hugh Crawford 1 hour ago Reply to  InvivnI I’m getting My Mother The Car vibes. Poor Jerry Van Dyke

0 Member Aiko 3 hours ago The car looks awesome, especially the interior. But to me, that giant bloaty infotainment screams “don’t pick me”. Also apparently there is some SCP-level shit going on when using it, see picture of the woman being possessed by the screen. What feels really interesting to me as well is that the creases are now so sharp, under different lighting conditions it looks like a completely different car – that’s cool!

0 Member Horizontally Opposed 5 hours ago Love the hardware, still hate the bloatware these cars push on us.

0 Emil Minty 5 hours ago Gleo? Bring back Clippy (Mr. Clip if you’re nasty) or GTFO!

2 Member Hugh Crawford 1 hour ago Reply to  Emil Minty Mr. Clip? Is he some sort of moil?

0 Member Church 5 hours ago Holy cow that first woman is haunting. That picture is like she’s being held captive and Hyundai is going to hurt her family or something if she doesn’t pretend to be happy.

The second woman looks as exacerbated as I usually am when using a modern infotainment system.

3 Member The Mark 6 hours ago If I go back and read the article again assuming Matt is being 100% sarcastic, then it begins to make more sense.

3 Member Lotsofchops 6 hours ago That seems to be happening in China to some degree, where consumers like talking to their cars and having AI agents.

I’m starting to think Chinese consumers are just as dumb as American ones. Maybe we’re not so different after all.

0 Member Taargus Taargus 7 hours ago That first woman looks like she could’ve been in the Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun video.

2 Member Sofonda Wagons 8 hours ago Thank goodness for interior buttons and actual exterior door handles. Competitors take notes and copy this trend!