Hyundai Unveils Rendering of Tucson SUV
New Tucson Fills Void Just Below Popular Midsize Santa Fe
Prior to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Hyundai has unveiled an artists rendering of a new sport utility vehicle expected to be featured in the January event.
Filling a void just below the popular midsize Santa Fe, the new model will compete more directly with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, among others. It will offer front-wheel drive in base trim, with optional all-wheel drive available. Manual and automatic transmissions will be mated to either an entry-level 4-cylinder engine or V6 upgrade.
Following a recent tradition of naming its North American bound vehicles after Southwest U.S. landmarks, company President and CEO Robert "Bob" Cosmai announced that the new model would be called the Tucson.
"Clearly what makes a vehicle successful is great quality, performance and features at a great price," stated Cosmai. "However, a great name helps capture all that in a single word and we believe Tucson embodies the sprit of fun and adventure inherent in our latest SUV," he added.
The new compact Tucson, that will become available in the fall of 2004, will seat 5 adults with room for luggage. The rear seat is expected to fold flat in a 60/40 split configuration.
According to Cosmai, "The Tucson is the next new vehicle in our expanding line-up of products, which will grow from the current six models to ten in the next three years. We are committed to providing consumers with the quality and value they expect from Hyundai and the Tucson will be a welcomed addition to our line of vehicles. When our dealers saw the Tucson up close for the first time last week at our national dealer meeting they were thrilled and cant wait to get the newest Hyundai on their lots."
Hyundai expects to sell 24,000 Tucsons in its first year, most likely a conservative target. The new model will no doubt add to the automakers global profitability, which has reportedly risen by 1.7 percent in a surprise announcement last Tuesday.