The latest spy photos of the 2021 Hyundai Tucson show the compact SUV losing a bit of its camouflage, revealing the sheet metal underneath for the first time. We'd thought we'd seen the Tucson's design last year when it was spotted wearing a tight body wrap. But subsequent photos had it gaining camouflage and cladding instead of shedding it, obscuring a design we'd already seen. While the latest spy photos do confirm a bit of the compact SUV's design, cladding still covers much of it underneath; however, there are a few new things we can see.
At the rear, we have our first look at what appears to be the production taillights. We can see the taillight design, which looks like nothing we've seen previously on the vehicle. Also visible is a red strip spanning between the two lighting elements. On early spy photos, this piece, which sits above the license plate, looked missing. However, the rear end still features ample cladding that's hiding much of how it looks.
The front end looks like what we've seen in recent spy photos. It'll feature a split-headlight design with the daytime running lights sitting high in the fascia, and the headlights set lower in the bumper. We get our first peek of sheet metal where the front fenders meet the doors. There's a sharp crease in the metal that was visible on early test vehicles. Camouflaged continued to cover it up until these new shots.
We know the new Tucson will have a compelling design. That's something Hyundai has been doing well with lately. Mechanically, it'll likely get the company's Theta3 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that pairs with the eight-speed automatic in the U.S. Power will route to the front wheels, though powering all four is possible. Hyundai hasn't said when we should expect the 2021 Tucson reveal; however, we believe it should arrive sometime this year for the 2021 model year. We'll keep you updated when we know more.
