Hyundai has pulled the sheets off of the refreshed Santa Cruz and the North American-spec Tucson at the New York International Auto Show. We realize that’s a lot of US geography to throw at you in one sentence, but we promise two of those places are actually cars.
The biggest changes come to the Santa Cruz, the South Korean automaker’s ute-like ‘sport adventure vehicle’ that’s been popular with drivers. The refresh brings exterior changes to give the utility vehicle an even more aggressive look, as well as an updated interior to match.
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Fitted in the redesigned interior is a new panoramic display that contains a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and an audio-video navigation system of the same size. Thankfully, HVAC and other inputs retain physical buttons and switches.
Powering the updated compact pickup is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191hp and 245Nm of torque fitted to an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. Those looking for more grunt can opt for the turbocharged version of the same engine that brings the power output to 281 horsepower and 422Nm. This unit is married to an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox with paddle shifters for sportier engagement. Both units power an all-wheel drive system by default.
Included in the changes is a host of new tech tweaks such as wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto integration, capacity for over-the-air updates, an in-car payment system that should make drive-thru visits a breeze, and a fingerprint scanner so Hyundai have your bank details and your biometrics.
Not to be outdone, the Hyundai Tucson was also on hand showing off a glow-up of its own. A new grille, redesigned front and rear fascias and a fresh set of alloy wheels give the Tucson the pop it needs to stand out from the wildly saturated SUV market.
A revitalized interior brings a similar panoramic display shown in the Santa Cruz, along with a number of handy physical switches along the center stack.
In terms of powertrain options, the new Tucson offers up a 2.5-liter four-cylinder as its standard power plant, good for 187hp and 241Nm. Go for the hybrid and the Tucson is saddled with a turbocharged 1.6-liter that squeezes out 231hp with the combined electrics.
Note: This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
