Hyundai hybrids coming soon: 2023 Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe to drive electrified push in Australia
There are a host of Hyundai hybrids coming soon, with the brand to soon have a hybrid option in its three most popular SUVs as it targets the success of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
The brand already has the Santa Fe Hybrid in its stable, and the all-new Kona will introduce a petrol-hybrid model by the end of 2023.
They will be followed by an electrified Tucson in 2024, which itself will potential be followed by a Palisade Hybrid in 2025, with the brand suggesting electrified-petrol powertrains would form a key plank of its broader strategy to reduce its fleet emissions.
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“When we think about Kona, we can’t help but think about the representation of what Hyundai will look like going forward. It has three powertrains, it has an ICE powertrain, a hybrid powertrain and it has an EV powertrain,” Hyundai Australia Chief Operating Officer, John Kett, told media last week.
“We think about how that’s going to evolve into the way that the Tucson would look next year. So the Tucson has an ICE, the Tucson would have a hybrid.
“It starts to give you a sense of what think in terms of accessibility to mobility in every segment. Our dream is that everyone walks with us to zero emissions. Let’s let you enter the electrification process with a hybrid.”
In the USA, the Tucson Hybrid combines a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol with a front-mounted electric motor to produce a total 168kW. The incoming Kona Hybrid pairs its own 1.6-litre engine with an electric motor for for a total 104kW.
Also on the wish list for Australia is the rumoured Palisade Hybrid, giving the brand an electrified offering in the large SUV space. While not officially confirmed, international reports point to a new-generation Palisade arriving in 2025, featuring a 2.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to deliver fuel savings and AWD.
