The 2016 Hyundai Tucson looks nice in front of this pretty garden in Minnesota, and also, was easy to park
Hyundai has adapted its cars to update as soon as your phone does (and a peek at the brand new Tucson)
We all have this conundrum: Your phone and laptop update daily, but your in-car technology is four years old, and it seems like it’s ancient. So you prop your iPhone up on the dashboard and let Google maps navigate, giving you real time traffic and even route changes to adjust for road congestion.
Well, you’re not alone: The engineers at Hyundai think the same thing. So they are adapting the systems in new cars, starting with the Hyundai Sonata and Hyundai Tucson, to integrate your phone apps and vice versa. Starting with Apple’s Car Play, which is due to be released soon (today, perhaps?) and Android Auto, you’ll be able to use these apps, and hence you phone, hands free, while your’e driving. But the apps require a bit of software in the car, and Hyundai is ready for that too: As soon as the phone systems are available, Hyundai will send out a software update that you can download on your computer and update in the car using a USB drive. Pretty cool, eh?
Inside the 2016 Hyundai Tucson the cabin has been designed to fit more of your stuff, like phones, chargers and of course, candy
Even more top tech: Bluelink keeps you connected to your phone and your car
Also, the systems will integrate with Hyundai’s BlueLink app so you can use all the functions, such as remotely starting your car, setting a parking reminder and setting up service appointments.
We got a tour of these systems with Hyundai resident genius, Miles Johnson:
Wondering about the Hyundai Tucson we test drove?
The white 2016 Hyundai Tucson we test drove; all in, the price is about $32,000
Pretty, isn’t it? It’s the 2016 Hyundai Tucson, which rolls into showrooms this fall. We got a look at it recently and here are some of our favorite features:
A bird’s eye view of the 2016 Hyundai Tucson shows the panoramic sun roof, sleek lines and its respectably small size
A great place for good jewelry: behind the wheel of the Hyundai Tucson
The nicely shaped rear end of the 2016 Hyundai Tucson--the spoiler on the roof makes this crossover even more fuel efficient--on average, 26 MPG
One way the Hyundai is more fuel efficient is by reducing the weight of steel with aluminum and other lightweight materials; this ‘skeleton’ shows which of its bones are super strength. The yellow steel in the front is some of the strongest and greatly increases the car’s rigidity
The 2016 Hyundai Tucson also has steel reinforced door frames to protect passengers in a crash. The orange steel is the strongest; the teal blue is stronger than regular steel. Overall, this new structure increases rigidity by 48%
So you can see for yourself: The Monroney for the 2016 Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD: notice that everything is included in the price
Disclosure: I was Hyundai’s guest at the Tucson introduction; Hyundai provided travel and accommodations, though opinions expressed here are all my own.
Scotty Reiss
I was watching the Tucson for some time before launch, partly down to the CarPlay and Android Auto features. Whilst demos and reviews from most regions show these features, here in the UK the vehicle does not appear to come with them. Very disappointing.