While the new 2027 Tucson benefits from an upgraded plug-in hybrid powertrain, it will not be available in North America.
The reason appears to be weak consumer interest in this type of powertrain in the United States.
Hyundai is banking on conventional hybrids and upcoming extended-range electric powertrains to fill the void.
Although Hyundai has offered a plug-in hybrid version of its popular Tucson in Canada and the United States for nearly five years, the new 2027 model will no longer receive it.
Indeed, the new generation of the compact SUV will only be available in North America in gas-powered and conventional hybrid versions.
This decision appears to stem from the lackluster popularity of the current Tucson PHEV in the United States. Consequently, Hyundai would have struggled to justify importing it exclusively for Canada, leading to its withdrawal from our market as well.
As a reminder, a plug-in hybrid version of the new Tucson will still be available in other global markets, where it will even feature a revised powertrain delivering more power and an electric driving range competitive with the segment’s top models.
Hyundai Tucson PHEV | Photo: HyundaiSpecifically, the 2027 Tucson PHEV will still rely on a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and two electric motors, but this setup now produces 288 horsepower (a 20-hp gain) and 280 lb-ft of torque (a 56 lb-ft gain).
More importantly, the all-electric range now reaches 81 kilometers instead of 51 km, making the 2027 Tucson PHEV competitive with the Toyota RAV4 PHEV (Prime).
To fill the gap left by the departure of the plug-in hybrid Tucson from its North American lineup, Hyundai will introduce a new extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology in the Santa Fe next year.
Also planned for the Genesis GV70, this powertrain is expected to feature two electric motors driving the wheels and a gasoline generator that supplies the required electricity once the battery is depleted.
For now, Hyundai has not confirmed whether its future EREV models will plug in or recharge solely on the go, though the former configuration seems more likely.
The distinction matters: plug-in extended-range models offer substantial all-electric range before the gas generator kicks on, whereas non-plug-in models—such as Nissan’s e-Power system—use a much smaller battery, requiring the generator to run almost continuously to supply the energy needed to drive.
All that is known for now is that Hyundai is targeting a total driving range of roughly 900 to 1,000 kilometers for its EREVs with a full battery and full gas tank.
Further details regarding Hyundai’s upcoming electrified vehicles should emerge in the coming months. In the meantime, if you were holding out for the next plug-in hybrid Tucson, you will have to either grab one of the remaining 2026 models, turn to a competitor, or keep waiting for the Santa Fe EREV—which will be larger and likely pricier.
