Continuing to expand its model line-up, Hyundai today introduced the Tucson sport utility vehicle at the Chicago Motor Show. The vehicle is the company's first entry into the small soft-roader segment. The Tucson is smaller than Hyundai's hot-selling Santa Fe and will go on sale later this year.

The four-door Tucson is the second Hyundai model to be named after a city in the southwestern USA. Firstly there was Santa Fe, now it's Tucson.

The styling provides a masculine, athletic appearance and delivers lots of utility. As Hyundai's newest model, the Tucson is designed to be a versatile companion to the buyer's lifestyle and to provide the best value in the market place in equipment, style, image and value.

The Tucson features a spacious, well-configured interior that provides lots of room and comfort for the driver and passengers and all their cargo. The Tucson also provides a large, versatile and durable cargo area with fold-flat rear seats, and folding front passenger seat. The seat can be folded forward to provide extra storage room or a workspace for the driver. It can also be fully reclined as a seat. The rear mat is removable and exposes a durable, easy-to-clean plastic floor with multiple tie down locations for everyone's "gear."

The Tucson is equipped with a total of six airbags; driver and passenger front airbags, driver and passenger side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags for both front and rear seat occupants.

Tucson buyers can select from two engines. The base model GL features Hyundai's proven 2.0-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine fitted with Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) matched to a 5-speed manual transmission or available Shiftronic automatic transmission. Hyundai's 2.7-liter DOHC V6 is standard on the GLS and LX models and it is matched to the Shiftronic automatic transmission. The 2.7-liter V6 as used in the Tucson is fitted with a variable length, tuned intake system for smoother delivery of power across the entire rev band. Four-wheel-drive is available with either engine.

Tucson uses the state-of-the-art Borg-Warner Electronic InterActive Torque Management four-wheel-drive system that routes up to 99 percent of the available power to the front wheels. As road conditions or torque demand changes, the system automatically diverts up to 50 percent of the available power to the rear wheels. The system monitors throttle position, front wheel angle and slippage.

As surface conditions change, power is automatically routed to the wheels with the best traction. There is also a dashboard-mounted 4WD lock button that allows the driver to manually "lock" the driveline into 4WD for a 50/50 torque split.

Standard features on the Tucson include: four-wheel disc brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the driver and front seat passenger, side-impact protection (side curtain airbags) for the front seat and rear-seat passengers and remote keyless entry alarm system. Additional standard features include: heated outside rear view mirrors, tinted glass, roof rack side rails, rear intermittent wiper, tyre pressure warning system (V6 only), AM/FM/CD stereo system with six speakers and more.

Available features include leather seating surfaces, anti-lock brakes and ABS with traction control. A power sunroof with tilt is also available along with front-seat warmers, fog lamps, remote keyless entry with alarm, AM/FM/Cassette/MP3 with six speakers (standard on GLS), AM/FM/Cassette/CDC with six speakers and woofer (standard on LX), roof rack cross rails and rear privacy glass. Specifications may vary for the Australian version.

It is expected to be on sale late in 2004 as a 2005 model.