Hyundai's mid-range 2011 Tucson crossover has recently been spotted undergoing some very intense cold weather testing in the freezing Bavarian forest under a well-camouflaged guise.
As you can tell, the black coverings hide the new SUV fairly efficiently without any real clue as to the upcoming model's future design language. Insiders, of course, describe its styling to be a modern, more exciting rendition of the current crossover's bland and round looks. Designers most likely will take character traits from its sleek Genesis siblings.
Word on the street indicates the redesigned off-roader will be powered by a four-cylinder lineup of engines in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms. A recently finished in-house developed six-speed automatic designed for less fuel consumption in mind will likely find its way into the sportier 2011 Tucson as well. As usual, diesel variants are expected to be offered to customers outside of North America.
Currently, the 2008 Tucson employs either a 2.0L four-cylinder (140-hp/136 lb-ft) or 2.7L V-6 (173-hp/178 lb-ft) mated to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. Expect more images and information to spring up in the coming months as its rumored late 2009/early 2010 release date approaches.