New Safety Updates For Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai has added an unspecified number of safety improvements for its Tucson. According to ANCAP, Tucson models produced in South Korea after 17-November 2015, and 16-December 2015 for European-market models produced in the Czech Republic, have received some safety updates to improve its safety in frontal offset collisions.

As a result, the upgraded Tucson will see its ANCAP rating improved from the four stars it received in September 2015 to five stars.

“It is encouraging to see Hyundai make a number of design and production changes to improve the safety of the vehicle and we commend them for acting quickly to implement the improvements,” ANCAP Chief Executive Officer James Goodwin said.

“The changes significantly improved the vehicle’s performance in the frontal offset test which would reduce the possibility of injury to occupants in the event of a crash,” he said.

“This is a positive example of the importance of local, independent testing and ANCAP working proactively with vehicle brands to ensure we have the safest vehicles on the Australasian market,” Mr Goodwin said.

“Consumers considering purchasing a new or used Tucson should check the build date to avoid any confusion over the ANCAP safety rating,” he said.   

It is not known if the updates are also applicable to the models sold in Malaysia. The Malaysian-market Hyundai Tucson is locally-assembled at the Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah.

Last year, the Tucson was given a four-star rating by ANCAP, after its body structure performed poorer than expected in a 64 km/h frontal offset collision test with a deformable barrier, leading to a compromise in the structural integrity of the driver’s foot well, and excessive movement of the brake pedal.