The New Cars Worth Knowing About Right Now
Late August has been surprisingly busy for new-car news. Here are the reveals and announcements actually worth paying attention to.
The 2027 Hyundai Tucson Gets a Serious Makeover
Hyundai has revealed the next-generation Tucson, and it looks almost nothing like the current one. The new design is much boxier and more rugged, while the interior gets the giant-screen treatment that has become basically unavoidable in 2026.
More importantly, Hyundai confirmed that both gas and hybrid powertrains will continue. U.S. details are still coming, but given how important the Tucson is to the compact SUV market, this is one to watch.
Genesis Is Going Full Flagship
The new Genesis GV90 is enormous, electric, and appropriately ridiculous. Genesis’ new flagship SUV stretches 208 inches long, offers up to 657 horsepower, and is expected to deliver roughly 310 miles of range.
The wild part is the available Neolun version, which gets coach doors, rotating front seats, wood flooring, and even a four-seat VIP configuration. Think Korean Range Rover-meets-Maybach, except electric.
The Range-Extender Might Be Back
Hyundai also confirmed something potentially much more important than another new EV: extended-range electric vehicles are coming in 2027.
The first will be a Santa Fe that primarily drives on electricity but carries a gas engine to generate power when needed. Hyundai is targeting more than 600 miles of total range, with Genesis getting a similar system afterward.
This could end up being the sweet spot for a lot of buyers who like EV driving but don’t want their road trips dictated by charging stops.
Meanwhile, Small Cars Aren’t Getting Cheaper
The refreshed 2027 Kia Niro Hybrid now starts at $31,385, a whopping $2,500 increase from last year. It gets nicer tech and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the bigger story is just how difficult it has become to buy even a relatively basic new car for much less than $30,000.
Our take: The most interesting trend isn’t another 600-horsepower EV. It’s automakers starting to acknowledge that buyers want electrification without inconvenience. If range-extenders catch on, they could become one of the biggest changes to the new-car market over the next few years.