Hyundai revealed a new appearance trim package for its 2022 Tucson: XRT. The offering is designed to make it more appealing to off-road fans and is an upgrade to its SEL package.
The goal is to make it “distinct” from its other Tucson siblings, starting with XRT-exclusive 19-inch wheels and other “dark exterior elements.” It also gets a special front and rear fascia and different side cladding.
It also gets plenty of black. The aforementioned wheels, window surrounds, side mirrors, roof crossrails and tow hitch all get blacked out. Additionally, the interior comes only in black cloth with a black headliner.
Special edition market crowded
The move is pretty common among crossover and SUV producers these days. Subaru is offering its Wilderness package across its line-up, which — unlike the Tucson XRT — offers several upgrades to make it more off-road capable.
The Outback Wilderness, for example, enjoys higher ground clearance than the standard model, a retuned suspension and all-terrain tires. Subaru started with the Outback and has since offered it on the Forester with plans to roll it out across its crossover portfolio.
Toyota’s spreading the TRD Off-Road package out across its line-up as well, including the RAV4, which has been the best-selling small ute in the U.S. for a few years now. Many of its vehicles have gotten some form update, but in the case of the RAV4 it translates to 8.6 inches ground clearance for the RAV4 Adventure, as well as suspension, wheels and tires engineered specifically for rugged trail driving, including Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive with Driveline Disconnect.
Even its sister company Kia’s in on the game with its new X-Line trim offered on the 2021 Sorento. It features 1-inch higher ground clearance, improved approach/departure angles, more advanced AWD with snow-mode and a more robust roof rack than outgoing Sorento.
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Of course, the big difference between those offerings and Hyundai’s XRT package, they offer some form of improved capability whereas the XRT trim is largely an appearance package. Again, other makers are offering similar updates, such as Toyota’s Nightshade package which includes many of the same “dark” elements found in the XRT.
The Tucson XRT trim builds upon the Tucson SEL with Convenience package and is available on internal combustion models with or without Hyundai’s exclusive HTRAC AWD. The Tucson XRT FWD is $32,625, and the XRT AWD is $34,125, including $1,225 destination charges.