Key highlights
- The Hyundai Tucson BLK Edition will be limited to 750 units and become the first Vietnamese-built car sold in Australia.
- Both special editions add black styling, larger alloy wheels and selected premium features over their respective Elite hybrid grades.
- The Tucson BLK Edition costs $51,000 before on-road costs, while the Kona BLK Edition is priced at $42,600.
Hyundai is introducing two new special-edition SUVs in Australia, with the 2027 Tucson BLK Edition and Kona BLK Edition bringing darker styling and additional equipment to its popular SUV range.
However, the Tucson has a bigger story behind it than its black exterior details. It will become the first Vietnamese-built vehicle officially sold in Australia, marking a new sourcing arrangement for Hyundai.
The limited-run Tucson BLK Edition is due to arrive in Australian showrooms this month, with production capped at 750 units. It is priced from $51,000 before on-road costs, making it $2,650 more expensive than the Tucson Elite Hybrid with front-wheel drive.
Hyundai’s Vietnamese manufacturing facility has traditionally assembled vehicles for its domestic market and other South-East Asian countries. Its use for Australian-bound vehicles opens up another supply channel for the brand.
Vietnam is understood to be the 34th country to manufacture a vehicle sold in Australia. While the country already has free-trade agreements with Australia, this is reportedly the first time those arrangements have been applied to a passenger vehicle.
Importantly, this does not mean the entire Australian Tucson range will switch to Vietnamese production. Other versions will continue to be sourced from South Korea, including the next-generation Tucson expected to arrive in Australian showrooms around the middle of 2027.
Read more: 2027 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Monochrome priced at $60,500 in Australia
What does the Tucson BLK Edition get?
The Tucson BLK Edition is based on the front-wheel-drive Elite Hybrid, but borrows a few features from the more expensive Premium grade.
The most obvious changes are cosmetic. It gets black exterior detailing across the front and rear bumper garnishes, badges and window surrounds, along with larger 19-inch black alloy wheels. The standard Elite Hybrid runs on 18-inch wheels.
Inside, the biggest equipment upgrade is an eight-speaker Bose premium sound system, which is usually reserved for the all-wheel-drive Tucson Premium.
Other standard features include:
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with over-the-air updates
- 12.3-inch digital instrument display
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Leather-appointed seat upholstery
- Heated front seats and steering wheel
- Electric tailgate
- Wireless smartphone charging
- Digital Key 2 functionality
- Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go
- Highway Driving Assist
The Tucson BLK Edition will also be available in five exterior colours, including Pearl White, Olivine Grey, Space Black, Ruby Luxe red and Stormy Sea blue.
Hyundai Kona BLK Edition adds more premium equipment
The smaller Kona is also getting the BLK Edition treatment, although it does not share the Tucson’s Vietnamese production connection. It will continue to be manufactured in South Korea.
Priced from $42,600 before on-road costs, the Kona BLK Edition costs $2,650 more than the Kona Elite Hybrid.
Like the Tucson, it receives black exterior trim, darkened badging and black alloy wheels. However, the Kona uses 18-inch wheels rather than the Tucson’s larger 19-inch set.
Hyundai has also added several features normally associated with the more expensive Kona Premium grade. These include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an eight-speaker Bose sound system and satellite navigation with live traffic updates.
Other equipment includes a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat.
The Kona BLK Edition also gets heated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and a leather-accented interior.
Five exterior colours will be offered, namely Atlas White, Ecotronic Grey, Abyss Black, Ultimate Red and Denim Blue. Mirage Green, which is available on the Elite, has been left out.
How do the new Hyundai BLK Editions fit into the range?
Both special editions follow a familiar approach for Hyundai, adding distinctive styling and selected higher-grade equipment without introducing a new engine or a substantial mechanical overhaul.
For Australian buyers, the Tucson BLK Edition is particularly interesting because it introduces a new manufacturing source for the local market. It also gives Hyundai another way to manage vehicle supply, although the company has not indicated that Vietnamese production will extend to other Tucson variants.
The Kona BLK Edition, meanwhile, is a more straightforward equipment upgrade for buyers who want the smaller SUV with additional premium features.
At their respective $2,650 premiums over the Elite Hybrid grades, the two models offer a similar proposition. Whether the added equipment and darker styling justify the extra outlay will ultimately depend on what buyers value most.
For now, the Tucson BLK Edition’s limited production run of 750 vehicles makes it the more unusual addition to Hyundai’s Australian line-up.
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