2027 Hyundai Tucson Prototype Catches Fire: Spy Photographer Captures Tucson’s Front Brakes Overheating And Igniting During Trailer-Tow Mountain Test. Support Vehicles Empty Fire Extinguishers Before Both Tyres Burst Leaving Prototype Stranded
According to Carscoops, a prototype of Hyundai’s next-generation Tucson suffered a dramatic brake failure during testing in the Austrian Alps, when overheated front brakes caught fire and ultimately destroyed both front tyres; leaving the SUV stranded on a mountain road and requiring multiple fire extinguishers from support vehicles to bring the blaze under control.
The incident occurred while Hyundai engineers were hauling a trailer up and down a mountain to evaluate braking performance on the 2027 or possibly 2028 model year Tucson. The front brake wilted under sustained load, sending thick smoke pouring from one corner before flames broke out. Support vehicles reportedly emptied their extinguishers onto the wheel, but heat had already transferred into the rubber, and both front tyres burst successively, leaving the prototype immobile.
The incident is awkward but not rare in prototype development; brake testing on mountain gradients specifically simulates worst-case real-world conditions. Beyond the fireworks, the spy shots reveal a Tucson undergoing a significant redesign: boxier, more rugged styling inspired by the larger Santa Fe, a massive 17-inch Pleos infotainment screen inside, and retained physical controls including two rotary knobs below the display. Powertrain options are expected to carry over; petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid with rumours of a Tucson N performance variant still circulating.
The brakes failed the test. That is exactly what the test is designed to find out. Check out our previous coverage of tech and auto on The Trusted Times.
