When Hyundai revealed the first generation Nexo, it was a rolling example of the company’s unique commitment to hydrogen with the Korean car giant making strides in this slice of the green vehicle market in recent years. We even had a chance to drive the Nexo ourselves and while the range-focused route Hyundai gave us in Michigan only allowed us to get a small slice of the hydrogen experience, it was evident that there was potential hidden underneath its futuristic skin and overly complicated interior controls.
Hyundai has apparently learned plenty from the outgoing model and has unveiled the second-generation Nexo which arrives with new styling, technology, and more range for buyers who are willing to embrace the hydrogen-driving lifestyle.
Nexo gets buffed up styling for its second act
Unlike the outgoing Nexo, Hyundai chose to move away from a flowing design and instead embraced a more rugged look with the second-generation Nexo getting blockier design elements. The front end has a more traditional look with many of the core traits being lifted from the Intium concept including its pixelated lighting. Hyundai calls the design “The Art of Steel” and the rear of the Nexo gets a sportier look with the rear lights also getting four pixels on each side. The Nexo Hyundai showed off is a Korean market model with the SUV having side camera mirrors which are legal in the country. Look for Nexos in other markets to adopt traditional side mirrors depending on regulations including any that might be sold in California. Speaking of different markets, Hyundai gave the Nexo two filling ports with one being located on each side which will help the Nexo fit in when it comes to different markets.
The second-generation Nexo is also 3.1-inches longer and this extra length goes into improving passenger room with the 109.8-inch wheelbase being unchanged. Buyers can choose from either 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels depending on what trim level they pick with the wheels themselves being more assertive looking than the hoops on the outgoing Nexo.
Nexo interior goes to reform school
Slip inside the Nexo and you’ll find that the interior has been completely revamped. While the dual 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and the infotainment system are carried over from the old model, everything else has been completely overhauled. The absurd amount of buttons that once made the Nexo feel like you were flying a commercial airliner have been cut down and while the floating center console no longer extends all the way out to the second-row seats, Hyundai chose to instead give the console dual-wireless phone charging pads with a built-in fan to help prevent the device from overheating while it’s sitting on the silicon pad.
The gear selector has also been moved to the steering column and Hyundai gave the Nexo an audio upgrade with the SUV now getting a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system and the seats have been reworked to be more comfortable with the second-row seats getting cooled functionality. Second-row passengers also get more head and shoulder room and benefit from wider opening doors.
Beefier performance is on the menu too
Unlike the older Nexo which made do with a rather paltry 188 hp, the new Nexo gets a power boost with the model now producing a combined system output of 255 hp with the 0 to 62 time also being cut down from a slow 9.2 to a brisk 7.8 seconds flat. The Nexo is also capable of hitting a top speed of 111 mph but with the Nexo’s hardware focused on range, look for the SUV to put other aspects of performance driving on the back burner to achieve this goal.
The hydrogen fuel tanks have been improved to help achieve this goal with the new tanks now being able to hold 6.69 kilograms of hydrogen (versus the outgoing model’s 6.33 kilograms) with drivers only needing five minutes to fill the tanks at a fueling station. Hyundai says that the second-generation Nexo is a global model but with the built-in limitations that come with hydrogen, expect the Nexo to continue to be only available in areas where there is a strong hydrogen fueling network. Hyundai says the updated SUV can get over 435 miles of range on a single charge but it remains to be seen how that translates into EPA range measurements.
It’s not known if the Nexo will once again make its way to the U.S. to even be certified by the EPA. The outgoing model was limited to California which has an existing hydrogen fueling network and if the Nexo does make its return, it will most likely be exclusive to that state once again. This limited market is also potentially less appealing to the company now that beefed-up tariffs have come into effect with the U.S. now charging a 25% tariff on all cars imported into the country with the SUV being produced in South Korea.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.