Is This the First Hyundai Tucson N Test Mule? Hybrid Spotted on Oversized Wheels

This Hyundai Tucson may look ordinary at first, but its wheels are not. Healer TV has spotted a current-generation Tucson Hybrid running on oversized wheels and tires, and it suspects this could be an early test mule for the first-ever Tucson N.

Hyundai has not confirmed anything, and Healer TV itself warns viewers not to take it as certain. Still, there are a few reasons to pay attention.

Why It Could Be A Tucson N Mule

• The wheels and tires: they look too big for a regular Tucson, a sign that Hyundai may be testing parts rather than just driving the car.

• It is a hybrid: Healer TV says the badge below the TUCSON lettering reads Hybrid. That fits what we reported about the first-ever Tucson N, which is expected to be Hyundai N's first high-performance hybrid.

• The Elantra N did the same: Healer TV filmed an existing Avante on oversized wheels about nine months ago, and a real next-gen Elantra N prototype followed later.

The timing is also interesting. According to Healer TV, this car appeared about four months after the camouflaged all-new Tucson N Line was first spotted. The video has only now been published, so the photos are not brand new.

Tucson N Or Tucson N Sport?

There is another possibility. In 2025, we reported on an N Sport trademark found for Hyundai. Hyundai has never explained what it is for, but one theory is that it could sit between N Line and full N models, with more than just sporty looks but without full track-ready performance.

A hybrid SUV could suit that role, so this mule might be for a Tucson N, a Tucson N Sport or just a parts test. These photos alone cannot tell us which.

Our Take

Oversized wheels on a hybrid are not proof, but the pattern is hard to ignore after what happened with the Elantra N. If Healer TV is right, this would be the very beginning of the project, so do not expect to see the finished car soon. A camouflaged prototype on the new Tucson body would be the next sign to watch for.

You can watch the full video from Healer TV below.

Photos and video: Healer TV.