2026 Hyundai Nexo Review: Hydrogen SUV Goes All-In

The Next Hyundai Nexo Shows the Automaker Is Still Going Hard on Hydrogen

If you thought hydrogen cars had quietly limped off into the footnote of powertrain history, Hyundai wants to have a word — politely, and with a high-pressure tank full of H₂. The updated 2026 Nexo is Hyundai’s latest reminder that, while hydrogen remains an awkward cousin to battery electrics in many markets, it’s far from forgotten in Hyundai’s global strategy. It’s not thrilling to drive, and yes, it still looks a bit odd — but the Nexo’s raison d’être is not joyrides. It’s a proof point: hydrogen can work, if you build an ecosystem around it.

2026 Hyundai Nexo (12)

Backstory: Why Hyundai still cares about hydrogen

Most automakers have hedged bets on a single path: battery EVs. Hyundai, pragmatist that it is, hedges differently. The Nexo is one visible product of HTWO, Hyundai’s hydrogen-focused arm, which is thinking about more than cars: buses, trucks, trains, stationary power, even port equipment. That strategy reframes the Nexo as part technology demonstrator, part halo product, and part industrial testbed. If batteries are the smartphone of transportation, Hyundai wants hydrogen to be the grid-scale server that shows up when long range and fast refueling matter.

What’s new under the skin

On paper, the 2026 Nexo is a meaningful refinement rather than a revolution. Hyundai’s engineers boosted fuel-cell efficiency, enlarged the high-pressure hydrogen tank, and tweaked the modest battery pack that buffers power to the electric motor. The headline figures: a fuel-cell motor putting out roughly 254 horsepower and a WLTP range nudging past 500 miles on the latest test cycle. That’s substantial — range anxiety becomes a political question rather than a technical one when you’re talking 400–500 miles.

Under the floor, structural reinforcement was necessary to package larger hydrogen tanks and preserve crashworthiness. The suspension setup remains tuned for comfort — think pliant springs and generous damping rather than taut, communicative handling. Tires and wheels are chosen more for rolling efficiency and low noise than cornering grip. In short: Hyundai engineered the upgrades to maximize range and safety, not to charm petrolheads.

Skin-deep updates and cabin touches

Cosmetically the Nexo keeps its unusual proportions — those wedgey, slightly awkward hips that look better in person than in press photos, if you’ll grant it charity. Inside, Hyundai has leaned into premium materials and useful features: a quieter cabin thanks to hydrogen’s inherently low vibration profile, digital side mirrors, dual wireless charging pads, and a first-for-Hyundai Bang & Olufsen audio system. Rear-seat headroom suffers a bit due to the underfloor tank packaging — the hip point is higher — but Hyundai softens the tradeoff with well-executed seat heating/ventilation and thoughtful interior storage.

Branding is subtle: HTWO insignia on select trim pieces, and the “zero-emission” pitch emphasized in the instrument cluster and infotainment — less bluster, more utility.

Driving impressions: competent, calm, unexciting

If you’re expecting an “electric GT,” stop here. The Nexo drives like what it is: a front-motor, fuel-cell electric SUV built for range and refinement. Throttle response is smooth but polite; Hyundai quotes a 0–60 mph of 7.8 seconds, and the real-world sensation is of gentle progress rather than shove. Steering is light and a little vague, suspension is compliant but bouncy over abrupt inputs, and the chassis lacks enthusiasm when pushed. In traffic or on long highway stints, the Nexo shines: whisper-quiet, relaxed, and utterly predictable.

This is not a criticism so much as an observation. The Nexo’s character suits its mission — long-distance, low-stress travel on routes where hydrogen refueling is available. But on a winding road, the composure and feedback simply aren’t there for the enthusiast.

What we can’t judge yet

The car itself is the easy part. What the Nexo can’t tell you from a test drive is whether your region will get the fueling infrastructure it needs. In the U.S., hydrogen stations are still a sparse, California-centric patchwork; in Korea and parts of Europe, the network is significantly denser. Long-term resilience — fuel-cell longevity, service costs, hydrogen production carbon intensity, and resale values — will only reveal themselves after years of real-world use. Hyundai’s broader HTWO investments (production, distribution, and industrial customers) are the variables that will determine whether the Nexo is novelty or necessity.

Pricing and value: a conditional calculus

Estimated base price: roughly $50,000. That’s not cheap, but it’s not wildly out of step with comparably equipped battery SUVs, especially once you account for the Nexo’s generous range. The value proposition therefore depends on context: in regions with accessible hydrogen refueling, the Nexo offers a “battery EV convenience with ICE-like refueling” story that is genuinely compelling. In places without stations, the car is a neat museum piece — technically advanced, philosophically interesting, practically frustrating.

Factor in potential incentives, fleet use cases, or industrial refueling contracts, and the economic picture brightens. For private drivers in infrastructure-rich zones, the Nexo could be a smart choice. Elsewhere, it remains a bet on Hyundai’s hydrogen vision more than a consumer-first pick.

Final thoughts: bold strategy, pragmatic execution

The 2026 Nexo won’t win any awards for driving excitement. It’s an accomplished, quietly engineered machine that performs its singular task — long-range, low-emission mobility — capably. Crucially, it signals Hyundai’s willingness to play a long game: building technology, scaling supply chains, and pushing hydrogen into multiple markets beyond passenger cars.

Hydrogen isn’t the headline act in today’s bustling EV concert, but Hyundai is composing an entire opera around it. The Nexo is the company’s solo, and while it may not electrify the audience, it makes a persuasive argument for the chorus. If Hyundai’s HTWO ambitions come to fruition, the Nexo will look less like an oddball and more like an early note in an ambitious, hydrogen-driven refrain.

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