Hyundai Nexo

2020 Hyundai NEXO Expert Review

Although it looks like a rather conventional SUV, the 2020 Hyundai Nexo is really a cutting-edge vehicle powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Just one of three such vehicles in production (the other two being the Toyota Mirai and Honda Clarity), the Nexo is the only SUV in the trio.

Although it rides and drives very much like any other electric vehicle, the Nexo doesn’t require long recharging times. Instead, it can be refueled in just minutes, has a longer cruising range than most electrics (save for Tesla) and emits only one thing from its tailpipe: water. Of course, the Nexo does have its limitations, most notably it’s only sold in Northern and Southern California and there are only 44 hydrogen refueling stations in the state.

Driving the 2020 Hyundai NEXO

In some respects, the Nexo feels like an all-electric vehicle, and in other ways it doesn’t. Like a battery-powered EV, the hydrogen-run Nexo wafts along smoothly and quietly. No gasoline engine means none of the noise and vibration that come with a traditional internal-combustion engine.

Unlike an EV, though, the Nexo isn’t terribly quick. The Nexo’s 0-60-mph time is a rather leisurely 9.5 seconds. We didn’t think it was dangerously slow, and it’s faster than the previous hydrogen Hyundai Tucson, but the Nexo won’t pack the punch of a Tesla or even a Chevy Bolt. Otherwise, the Nexo is perfectly pleasant. Steering is light, and this Hyundai is easy to maneuver.

Numerous safety and driver-assistance features are available, even one that enables the Nexo to park itself (see Favorite Features). Perhaps what Nexo drivers will appreciate most, though, is its range. This hydrogen Hyundai has up to 380 miles of range for Nexo Blue trims, or an estimated 354 miles for the heavier Limited trim.