2026 Hyundai Nexo First Drive Review: A Peek Into Hyundai's Wished Reality

• After decades of behind-the-scenes development, Hyundai is rolling out a massive hydrogen fuel cell strategy, and cars are just the start.
• As complicated as it reads on paper, the Nexo drives and feels like an electric vehicle, because that's essentially what it is. 
• The jury is still out on whether or not the new Nexo will reach U.S. shores, but don't hold your breath.

I'm not suggesting that Hyundai's domestic dominance is due solely to the quality of its cars. There are plenty of political reasons behind its success. I bring it up because this is the reality in which the 2026 Hyundai Nexo debuts. A country in which its maker is responsible for over 11% of its GDP. And now Hyundai wants hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to be a core tenet of its universe. So as I drive from South Korea's capital city across the country to its southwestern edge, this is less a first drive and more a glimpse into a Hyundai's wished-for reality. 

Driving a truly all-new car is a rarity, yet as I begin my drive surrounded by 20 or so Nexos (Nexi?) outside of my hotel, everything looks and feels pretty familiar. It's about as wide as a Honda CR-V, just a little lower and longer. Inside, all of the switchgear reminds me of various other Hyundai products, which is no bad thing. Only its styling stands out as unique, combining a bit of an AMC Pacer vibe, with its rear window, with a squared-off front like a reborn Honda Element. 

It's a similar story as I make my way out of Seoul and into the lush mountains that make up most of the country's rural areas. The Nexo drives just like you'd expect a small electric crossover would, because that's essentially what it is. A single 148-horsepower electric motor drives its front wheels, allowing it to cruise in complete silence, take off from a stop with utmost smoothness, and, like most EVs, serve as an ideal tool for navigating dense city traffic. 

How is it different, you ask? Unlike a conventional electric vehicle, which stores energy in a massive battery typically hidden in its floor, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle creates the power it needs on demand. It does so by creating a chemical reaction between the pressurized hydrogen in its onboard tanks and the oxygen in the air. 

As such, it doesn't require a large battery, and indeed, the Nexo's 2.6-kWh pack is anything but. Its small size is ideal as it's able to be charged and discharged very quickly. The byproduct of this reaction is water, which this small Hyundai dumps out through a few ports on its underside, making a sound that'll feel familiar to anyone who's ever heard a cat work through a furball. 

Unlike a conventional electric vehicle, a hydrogen fuel cell car can refill its tanks in just a few minutes, similar to a traditional gasoline-powered car. At a rest stop in rural South Korea, I get to watch my Nexo get topped up as I return from a snack hunt. All in all, this little crossover can hold up to 14.7 pounds of compressed hydrogen. Judging by the listed price per kilogram and some rough currency conversion and smartphone math, filling up a Nexo completely costs around $46 on its home turf. 

That's a pretty compelling proposition to cover a WLTP-estimated 513 miles of range, although keep in mind that a U.S.-spec Nexo would likely score somewhere in the 400s when rated by the EPA. Still, that's a lot of distance to cover for not a lot of money or fuel time while having the benefit of emitting no harmful gases from a tailpipe along the way. 

Like any car, the Nexo is not without its downsides, and as the conversation with my co-driver veers into how the hydrogen is stored a few hours into our road trip, I'm reminded of a big one. See, the hydrogen that flows into the Nexo's tanks is highly pressurized, to about 10,000 psi. It's why any discussion about safety with this crossover revolves around both its passengers and its cargo tanks. And to Hyundai's credit, while some scientists have intentionally blown up a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (a first-gen Nexo, actually), it required turning off its safety systems, literally lighting a fire beneath it and letting it burn for 11 minutes. 

The disabling of safety systems is key here, as the Nexo combines relief valves, hydrogen gas detectors and a hydroden supply cutoff to protect itself, along with a stiff structure that both makes it safer during accidents and simultaneously ensures that its tanks remain intact. Still, as safe as Hyundai assures me the Nexo is, with plenty of data to back it up, I can't help but glance back at its second row of seats and think of the tanks tucked just below where a kid would sit or where a car seat might be. 

As I pass yet another rest stop with a hydrogen filling station, I'm struck by two questions, the first being: Can the Nexo be a success in the U.S.? The first-generation model certainly wasn't, as it was only sold in California, the state with the most developed hydrogen fuel infrastructure, although "infrastructure" is doing some heavy lifting here, as stations are few and far between and often not operational. This may not end up being a worry at all, as the jury is still out on whether the Nexo will cross the Pacific at all. Judging by the general vibe at its first drive event, I wouldn't hold my breath. 

The second, and more pressing, question: Is Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell push feasible because it's the right technology for the job or because of the Korean carmaker's level of influence over its home country? Part of Hyundai's strategy for fuel cell technology involves building both the powertrains themselves and the plants that produce the hydrogen. And if you recall the brand's dominance, you'll know that it also builds the heavy machinery needed to move it around and the vehicles it'll ultimately power. 

There's a strong case for it working well, too, especially in the world of heavy machinery. Consider construction equipment, such as trucks or buses. The types of vehicles that would benefit from this electric, emissions-free power are those that can't be down for hours at a time, plugged into an electric charger. Not to mention the cost of the massive battery pack they'll have to house to function, in these applications, a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain makes tremendous sense. 

Now, if you can imagine a closed loop in which the hydrogen is made on site, such as at a port or a major construction site, you've got a glimpse into Hyundai's potential future.

As I pull up to my hotel for the night, after around eight hours on the move and one fill-up later, I'm thinking about Hyundai's long-term hydrogen strategy far more than the vehicle that got me there. Truthfully, there isn't much to report new about the Nexo specifically, especially when you compare it to other electric Hyundai crossovers like the Kona or the Ioniq 5. 

It's exceptionally well built. Its cabin is quiet, intuitive to use, and loaded with all of the convenience and driver assistance tech you could ever want. Even its seats are remarkably comfortable, despite being thinner than those in the first-gen model, which allows for increased rear legroom. 

Sure, it's pretty slow. The 7.8-second 0-62 mph time and 111-mph top speed confirm this, but is it suitable for cruising around a major city or taking a road trip across the country? Absolutely. The Nexo has all of the upsides of a conventional EV without the downsides of needing to charge a large battery pack. If you don't mind its odd looks and a ride that's a touch on the firm side, you'll more than likely walk away impressed with it after even a short ride. 

My first time driving a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle has been incredibly eye-opening. As I see it, the key isn't for Nexos and cars of its type to take over electric and gas-powered vehicles, or vice versa. Instead, the future is bound to hold some mix of all three. Hydrogen fuel cell technology has undoubtedly earned its place. Maybe Hyundai's new reality won't just be a wish.