Hyundai Tucson Review
By Motor Match • 03/05/2023
The midsize SUV market is incredibly competitive, lets see how the Hyundai Tucson stacks up.
What is it?
Hyundai has always been one of the go-to brands if you’re after solid, dependable and efficient motoring. The Tucson, as one of the firm’s core SUVs, has always encapsulated those features, while also delivering the practicality and spaciousness that you’d expect from a car of this size.
But far from having the market to itself, the latest Tucson sits within a fiercely contested market with the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan and Ford Kuga all sitting pretty with buyers. Here, we’re going to find out what the new Tucson has to offer.
What’s new?
Electrification is at the heart of the new Tucson, which is why you’ll find it with both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. Above and beyond what’s under the bonnet, the new Tucson debuts an eye-catching new look which helps it to really stand out on the road.
In the cabin, the Tucson gains some clever new technology, but this sits alongside an interior that has been designed to be both hard-wearing but comfortable, too. As always, the Tucson gets an impressively comprehensive warranty, too, with a five-year transferable cover meaning that those initial years of ownership will be as hassle-free as possible.
What’s under the bonnet?
As mentioned, hybridisation is the order of the day with the Tucson. Both the ‘regular’ hybrid and plug-in hybrid use a 1.6-litre petrol engine as their base, but you get slightly more electrification in the latter which brings super-low CO2 emissions of just 31g/km. However, the ‘regular’ hybrid will be more than enough for most drivers, while its CO2 emissions of 127g/km are still respectable.
With 228bhp on tap, this model has plenty of ‘punch’ too, while its automatic gearbox is ideal for those drivers doing longer journeys.
What’s it like to drive?
The Tucson offers the kind of easy-going driving experience that you want from a car that’ll be relied upon day-in, day-out. The steering actually has a decent amount of weight to it, too, and the whole car corners predictably without too much body roll. Wind and road noise is relatively well contained, too.
The powertrain can be a little vocal when you accelerate hard, but it quietens down at slower speeds and on an easy throttle. This regular hybrid version switches between electric and petrol power seamlessly, too, with the former used mainly at slower speeds such as when parking.
How does it look?
Hyundai has really flipped things around with the look of the Tucson. Gone is the rather ‘everyday’ appearance of the older car, replaced instead by a design which is genuinely futuristic and good to look at. We particularly like the sharp headlights, while around the back the rear lights are equally neat.
There’s a cool full-width light at the back, too, while a small integrated spoiler gives it a sportier flavour. Against its competition, the Tucson really is quite eye-catching.
What’s it like inside?
Hyundai knows that the Tucson falls right within the family car segment, which is why it’s been designed to offer plenty of space. There are some good materials to be found here too, mind you, with the rubberised sections blending nicely with decent plastics.
Opt for the ‘standard’ hybrid version and you’ll get a very useful 620 litres of boot space. With its square shape, it’s very handily designed, while the load lip isn’t too high either. It’s worth remembering, however, that plug-in hybrid models get a slightly smaller load area of 558 litres as a result of the batteries.
What’s the spec like?
Whichever version of the Tucson you opt for, there’s plenty of equipment on offer. Even standard ‘Connect’ versions benefit from cruise control and roof rails, while ‘Premium’ specification cars gain a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a secondary 10.25-inch driver display which can be configured to show a variety of screens.
For those after a sportier feel then there’s the N Line version available, which throws in a full N Line styling package and attractive 19-inch alloy wheels.
Verdict
The Tucson feels like a great addition to the SUV scene. Though this market may be heavily fought-over, this Hyundai is a car that’ll deliver low running costs and plenty of in-car equipment regardless of which specification you opt for.
The choice of either regular or plug-in hybrid setups really helps, too, as it’ll only help to reduce those monthly fuel bills even further.
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