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Tucson
Hyundai Tucson information and reviews
All Tucson Trim Levels
The official factory page for the Hyundai Tucson
The official factory page for the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
The official factory page for the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Tucson a Top Safety Pick+, their highest rating.
AutoGuide awarded the Tucson its 2022 Utility of the Year. They praised the class leading cargo space and roominess for occupants, user-friendly technology, and value.
According to the JD Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study, the Hyundai Tucson placed 3rd best in class, outperforming cars like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota Rav4.
In this review of the Tucson, MotorTrend says that Honda and Toyota should be nervous. Why? They love the bold exterior styling and "stellar" interior. There is lots of legroom for the back seat passengers and a whole lot of cargo space. The Hybrid model has a lot of power and a 6-speed transmission instead of a CVT, which makes it even more fun to drive than the non-Hybrid model. I have perhaps an answer to a question they ask in the article: the reason I think Hyundai did not include a brake regen controller for the paddle shifters instead of gear selection is that they want it to operate just like a non-Hybrid model - they want the Hybrid to be as normal as the non-hybrid. That was the expressed point of the Hyundai Ioniq when it came out. They want a normal feeling car that happens to get great gas mileage. The Kona electric that they referenced is a fully electric model and that by nature operates a little differently.
While MotorTrend and Automobile Magazine (I didn't include MotorTrend's "First Drive" because it was word-for-word the same as Automobile's that I included above - they work together now - as does Road and Track and Car and Driver, must be the "and"s in their names) feel that the suspension is a little too firm, Car and Driver feels it is spot on (I like a slightly firmer ride as well). They also feel that the steering is weighted well. Otherwise, they had similar praises for the interior and exterior styling ,as well as the comfort. They appreciated both engines - the Hybrid and non-Hybrid - that were on offer for the press introductory event.
Tucson Limited
This is the official Hyundai walk around video of the Hyundai Tucson Limited:
Tucson Hybrid
So is the Tucson Hybrid the best hybrid and electric SUV or the best hybrid and electric SUV for the money? US News says it is both! They really like the fantastic interior quality, roomy interior, composed ride, and powerful drivetrain.
AutoGuide drove and reported on the Tucson Hybrid model. They readily admit that it doesn't get as good of fuel economy as its competitive set - the hybrids models of the Rav4, CR-V, and Escape - but its close - and beats them all in ride refinement and the fact that it uses a transmission that actually shifts. See here why they feel the Tucson beats the competition hands down.
Tucson vs the Competition
Cars.com often performs comparison tests among the better competition in a given segment. This is the comparison for the 2022 mainstream compact SUV segment, top trim levels. So if you are checking out, for example, a CR-V Touring, a Forester Touring, and a Tucson Limited, then this comparison would be helpful for you. Spoiler alert: the Tucson did not win this competition. It fell 4 points short out of a possible 540 points. Interestingly, they called it the best ride quality of the bunch, with the lowest noise level, as well as the quickest off the line. Those are all items I care more about than the one item that they dinged it for the most - no buttons for the radio and climate controls (all capacitive touch controls). But these items have voise controls so their comment that they needed to pull over to see to make adjustments isn't really correct. I also noticed that they failed to mention some of the extra safety features it has over the competition like safe exit assist, ultrasonic rear occupant alert, and cyclist/junction turn detection. I think it very possible that they did not know about some of those features. Nevertheless, this is a helpful article and video as it gives a lot of comparison information between these models.
The Tucson and the Mazda CX-5 are both well-respected compact crossovers. AutoGuide compared the two and the Tucson squeaked out a win on the basis of a larger interior and greater utility as a result. The Tucson also offers hybrid options for better fuel ecomy whereas the CX-5 does not.
AutoGuide also compared the Tucson to the Subaru Forester. While the Forester is the better choice if you will be driving off road, they feel that the clear on-road winner is the Hyundai Tucson. The Tucson has a larger interior, and the interior is nicer with more amenities than the Forester. Plus the Tucson comes with a warranty advantage.
AutoGuide compared the Hybrid versions of the Toyota Rav4 and the Tucson. They said that there are reasons to select the Rav4 like fuel economy that is one or two miles per gallon better and an easier to learn infotainment system. But the winner here is the Tucson. The Tucson provides more interior room for people and things, has a more engaging driving experience, and even comes in at a lower cost.
JD Power has a study that they call the APEAL study. It stands for Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout and is meant to measure "owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle". The Ioniq 5 placed third in its class, ahead of Compact SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav4, Nissan Rogue, and others.