The updated Hyundai Tucson crossover has not only become better, but has turned into an excellent companion for everyday tasks. It feels safe, comfortable and reliable in most cases.
Incredibly, this SUV continues to be one of the most practical and effective products on our market and not only on ours. Even though its price tag has long been beyond the middle class. The update seems like it should only remind the market that Tucson has been the most desirable offer for many years. But there are so many detailed and important adjustments that have been made to make it even better, more comfortable, and most importantly, more impressive.
It is not surprising that Hyundai reserves one of the leading positions for the Tucson. They somehow hit the sensitive zone of consumers with it right away, launching a practical, comfortable enough and incredibly cross-country SUV in 2004. It did not lose its abilities in the future, supporting all-wheel drive versions, and we can still find it in 4WD offerings, both with a 1.6 gasoline and 2.0-liter diesel engine. From the moment the first crossover appeared on our market until 2024, more than 55 thousand units of this model were sold.
Only the very attentive will be able to notice the external updates of the Hyundai Tucson today. Indeed, why fix something that will be relevant for another 20 years? Simply looking at it from all sides didn’t help, we had to get a photo of the predecessor to understand the careful work of the designers — so as not to harm it.
I would like to note the new bumpers, slightly modified grille, headlights and rear design. You can see the extended equipment by the darkened glass of the optics. That seems to be all. No changes in size or color. Even the wheels have been changed carefully.
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It gets much more interesting once you get into the showroom. Here the designers went all out. Huge interconnected 12.3-inch monitors for the dashboard and touchscreen multimedia. By the way, they are available in all trim levels. This is a top feature of all new Hyundai brand representatives.
Additional storage niches are also included. And while the Santa Fe has a convenient massive shelf, the Sonata has a functional glove compartment for disinfecting smartphones next to the console. Everything here is a little simpler, but just as convenient.
Did you know that the speaker-like panel to the left of the information monitor is actually a magnetic board on which you can hang both the smartphone itself on an additional magnetic holder? You can also attach a photo of your family or dream home.
And the center console is completely different from its predecessor and other models. It seems to float, forming additional niches for storing small items. It looks a bit like the Ionic 5, but more modest. A cool idea that even the Chinese have not yet thought of — making wireless charging right at the driver’s and passenger’s fingertips. No need to reach for it — a very convenient thing, but mostly the charging itself will be only in the maximum stuffing.
Of course, the quality of assembly, materials, and details leaves no doubt that the car is made with integrity. I will never be able to compare Hyundai to Suzuki or even Nissan again. They have made such a breakthrough in quality, customization of systems and software that even Toyota and VW are already lagging behind. You can compare this cabin with BMW or Mercedes-Benz, if they are in the initial versions. Because top premium is becoming more and more spacey.
The best thing Hyundai could do was not just design and implement a cool, comfortable interior with an intuitive interface and ergonomics designed for passengers, but leave most of the controls with physical knobs and buttons. It’s so well integrated that this is the third model I’ve seen this year, and I’m surprised every time. I also like the function of regulating the connection of the smartphone to the charger because you can turn on just charging or connecting to multimedia with a button. There are two connectors in front and two — for passengers.
Physical temperature knobs, convenient airflow control. All the keys necessary for the climate have been moved to a separate panel — everything is divided into groups, and there is no need to look for the steering wheel heating in the interface. In the settings, you can even set the car to turn on the heating or cooling of the seat itself, depending on the temperature set and the temperature outside. It’s smart, it’s warm to get in, it feels like you’ve been waiting for it and are being hugged and welcomed.
Passengers are not left out at all. The top features include tilt-adjustable rear sofa backrest, heated two seats, temperature control — that is, a three-zone climate — and plenty of room to relax while traveling. You could also make a hatch to the trunk — sometimes you need it.
The luggage space, of course, has not changed. It’s still up to 600 liters, with a toolbox and a spare tire hidden under the floor. Again, remember that the battery is located under the seat and does not eat up trunk space. In fact, there may be a little more space in the Toyota RAV4, but the Tucson wins by a landslide in terms of comfort.
You can control most of the functions of the dashboard, cruise, or speed limit on the cream, and of course, the steering wheel has also been updated. It is now the same as in the Sonata, just as the gearshift in all Hyundai is now under the right hand behind the wheel. You have to get used to it, but it adjusts rapidly. However, I don’t like such a lever for quick movements, each shift should be clear and unhurried. In any case, it’s better than the previous click.
You notice even more updates while driving. And it’s not even the ride softness. It’s not immediately noticeable, but the hydromechanical struts up front now complement the «MacPherson» suspension, adding a little more smoothness when driving over potholes. Of course, this makes for crisper, more precise steering. But the Tucson hasn’t turned into a Porsche, and most average users won’t even notice.
Nor will you not notice the improvement in the performance of the HTRAC all-wheel drive transmission, which is implemented here by means of a clutch. It redistributes torque as needed, and the driver is allowed to make suggestions in the off-road mode settings. Of course, this applies exclusively to all-wheel drive versions. Only Sport, Eco, and Normal will be available for mono-drive.
But if you look under the bottom of the Hyundai Tucson, you’ll notice the care with which all the noisy elements were covered, stopping the road noise and cutting you off from unnecessary sounds. You should also pay attention to the interior trim on the floor. Complete with soft mats, you want to take off your shoes and leave them in a separate niche, and sit only in socks, it’s so soft underfoot.
Nothing has changed in the powertrain, so the top HEV versions are based on the same turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine with 180 hp, and a 60 hp electric motor is integrated into a 6-speed automatic transmission. The battery, of course, is small and does not allow you to drive for a long time on electricity. As with other versions, this is more about meeting economy standards than fuel economy. However, it adds a lot of power, and acceleration is not bad and instantly similar to a train — 8.5 seconds to 100 km/h.
The Hyundai Tucson’s fuel consumption on the highway during my short trip was about 7.5 liters per 100 km. But in the city, you can easily take advantage of the hybrid and reduce consumption a little by driving in a rolling motion and regeneration. Its strength can be adjusted separately, and this is nice because almost one-pedal control is the next stage of hybrid technology. And here Hyundai is balancing on the edge. However, in this category, it is outperformed not only by the RAV4, but also by the Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail and Honda CR-V.
To fully understand how much Hyundai thinks about the importance of details — this is a larger rear window wiper by as much as 7 cm compared to the pre-restyled one. Moreover, it is hidden behind the upper spoiler. Such attention is simply worthy of respect. And here you can also see the logo moving behind the glass itself, which makes the overall look of the Hyundai Tucson more neat.
And special thanks for the matrix light with the function (IFS) of turning off light beams so as not to blind oncoming drivers or pedestrians. This is not just adaptive lighting that switches modes, but a smart system with a visually cool effect that cuts out the vehicle in squares and sees it off.
In general, everything in front of the car is visible from curb to curb. No hare will slip through unnoticed. This is such a cool thing in modern cars that it’s worth saving up and upgrading to a newer version just for it, and maybe adaptive cruise.
As before, Hyundai is not only equipped with the entire list of possible assistants, but also offers additional control and unlocking of the car via an app or even a smartwatch. But, judging by the safety, the car will not lock and unlock itself when you approach. I really expected a little more intuitive understanding from it. It’s good that at least the trunk reacts to foot swings quickly and adequately. Just remember that you need to have the keys in your pocket.
But now Hyundai Tucson can be easily controlled from the app and even unlocked with a smartwatch via Digital Key. You can even warm up the car remotely and drive it out of the parking lot. If you trust all these assistants, of course, and realize that no homeless person will crawl under the wheels. I haven’t tested it personally, but I’ve seen how it works. I would rather not download the app and register because it’s always difficult with test cars.
I would like to mention another cool feature of the hybrid version of the Hyundai Tucson, which is rarely seen anywhere else, but here it is placed on a separate button, which indicates special attention to the consumer during operation. And this is the ability to start the engine from an additional battery if the starting battery is dead.
Everyone praises the Hyundai Tucson and can’t stop talking about it. What is really wrong with it? Why is Toyota still the market leader, and Renault is supporting or taking away the lead from time to time? It’s just hard to change the mindset of our people that you have to pay for a Korean car like you would for a self-confident Japanese car, and that Hyundai can offer the most advanced technology in an affordable class. Only everything is possible, and Europe has already realized this because in 2022, it was the Tucson that won the sales lead. However, everything has a price. And for us, Hyundai stood out in the desire to sell another 55 thousand Tucson.
We are offered four configurations: Express, Dinamic, Elegance, Top. And the difference between the starting and maximum trims is almost 40%. The first two have a price of 1,166,600 hryvnias ($26,700) and the most affordable will even be with a manual 6-speed box and a gasoline atmospheric 2-liter MPI with a capacity of 156 hp. Or with a 6-speed automatic from 1,204,400 hryvnias ($27,560), which is more interesting. Moreover, all these couples have been on the market for a long time and have shown themselves well.
An interesting version was offered specifically for our consumers — a relatively fresh 2.5-liter gasoline GDi with 190 hp. It comes only with an 8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive and in the maximum configuration. Perhaps there is some sparkle in this, we need to check separately. Nevertheless, the price here is nicer than in the hybrid — 1,717,700 hryvnia ($39,300).
The 1.6 CRDi diesel has always been the most interesting in behavior and the most economical. For now, it is still available and is offered with a 7-speed DCT robot from UAH 1,363,600 ($31,200) on a mono-drive.
And our test representative — the top hybrid Hyundai Tucson 1.6 T-GDi HEV with automatic six-speed E-shift and all-wheel drive will cost 2,022,300 hryvnias ($46,275). It is slightly cheaper in all-wheel drive and in a less luxurious configuration.
The main thing is that the coolest features, such as appearance, interior architecture, access to Apple Carplay and Android Auto, heating, and many more little things will be available from the start. For the smartest, I’ll tell you that the top versions will be distinguishable only by their blacked-out optics. And only the owners will realize all the benefits.
PROS: exterior and interior design, technology, ergonomics, interior space, comfortable ride, dynamics, noise insulation, and a variety of offers.
CONS: price, fuel consumption.
| Body, type | Station wagon, SUV |
| Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 4510/1865/1650 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2680 |
| Declared ground clearance, mm | 170 |
| Trunk volume, liters. | 616/1795 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1755 |
| Engine | 1.6 T-GDi HEV |
| Power, hp. | 215 |
| Torque, Nm | 250 |
| The power of the hybrid system | 48В |
| Type of drive | 4WD |
| Pendant | independent McPherson type / independent Multi Link type |
| Transmission | 6AT |
| Dynamics 0-100, s | 8,5 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 185 |
| Fuel consumption, l (mixed) | 5 |
| Cost, UAH | from 1 166 600 |
| The cost of the test car, UAH | 2 022 300 |
| Competitors | Toyota RAV4 |
| Honda CR-V | |
| Nissan X-Trail | |
| VW Tiguan |