Hyundai Tucson review

Our opinion on the Hyundai Tucson

The latest Hyundai Tucson means business. Its striking looks, intuitive on-board tech and premium-feeling cabin help it stand out in the overcrowded mid-size SUV class, but the Tucson is a car that appeals to the head as well as to the heart. Efficiency-boosting hybrid technology and high levels of standard equipment can be found throughout the range, while the interior is one of the roomiest in the class and the boot is large enough to rival those of estate cars.

Yes, you’ll find the Tucson a little more expensive to buy now, but we think Hyundai has managed to create a family car that’s as desirable as it is sensible. That’s why we named it our Mid-size SUV of the Year for four years in a row.

About the Hyundai Tucson

Let’s cut straight to the chase – the previous Tucson was a car that primarily sold itself on practicality, modest pricing and family usability, while decent levels of kit went some way towards making up for its distinct lack of flair. 

However, this fourth generation of Hyundai’s mid-size SUV is a different proposition, and keen to establish itself as a premium offering for families that value style and refinement, as well as the more prosaic qualities of overall load space and day-to-day functionality.

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2023 Hyundai

Tucson

26,980 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £20,995

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2023 Hyundai

Tucson

82,413 milesManualPetrol1.6L

Cash £12,880

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2020 Hyundai

Tucson

64,199 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £14,999

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2023 Hyundai

Tucson

29,465 milesManualPetrol1.6L

Cash £17,300

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The trim structure is pretty straightforward: starting with Advance, moving up to Premium, then to the sportier-looking N Line and N Line S, and finally topping out at Ultimate. 

We’ve pitted the Tucson against multiple rivals over the years, and even when faced with the popular Ford Kuga and previous generation Vauxhall Grandland in our real-world group test, the Tucson came out on top. This was thanks to its superior interior space, strong performance and overall value for money. 

Hyundai Tucson prices and latest deals

How much does the Hyundai Tucson cost? Well, official ‘on the road’ prices range from £32,400 to £41,390 but you can currently save an average of £6,189 through the Auto Express Find A Car service, where prices start at £27,957. You can lease a Hyundai Tucson from £278 per month or buy a used model at prices starting from £12,695.

Check out our latest new car deals, leasing deals and used car deals for the top offers available now on Auto Express. And don't forget we can help you sell your car, too.

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The fourth-gen Hyundai Tucson introduced a then-new platform and advanced hybrid technology, highlighting the manufacturer’s serious aspirations for its latest mid-size SUV.

The hybrid powertrain works well, both at motorway speeds and around town. We noticed that the six-speed automatic transmission is keen to shift up early, but because the engine becomes slightly thrashy when worked hard, that’s not such a bad trait.

You’ll probably want to keep the Tucson in its Eco drive mode most of the time. Choosing the Sport function modifies the throttle response and improves assistance from the electric motor, but it means the car hangs onto lower gears for longer and revs higher, which, ultimately, doesn’t sit well with the Tucson’s focus on comfort.

The hybrid model’s ability to cut engine power when you lift off the throttle at speed not only benefits refinement but helps boost efficiency, too. It manages this in a particularly smooth and effortless manner, to the extent that you might not even feel the system working at all. The plug-in hybrid Tucson weighs around 200kg more than its conventional petrol or hybrid alternatives, but it’s also the most powerful model in the range. We didn’t find the extra weight had that much of an impact on the way it performs.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

The 148bhp 1.6 TGDi petrol-only model delivers a reasonable 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds, while the dual-clutch automatic version cuts it to 9.4 seconds. The top speed for all is 119mph.

Full-hybrid tech cranks up the power output to 236bhp and trims the 0-62mph time to 7.8 seconds (or 8.0 seconds for the four-wheel drive model in N-Line S and Ultimate trims), although the hybrid has a slightly lower top speed of 116mph. During our testing, we were surprised by how raucous the four-cylinder engine is, and it sounds coarse at high revs. 

The plug-in hybrid gets even more power – 249bhp and 304Nm – but it’s much heavier, so 0-62mph is dispatched in 8.2 seconds for the two-wheel drive or 8.5 seconds for the four-wheel drive version (the latter available on Premium, N-Line, N-Line S, and Ultimate) while the top speed stands at 116mph. While the Tucson PHEV won’t win a game of Top Trumps, its electric motor can fill in for the 1.6-litre petrol engine under the bonnet when needed, with all its torque available as soon as you hit the accelerator. As a result, the car surges forward with a willingness unlike any other Tucson.

Town driving, visibility and parking

The Tucson’s light steering makes the Hyundai easy to manoeuvre in town. Opting for the PHEV brings up to 43 miles of pure-electric driving for the two-wheel drive model and 39.1 miles in the four-wheel drive version. Being able to drive using electric power makes this particular model particularly quiet for urban journeys. Whichever Tucson you choose, though, it shouldn’t feel too imposing when facing narrow roads or parking spaces. For a mid-size SUV, it’s pretty easy to place thanks to good all-around visibility. Every model comes with a rearview camera, making parking even easier.

Country road driving and handling

Hyundai has really succeeded in giving the Tucson decent agility through corners while keeping it controlled and composed over the typical broken tarmac of UK roads. You wouldn’t necessarily use the Tucson for a fun Sunday morning blast through country lanes, but it does provide relaxing and refined point-to-point company.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

Every Tucson (including the heavier PHEV) does a good job of ironing out bumps, with imperfections in the road being heard more than they’re felt. Accelerating to motorway speeds is a hushed and refined experience for the most part, although the petrol engine’s roar will make itself known when pushed a bit too hard.

“At low speeds, the Tucson’s steering is fairly light, and when that’s combined with a low dashboard line relative to the seating position that gives a great view of the road ahead, it’s an easy car to manoeuvre at low speeds.” - Alex Ingram, former chief reviewer.

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No matter how well the Hyundai Tucson drives, how comfortable it is to sit in, or how much equipment is crammed on board, if it costs too much to run, it won’t make it onto buyers' shortlists. Thankfully, the Tucson has a full range of petrol, mild-hybrid, full-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to suit all budgets and needs – basically everything short of an EV.

The cheapest version to buy is the 148bhp 1.6 T-GDi petrol-only model in Advance trim. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox and manages a respectable 39.8mpg on the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions are 161g/km.

If you opt for this engine with an automatic transmission, the fuel efficiency improves to 40.9mpg, and emissions drop to 157g/km. The improvement over the manual comes because the automatic uses mild-hybrid technology, which gives you a tiny electric motor to provide a little assistance when accelerating and lessen the load on the engine. 

Moving up to the full-hybrid powertrain boosts the WLTP combined efficiency figure for the Tucson up to a maximum of 50.4mpg. When we tested this model against the equivalent Ford Kuga and Vauxhall Grandland, the Hyundai returned an average of 42.6mpg, which is some way short of its official claim. Worse still is the fact that the Vauxhall managed 46.2mpg when faced with the same testing conditions, while the Ford led the pack at 48.6mpg.

Of course, the most efficient (and most expensive) variant is the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid. According to Hyundai, the Tucson PHEV claims up to 282.5mpg on paper, and CO2 emissions go as low as 22g/km. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that you’ll get close to these numbers in the real world, but it should be an affordable family SUV to run. Just remember to charge the battery as frequently as possible.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

The Tucson PHEV model is the only version that you’ll need to charge yourself. The rest of the hybrid line-up relies on energy recuperation from braking or the engine to charge their batteries. The Tucson Plug-in Hybrid uses a 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery to offer a WLTP combined pure-electric driving range of up to 43 miles in two-wheel drive form, or 39.1 miles when equipped with four-wheel drive. 

Although the figure we saw during our own testing was a little lower, you should have no problem covering more than 30 miles without using a drop of petrol if the car is fully charged. This is useful, but the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid has a claimed electric range of 74 miles thanks to its much larger 25.7kWh (19.7kWh usable) battery. 

Unlike the Tiguan eHybrid, the Tucson doesn’t have rapid charging capability, but its 7.2kW on-board charger means you can fully recharge the relatively chunky battery in under two hours if you use a suitably fast home wallbox or public charging point.

Insurance groups

Insurance premiums start from group 16 for the entry-level petrol Tucson in Advance trim, which is two groups lower than the entry-level Volkswagen Tiguan Life. 

Opting for the more powerful full-hybrid or plug-in hybrid model pushes the Tucson up to at least group 22. Generally speaking, no variant should be particularly overpriced to cover, although your premiums will ultimately depend on your personal circumstances.

Tax

All Hyundai Tucson models, regardless of powertrain, are liable for the standard rate of VED road tax. However, if you want to avoid the luxury car tax, you’ll need to stick towards the lower end of the Tucson line-up and go easy on the options, because this model can surpass the £40,000 mark without much effort.

Business buyers will be better off choosing the PHEV because this incurs a modicum of Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax relief, but fully electric cars still offer the very biggest savings. If you’d prefer to go down the EV route, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the closest alternatives.

Depreciation

Our market data suggests that the fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson range will retain between 53 to 55 per cent of its list price after three years and 36,000 miles of ownership. This is a stronger outcome than the big-selling Nissan Qashqai, which holds on to 47 to 49 per cent after the same amount of time. This is a similar performance to the Tucson’s sibling, the Kia Sportage, which manages 47 to 51 per cent.

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...

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When this generation of Hyundai Tucson arrived, it certainly marked a departure from its more conservative forbearers to stand out in the highly competitive medium SUV class. 

The designers of the revised Tucson have wisely chosen not to tone down its attention-grabbing exterior. The only changes of note are a new grille at the front and a more prominent lower portion of the bumper that includes a faux skid plate to bolster the car’s chunky SUV look. At the back, the Hyundai badge is now behind the glass of the back window, which looks much tidier.

Manufacturers across the board are raising their game when it comes to interior design and levels of onboard tech, and the Tucson is no exception. We were impressed by the premium feel of the interior before, but the design has been dramatically altered with the facelift to give it a look more in keeping with the cabins of the smaller Hyundai Kona and electric Hyundai Ioniq 5. 

The digital driver’s instrument cluster and central infotainment screen now flow into one another across the dashboard, while underneath the central screen are a series of physical shortcut buttons that are much easier to get on with compared with the touch-sensitive controls of the pre-facelift car.

Below them are the climate controls, which feature a pair of sizable dials that control the temperature for each front zone, which are much easier to find while driving than the touch-sensitive controls of the outgoing Tucson. The virtual buttons on a screen between the two dials are still touch-sensitive, although you shouldn’t need to interact with them often. The only major downside is that you’ll need to stretch more in order to reach the far corner of the central screen because it’s positioned further away.

Standard equipment is generous, with the entry-level Advance trim including 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, heated and folding door mirrors and the usual Bluetooth, wireless smartphone connectivity with a wireless charging pad, and DAB audio set-up.

Upgrading to Premium adds an electric tailgate, an upgraded Krell audio system, a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, along with extra active safety features such as an autonomous emergency braking system that prevents you from turning into the path of oncoming traffic at a junction, and adaptive cruise control to automatic and hybrid models.

N Line and N Line S models introduce a few sporty touches to the fourth-generation Tucson, both inside and out. The standard N Line mirrors much of what you get with Advance, but adds 19-inch alloy wheels, a reprofiled front bumper with larger intakes and a more aggressive rear diffuser with twin-exit exhausts. Buyers also get a tailgate spoiler and a fresh radiator grille, plus an N-branded steering wheel, black headlining, aluminium pedals and a pair of sports seats trimmed in black suede and leather for the cabin.

N Line S trim gets the same styling tweaks, but extends the kit list to include three-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, an electric panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera system, LED matrix headlights, and a blind spot collision warning system. 

Those who don't want a sporty-looking Tucson but want the gadgets fitted to N Line S will need to go for the top Ultimate trim, which adds driver’s seat memory settings and the availability of alternative seat colours.

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Interior and dashboard design

Once you’re sitting in the driver’s seat, you’re faced with a smart 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a clean, simple layout with only a few physical buttons and switches. Cars with a manual gearbox have a different centre console design, while automatic models follow the aforementioned Kona and Ioniq 5 in using a gear selector mounted just behind the steering wheel on the right, freeing up more storage space. 

Materials and build quality 

The solid feel of the pre-facelift Tucson carries through to the revised model, although our previous note of a sombre colour palette for most trim levels remains, despite the odd strip of fabric across the dash to break up the expanse of soft-touch plastic. 

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo 

The Tucson has a very impressive infotainment system that’s intuitive and straightforward to operate. Every model features a pair of 10.25-inch screens that offer fast loading times and clear graphics, plus built-in sat-nav (which works well), along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you would prefer to link up your smartphone.

The central touchscreen might not match the display sharpness or loading times of the Renault Austral’s Google-powered set-up, nor is it as big as the one in the Kia Sportage, but it’s still clear and easy to read. The main menu displays all of the key features in two rows of shortcut icons, and most of the sub-menus are fairly well thought out.

Hyundai has improved navigation to the driver-assistance menu, which is a blessing considering that the car can seem like it’s beeping at you incessantly as you’re driving along. You used to have to delve into various menus within the touchscreen, but now there’s a shortcut button on the steering wheel that sends you straight to the correct menu. There’s also a secret shortcut to deactivate the speed limit warning (a system that beeps when it detects you’re exceeding the speed limit), where you simply press the mute button for a few seconds to silence the system. 

A second 10.25-inch display sits ahead of the driver. The stats are easy to select via steering wheel-mounted buttons, and the colours and graphics adjust based on the chosen driving mode.

If you enjoy listening to music in your car, the upgraded Krell stereo available with Premium, N Line S, and Ultimate trims is worth considering.

“The latest Tucson’s cabin is worlds apart from any of its predecessors, and it manages to outshine numerous competitors while it’s at it. Much like the exterior, this interior design would genuinely be at home in a far pricier model due to the consistently high standard of materials, tech and build quality throughout.” - Shane Wilkinson, senior content editor.

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Passengers won’t be disappointed with the amount of interior space offered in the Hyundai Tucson. The driver’s seat and steering wheel have plenty of adjustment for rake and reach.

Hyundai has added a lot of features, even to entry-level cars, to make the Tucson a truly versatile family SUV. The rear seats fold in a 40:20:40 configuration, while there are front and rear armrests with cupholders and extra storage for assorted oddments. You’ll also find useful USB ports front and back, along with standard parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

If you want to pay for it, higher trim levels have luxuries such as an electrically operated tailgate, three-zone climate control and heated and ventilated seats to make longer journeys that bit more comfortable.

Dimensions and size

The Hyundai Tucson measures 4,525mm in length, 1,865mm wide (excluding door mirrors), and 1,653mm tall. As a comparison, the Volkswagen Tiguan is longer at 4,539mm, although the Tucson is 13mm wider.

Seats & passenger space

The latest Tucson’s wheelbase is only marginally longer than the previous model’s, but Hyundai has been clever with the car’s packaging to ensure that the cabin can easily accommodate two tall front passengers. 

There’s plenty of headroom, even with a panoramic roof thrown into the equation. However, those looking for memory settings for their driver’s seat will have to look towards the range-topping Ultimate trim.

It’s a similar story for rear passengers because, once again, taller occupants won’t be left wanting for room to stretch out in. There is also space for a third rear passenger, but the raised central floor prevents them from finding a truly comfortable position. The seats themselves are supportive, though, and there’s plenty of space under the front seats for the rear passengers’ feet.

Boot space

The Hyundai Tucson offers 620 litres of boot space in petrol manual form with the seats up, expanding to 1,799-litres with the seats down, which makes it family-friendly. That's around 30 litres more than you get in a Kia Sportage and a whopping 116-litres more than the Nissan Qashqai can manage. 

However, it’s worth noting that both hybrid and plug-in hybrid Tucson models have a reduced boot capacity of 577-litres with the seats up, and 1,651-litres with the seats folded, although that’s still much better than a plug-in eHybrid Volkswagen Tiguan, which only has 490- to 1,486-litres of capacity.

We think a few more hooks and individual storage compartments would be helpful, but overall, the space and flat floor should be fine for most day-to-day needs. The Tucson also has a modest amount of under-floor boot storage, which is always handy.

Towing

The Hyundai Tucson has varying braked towing capacities depending on your chosen powertrain. The weakest of the range are the PHEV models, but these can still lug a reasonable 1,210kg. The full-hybrids are a bit stronger at 1,510kg, while the mild-hybrid and pure-petrol cars can take on 1,650kg.

“There aren’t many cars in this class that come close to matching the Tucson’s cavernous boot. The load lip is fairly high – especially when compared with the Kuga’s – but at least the bumper isn’t deep.” - Alex Ingram, former chief reviewer.

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The electrified powertrains used in the Hyundai Tucson are widely used in other Hyundai models, so the Tucson should prove to be a reliable family SUV. The fourth-generation model scored a respectable 13th place out of 50 cars in the most recent  Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, too, which was miles ahead of its sister car, the Kia Sportage, which finished in 45th place in our best car to own rankings. The Kia does have an advantage in the warranty stakes, though, with seven years included, whereas Hyundai only manages five years.

The Tucson's standard safety kit is good, although to benefit from the full suite of active systems, you’ll need to upgrade to N-Line S or Ultimate trim. Both of these include a blind spot collision warning, forward collision avoidance assist, and rear cross traffic collision avoidance, which help you avoid any potential hazards as you reverse out of a driveway or parking spot.

Crash safety experts Euro NCAP awarded the fourth-generation Tucson a full five-star rating when it tested the family SUV in 2022. It received an 86 per cent score for adult occupant protection and 87 per cent for child occupants, although protection of the driver's chest was assessed as being only marginal.

• Best buy: Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Advance

The Tucson offers good value for money, but it can be a tad expensive to buy if you move up the range. Stick with the entry-level Advance trim, though, and you’ll get a decent helping of useful kit without forking out a fortune (you’ll avoid the luxury car tax, too).

Add the full-hybrid powertrain to this mix and you’ll save a pretty penny on running costs, too, without the need to plug-in.

Hyundai Tucson alternatives

Simply put, the mid-size SUV market is massive, so there’s plenty of competition for the Tucson to face. Closest to home is the Kia Sportage, which shares the same underpinnings as the Hyundai. Elsewhere, the Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Karoq, Mazda CX-5, Vauxhall Grandland, Renault Austral and Volkswagen Tiguan are just some of the seemingly endless rivals to choose from.

That’s already a large number of alternatives, but in addition to that are an ever-increasing list of fully electric SUVs you can choose from. The Renault Scenic, Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 are all strong competitors in this field, and then there’s an Auto Express Car of the Year to consider, the Skoda Elroq.

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