2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid First Test Review: Tough Matchup

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hyundai tucson hybrid complete overview

Hyundai’s latest update to its popular Tucson compact crossover has exterior style, the usual range of options for a pretty reasonable price, and a hybrid model for the first time. We recently had a chance to take the Top-Line 2022 Hyundai Tucson Limited all-wheel drive hybrid for a spin and we put it through our test spin cycle for a fair amount.

While the Tucson Hybrid is a relatively powerful and efficient machine, it struggled to hold its own against its stiff Japanese hybrid-powered competition in our performance tests, even if it stood out from its conventionally powered Tucson siblings.

Turbo hybrid power

Let’s start with the good news. We like the Tucson’s hybrid powertrain far more than the base 2.5L I-4 in the regular new Tucson 2022. We found the 2.5L underpowered and overwhelming. At its core, the Tucson Hybrid uses Hyundai’s 1.6-liter I-4 turbo (180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque) along with a permanent magnet electric motor (59 hp and 195 lb-ft); The combined output of the two power sources is 226 hp and 258 lb-ft, respectively, according to Hyundai. Unlike most hybrids on the market that rely on continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), the Tucson Hybrid uses a conventional six-speed automatic. The automatic offers a more natural feeling of acceleration than a CVT, which separates the engine speed from the road speed.

Our test team went so far as to describe the Tucson Hybrid as surprisingly funny during their time with it, but of course in a relative sense. This is a 3,835 pound crossover designed to be efficient at dealing with everyday tasks, not a track attacker. But even everyday drivers want to be able to draw some strength when threading, driving past or other hectic pace, and with 7.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h the hybrid Tucson is not slow. The only thing is that both the 2020 CR-V Touring (7.5 seconds to 60) and the RAV4 XSE (7.1 seconds) outperform the Hyundai. On the quarter mile, the Tucson Hybrid holds up a little more, with a 15.9 second run (at 84.4 mph), which is better than the CR-V (16.0 at 86.3 mph), but a half Second behind the RAV4 (15.4.). at 90.1 km / h).

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Stop and go around eight

Whether you’re racing through town or avoiding an impact, you want decent braking power. The Hyundai falls short in this area compared to some of its competitors – uh, long. Its 129-foot hold from 60 mph is average at best for a vehicle in its class, handily surpassed by the CR-V (120 feet) and the RAV4 (115 feet). Although the brake pedal action feels solid, especially for a hybrid, the all-season tires have been cited as a possible reason for the longer braking distances.

The Redemption of the Tucson Hybrid? As our tester Chris Walton remarked, “Wow, I wasn’t expecting that much fun. The performance is pretty surprising, there’s a lot of grip having to resort to manual shifting. There’s a surprising amount of grip and neutral attitude on the lower link with very mild understeer. “

Walton’s positive comments were borne out by the Tucson Hybrid’s performance in the MotorTrend Eight, where it beat the CR-V (28.0 seconds at 0.60 g) and RAV4 ( 27.6 seconds at 0.63 g). It also surpassed both in the skid pad and pulls slightly better than the CR-V (0.81 g) and RAV4 (0.80 g) at 0.82 g (average). This is a really peppy SUV that is fun to drive – brakes aside.

That dynamic excellence might just be enough to offset fuel efficiency, which lags behind that of the CR-V and RAV4 hybrids. At 37/36/37 city / highway / combined, the EPA estimates lag behind the CR-Vs (40/35/38) and the RAV4 (41/38/40). If there’s one area you really don’t want a hybrid to fall behind, it’s miles per gallon.

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Off the test track, there’s still a lot to like how the Tucson Hybrid does its business. The steering is of course with a precise feel, and over bumps and bruises the hybrid Hyundai shows a generally smooth ride. At high speed, there is a lot of noise in the interior, but nothing unusual. As an everyday driver, this crossover is arguably as good as any other in its class, although the non-hybrid 2022 Tucson did not fare well overall in a group test against its main competitors in the segment.

In the cabin, the 2022 Tucson is significantly larger than its predecessor. It is reflected in the spacious rear seat, which offers plenty of legroom for the rear passengers, and in the cargo area. We like the new interior layout, aside from a few criticisms of the touch-sensitive controls, and in the Limited trim you get all of the top-notch fixings and a huge amount of security features for a solid price of $ 38,704.

Looks good! More details?See all 33 photos

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