On the Road Review: Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Limited

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The fourth generation of the world’s best-selling vehicle from Hyundai is a greatly improved design with a dynamic design, more space and comfort inside as well as additional functions and two previously unavailable hybrid powertrains. The all-new Tucson continues a recent march forward by Hyundai, which demonstrates the determined and mature efforts to turn the perception of the brand on its head.

The enlargement compared to the previous version, 6 inches longer in total plus 3.5 inches added between the wheels, improves the rear passenger compartment (now top of the compact class) and the rear load compartment (also tops) considerably and at the same time improves the ride and the drive dynamics by one to create confident everyday drivers. With the same exterior size as Toyota’s best-selling RAV4 and Honda’s CR-V, the new Tucson is visually more exciting while offering a strong punch on both content and value.

Trim levels remain essentially the same, SE, SEL, Limited, with the exception of the addition of hybrid models to each. Sportier N-Line trim will be added later, while a plug-in hybrid version with 261 horsepower will hit the market late this fall. Prices start at $ 26,000 for SE Tucsons with front-wheel drive. The base Blue Hybrid starts at $ 30,275 but comes with more gear than the standard AWD. The mid-range SEL hybrid starts at $ 32,875 – the real sweet spot on the lineup, while our premium limited hybrid ranks for $ 38,704.

With average transaction prices soaring for all new vehicles from now over $ 41,000 – more than $ 6,000 in less than a year – the Tucson is crying out for value.

A 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder engine provides the base output (187 hp), but the real news is the optional 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder, which generates 227 hp with the hybrid electric motor and battery pack. Front-wheel drive Tucsons earn an EPA estimate of 26/33 mpg, while the hybrid model (with standard AWD) jumps to 37/36 mpg, versus a realized 37 mpg doing regular on-site commuter service. Fuel efficiency on the freeway was significantly lower at today’s speed, but still higher than most other SUVs on the road.

All models use a six-speed automatic. The hybrid adds unnecessary paddle shifters, while the shifter is a push-button affair on the console that requires time to adjust. Keys for buyers to remember; Hybrid models do not require electrical charging to achieve their increased fuel consumption. The gas engine and the regenerative braking effect charge the battery pack so that there is no “range fear” with a hybrid drive train, as with pure electric vehicles.

The Tucson’s front LED lights are integrated into the radiator grille and make a clear visual statement when they are active. The same applies to the rear, with the LED lighting spanning the rear wall. Hyundai has also moved the rear wiper up and under the top lip of the power tailgate so it’s invisible. The entire vehicle design is sleek and clean.

Inside, the Limited equipment features two 10.5-inch screens – in front of the driver and the center console – which differ from the 8-inch screens in other panels. The huge touchscreen on our reviewed Limited lacks tactile feedback like the buttons and knobs on the other presentations, but it remains more user-friendly than the setup used by several competitors. With Bose audio, navigation, Apple / Android, and multiple USB ports on the front and rear, everyone should be happy with the info / entertainment features available.

Limited also brings a huge panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled leather seats in the front (with memory settings), only heated seats in the rear and a heated steering wheel. The entire range of electronic driving aids (rear seat monitoring, lane change assistant, blind spot monitoring, forward brake assistant, active dynamic cruise control, parking aid, rear cross lane detection, side exit detection), with many standard functions for every Tucson equipment level, is also included. Hyundai’s popular lane change camera system is also here, plus you can remotely start the Tucson and drive it out of tight parking spaces – without anyone being in.

At the same size as the RAV4 and CR-V, as well as the rest of the compact crossover class, the Tucson undercuts its competitors in terms of price and offers more content at the same time. The Tucson also comes with three years of free scheduled maintenance as well as the infamous 10-year powertrain warranty that far surpasses any competitor.

The Tucson Hybrid is a serene and quiet driver, with lots of usable space and now stylish design and improved fuel efficiency. Consumers will surely want to hug.

Tim Plouff has been reviewing cars on the pages of The Ellsworth American weekly for nearly two decades.

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