Hyundai Tucson Review

Out goes the ix35, in comes the Tucson…marketing departments like using the phrase ‘game changer’, and usually it is a pile of baloney but to a certain extent the marketers have hit the nail on the head when talking about the ix35 – can the same be said for the Tucson? Well it certainly has road presence, the new 4x4 challenger from Hyundai certainly looks the part but has it got what it takes to take on the might of the Nissan Qashqai.

A good selection of engines is available on the Tucson range. Two petrol units are offered including a 132PS 1.6-litre GDI and a 177PS 1.6-litre GDI. If derv power is more your thing, then you will have three engines to choose from, a 116PS 1.7-litre, a 136PS 2.0-litre or a more powerful 185PS 2.0-litre power plant.

The newest engine on the Tucson range is the 177PS 1.6-litre GDI. This engine can be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or you can opt for a seven-speed dual-clutch auto ‘box.

Available for the first time, the seven-speed auto ‘box has been developed in-house and is especially useful when driving in town as it offers improved fuel economy and it also helps to lower the C02 emissions.

When out of town, the seven-speed ‘box has a high gear ratio. So, even when cruising along at motorway speed, the gearbox is working to your advantage by improving fuel economy up to 20%.

The Tucson is no world-beater when it comes to performance, however, it is on a par with its rivals. The most powerful petrol engine is the 177PS 1.6-litre GDI and as you can imagine also the quickest across the benchmark sprint setting a time of 9.1 seconds when mated to the auto ‘box while it will go on to a top speed of 112mph.

The flagship diesel engine, the 185PS 2.0-litre can reach 62mph from a standing start in 9.5 seconds when matched to the auto gearbox and it will go on to a top speed of 125mph.

This was probably the ix35’s weakest part, however, the engineers at Hyundai have worked on this are and the Tucson is a much stronger car when it comes to ride and handling. Even on windy roads the Tucson is fun to drive, where its predecessor, the IX35 would have felt wallowy, the Tucson feels able, it has impressive body control and it doesn’t wallow or roll in corners. This is a massive step forward for the Korean brand. It’s not perfect, as the steering could be better weighted but the Tucson has come a long way. You can toggle with the modes and switch to Sport mode when driving the automatic car with the flex steer system and yes the steering does become a tad heavier, however, it feels a tad artificial and therefore best to leave it in normal mode.

The Tuscon is hyundai’s best ever SUV to date, it’s fun and good-looking, so what’s not to like?

For those of you who want to off-road, the new Tucson is fairly decent, it may not be as hardcore as a Land Rover but then many Tucson drivers will not be in the wilds mud-plugging.

If you are intent on cutting across country then you will be pleased to now that Hyundai has added a hill descent function and a differential lock splitting the torque evenly between the axles for better stability at lower speeds on rough terrain.

This was another area where the IX35 had been poor in, the Tucson, however, is world’s apart. Plenty of work has obviously taken place at Hyundai’s R&D centre in Europe. With this in mind, the comfort levels are first class. The seats have a good level of bolstering and supportive when ‘pushing on’ through corners. SUV’s can suffer from external noise but the Tucson even at speed performed very well in this area. Wind, road and tyre roar was minimal and is right up there with the best in class.

There’s plenty of kit even on the entry-level S model. There’s too much too list but highlights include 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth seat trim,, aircon, a pair of 12-volt power sockets, a tyre repair kit, two rear ISOFIX points and a tyre pressure monitoring system, a DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, six speakers, USB/aux-in connections and a multifunction steering wheel.

Opt for the SE trim and this adds 17-inch alloys, roof rails, front and rear skid plates to the exterior. While inside, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearknob, a luggage net, driver’s electric seat lumbar support, heated front seats, climate control, full-size alloy spare wheel, cooled glovebox, cruise control, Flexsteer adjustable steering weight system, rear parking sensors and lane-keeping assist functionality all come as standard.

Move up to Premium and the exterior is enhanced with 19-inch alloy wheels and a chrome-effect radiator grille. On the inside highlights include electric front seats, heated outer rear seats, automatic lights and wipers, electric heated door mirrors, blind spot detection, front and rear parking sensors.

Choose the top-of-the-range Premium SE and basically you get all the bells and whistles mentioned previously but you also add ventilation for the front seats along, chrome door handles, LED headlights, a panoramic glass sunroof, a heated steering wheel (a boon in the winter for warming cold hands), powered tailgate, an automatic parking system (automatic only) and keyless entry.

As you would expect, the Tucson has a decent level of practicality. In fact it offers more space than the outgoing ix35 – the Tucson has almost 50 more space in the boot which takes its total to 513 litres with the rear seats in place. That’s around 80 litres more than its direct rival, the Nissan Qashqai. Fold the rear bench flat and the space expands to 1,503 litres. There’d plenty of head- and leg-room whether you’re up front or in the rear.

There are plenty of cup holders dotted around the cabin – two in the front and two in the arm rest between rear seats. Ideal, for when you take the family or friends on long journeys.

Thanks to offering a substantial level of kit as standard there’s no real need to fork out on too many optional extras. There’s the usual colour options of metallic and non-metallic etc and dealer-fit items such as towbars and roof boxes. However, the biggest bonus is of course Hyundai’s five-year warranty plan as this keep costs low. Take-up the fixed servicing plan and you should reap the savings. The most frugal engine on the Tucson range is the 132PS 1.6-litre GDI with 2WD as it has a claimed average economy of 61.7mpg and emits 119g/km of CO2 emissions.

With Hyundai’s five-year warranty, owning a new Tucson should not be any cause for concern. The product has been improving drastically over the past ten years. The Korean maker has turned a huge corner and this is highlighted all through the Tucson, the interior is fitted with quality materials and the majority of engines are proven. Hyundai’s star is shining brightly and the Tucson has only re-emphasised this fact. The ix35 set a good bar, the Tucson has raised it dramatically.

Even though EuroNCAP has not tested the Tucson as of yet, it is expected to receive top marks. Hyundai has added safety systems to make the Tuscon one of the safest cars in its class.

Six airbags, including driver, passenger, side and curtain all come as standard. The Tucson has a wide range of safety systems. Highlights include Autonomous Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist system and Active Hood System to name but a few.

An Autonomous Braking System is fitted as standard alerting drivers to unexpected situations ahead by the using radar and camera sensors. It is a three stage process, visual and acoustic alerts are up first, followed by gradually increasing braking force and if the driver is still unresponsive then the system will apply the full braking force to bring the car to a halt. Pedestrian detection will work up to 44mph while vehicles are detected up to 112mph.

Lane Keeping Assist system is available from xxxx upwards. Again this kit will warn the driver visually and acoustically if the driver starts to veer in to other lanes, if there is no response then the system will kick in using a corrective steer to force guide the driver.

Active Hood System is for enhanced pedestrian and cyclist safety. The bonnet is raised to cushion the impact shock in a frontal collision. The bonnet is raised by 60mm in less than 20 milliseconds from the moment of impact helping to lessen injury to pedestrians and cyclists.