How do you like the third-generation people’s SUV?
In 2004 we got acquainted with the Hyundai Tucson. Despite its somewhat awkward, pusher-like appearance, the budget SUV was a hit. The second-generation Tucson could not match the success of its predecessor, but has been surpassed by the new Tucson introduced in 2021. Is this still the people’s SUV of yesteryear and more importantly, how does it please its owners? They answer themselves.
The third and current generation Tucson comes with three different powertrains. At the bottom of the range we find a conventional 1.6 T-GDI with 150 hp, above that are a hybrid with 230 hp and a 265 hp plug-in hybrid. Judging by the reviews, most Tucson drivers opt for an electrified variant. Experiences in this article are largely based on drivers with a Tucson HEV or PHEV, the regular 1.6 GDI is hardly written about in the review section on AutoWeek.nl. Inveterate diesels must pass the Tucson by the way.
Comfort and space
Owners are very pleased with the driving and seating comfort of the new Tucson. “The car is above all a comfortable cruiser, the seats are good and the driving position is fine. You have the overview, no real blind spots in the front,” writes this owner of a hybrid Tucson, to continue: “What immediately struck me is that the car is so incredibly quiet – even at speeds above 100 km/h. Above 130 km/h, a small amount of wind noise is audible.”
Formulated more staccato is the following positive criticism, recorded by the driver of a Tucson N-line. “Interior: Sufficiently spacious. Trunk ditto, rear seat is also fine and easy to be on the road with four adults.”
When it comes to seating comfort, user experiences vary. The higher seating position and extensive adjustment options of the furniture can count on positive criticism. This is less true of the seats themselves, as the following user writes: “The seats were not very comfortable to begin with. The seat was not pleasant, maybe too soft, and you feel a hard tube or something like that at the back and a gap between the seat and the backrest.” Apparently you get used to it after a few months. “Now, after about 6,500 km, we notice that the seat now feels the same everywhere. You like the hardness better now, or we’re used to it?” The owner of a plug-in hybrid Tucson Premium cannot get used to it after 15,000 km and is looking for an alternative solution.
The sporty-looking seats of the N-line also create expectations, at least for the owner who bought his Tucson used. “The seats are equipped with Alcantara. Fine, but the support is not special. They are also quite hard and I miss the feeling that you sit comfortably ‘in’ the chair. If you are used to the sports seats of other brands, this is a bit difficult.
How does the Tucson drive?
As read before, the Tucson convinces with silence and comfort. The handling fits well with that, as this driver writes about his Hybrid. “It’s not a car for quickly taking a roundabout, ‘throwing’ through a bend or simply going down the Stelvio Pass. The car is big and heavy, even a bit unwieldy. It’s a car for cruising on the highway, calm and comfortable.”
The hybrid Tucson is also convincing on longer motorway journeys, as the owner who drove his 2021 Comfort towards Austria experiences. “Driving on the motorway at 170/180 km/h. Even then the Tucson drives well, with the 230 hp this is not difficult at all and the car continues to accelerate super fast from 120/130 km/h to 170/180 km/h. I feel that I still have some power left. The car remains easy to handle, braking and accelerating again is pleasant.”
Owners are quite pleased with the hybrid powertrain, although they have to get used to the sometimes higher speed at low speeds. “The car drives wonderfully smoothly and the electric and petrol engine work well together. I do find the petrol engine quite noisy at idle, but fortunately it is not necessary in most cases,” writes the owner of a 2022 model. Several owners notice that the petrol engine is regularly switched off even in the hybrid Tucson. They indicate that entire stretches are covered electrically, even at highway speed.
Tucson as a caravan tractor
The hybrid Tucson is also convincing as a caravan tractor, which can tow trailers up to 1,650 kg. “We went to Norway with the caravan for three weeks and the car has not disappointed for a moment. The steepest passes were conquered with the greatest of ease as if you had nothing hanging on the towbar,” writes an enthusiastic caravanner. “I like the Tucson as a caravan tractor, very stable and comfortable,” writes another, who owns a 1,500 kg Hobby 460 SFf.
These experiences are in stark contrast to those of the dissatisfied caravanner with a plug-in hybrid Tucson, which incidentally has a lower towing weight of up to 1,350 kg. “With a load of 1,250 kg, the car gets stuck in gear at 3,800 and sometimes 4,800 rpm on slopes and, for example, flyovers, and you cannot get it out if you want to.” In the comments under his review it appears that he is not alone. So caravan tractors seem best off with a regular hybrid Tucson, which is confirmed by another PHEV driver. “The automatic has no manual mode, which is difficult for caravanners. The flippers are overruled by the machine after a short time and are therefore mainly a pointless gimmick.”
Maintenance and malfunctions
Apart from the moderate towing of a caravan, Tucson drivers report few serious problems. One owner had to contend with a leakage current, which was resolved after replacing a computer. The driver of a PHEV had problems charging his car, caused by a faulty on-board charger. This was replaced under warranty. “An expensive joke if you had to pay for it yourself”, he writes, “because the price of an OBC is over €1,000 excluding VAT (!)”.
The maintenance interval of the Hyundai Tucson is every 15,000 km or a year, which, among other things, surprises this positive owner. “That takes some getting used to. The Optima (diesel) had an interval of 30,000 km.” You could also look at it in another way, as this owner does: “The warranty is 5 years, but in fact you pay for it yourself because maintenance has to take place every 15,000 (!) km.”
Driving aids and safety systems
As befits a modern car, the Hyundai Tucson is also equipped with driver assistance systems. The most notable is the combination of these systems, which is called Highway Drive Assist. A function popularly known as ‘Autopilot’. Several owners are positive about this system, although there are minor points for attention, as the following user describes. “There are no sensors in the steering wheel, but the system reacts to steering movements. The car is only satisfied if you occasionally move the steering wheel yourself.” HDA also likes to adjust the speed itself based on read traffic signs. “Ideal, you might think, but… HDA reads signs on the side of the road or matrix signs above the road. It has happened a number of times that he assumed the signs on exits or parallel roads as the maximum speed. It is really strange when your car suddenly slows down to 40 km/h on the German highway…”
Whether the Hyundai Tucson is still a good offer depends on how you use the car. Most users enjoy their spacious, quiet SUV. When it comes to the quality of the seating, Hyundai still has some homework to do, which also seems to apply to the towing capabilities of the Tucson PHEV.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl