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Hyundai Tucson Review

Sam Worth
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What's good?

– Spacious
– Smooth and comfortable
– Good variety of powertrains

What's bad?

– Dull looking centre dash
– Not very entertaining to drive

What's the score?

7/10

Overview

Hyundai revealed the first-generation Tucson in 2004. It was a very dreary looking car and didn’t have much to live for. It reminds me of the hideous Pontiac Aztek (the famous Breaking Bad car), only a lot better looking. Anything is better looking than that thing. Anyway, five years down the line, the second-generation Tucson was revealed, which is also known as the ix35. Then in 2015, the Korean company revealed the third-generation Tucson, which you could say is a massive facelift of the ix35.

If you don’t like the look of either of them, then there’s a good chance you’ll like the all-new fourth-generation Tucson. I’d go as far as saying it’s one of the best-looking SUVs currently on the market.

So, this – now used – Tucson still has pretty much everything you’ll need for a family car. Is it the best-looking? I wouldn’t say so. Even though it’s only three-years-old, it somehow looks twice that age, with certain parts of the body looking a tad uninspired. It just has that old look, more so at the back. So, it may not be the fanciest looking of all SUV’s, but it is practical, reliable, and safe, too, with a five-star Euro NCAP rating.

Drive

What I loved about the Tucson the most, which I never thought I’d think of as a 23-year-old petrolhead, is how comfortable, smooth, and spacious it was to drive. It was so comfy that, in a way, it made me want to drive slowly and just enjoy a calm, soothing ride for once. Basically, for the few days I had the car, I turned into one of those Sunday drivers. I still can’t figure out if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

It was sitting on 17-inch wheels, which had quite a lot to do with how comfortable the ride was. It deadened down the bumps on the road well. No, it isn’t as comfortable as a Range Rover, badge snobs. But not everyone wants to be mistaken as a famous footballer.

So, what’s it like at the corners? Well, it handles the back roads well, but it doesn’t feel that fun to drive. But will you care, Mums and Dads? Of course not. You’d care more about how many charging ports and iPad holders can fit in the back for the kids. By the way, I do know the answer. But I’m sure sellotaping an iPad around the kids heads will send them off to sleep quickly.

The Tucson was available with both petrol and diesel engines, with a six-speed manual, six-speed auto, eight-speed auto, and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. I was driving the 1.7-litre 139bhp diesel with the DCT. I would normally prefer to be in a petrol-powered car with a manual box, but after driving the 1.6-litre 130bhp petrol not long after I was in the diesel engine, I thought the diesel was a lot better, although I still preferred having the manual box. The diesel picked up quicker, especially from the low rpm with 250lb-ft, and felt much more suited to the car. Plus, it’s also more economical, with a claimed average mpg of 55.

What I did notice, both driving around town and doing motorway speeds, was the DCT. It would quite often get confused as to what gear it needed to be in and seemed quite laggy.

Something I found very entertaining, was the handbrake. When you lift it up, not only is it very light, but it’s also very sensitive, to the point where it becomes quite entertaining. If you’re doing, let’s say 30mph, and slowly put it on. It goes from ‘I’m going to slowly stop this vehicle’, to EMERGENCY STOP! So, as a result, you can do some bloody good handbrake turns in it. Sorry families who are looking for constructive and serious advice about the Tucson. But you never know, it may become useful one day… ‘Kids, I’m going to spin this car round and drive back home if you don’t stop misbehaving’.

Interior

Apart from the middle section of the centre dash looking dull, the interior looks alright. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the most inspired interiors in its class, let’s be honest here, but there’s nothing to dislike about it. You can tell quite a few Kia parts are transferred across, especially the driving features and controls.

The Tucson is 65mm longer, 30mm wider, and has a 30mm longer wheelbase compared to its predecessor, which does make inside feel incredibly spacious. The boot is extremely practical and wide, with 513-litres.

The seats may not look that appealing, but they’re exceptionally comfortable and supportive. Sitting on those seats was like going mattress shopping, and, finally, after all the mattresses you tried out, finding that perfect one you know will last you many, many years. Very good seats.

The infotainment system area is the only let down to the car’s interior, as it looks seriously dated and as if Hyundai have got the design of a car from the mid 2000’s. The SE Nav model tested has an 8-inch touch screen which is okay to use. Again, the colours, look and feel, just seem outmoded. Unfortunately, there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on this model year. However, newer Tucson’s do have it.

If there’s anything I didn’t like about the car, it’s the radio. For some odd reason, if you turn the volume down, switch the radio off, then the ignition off, the radio turns back on automatically every time you put the ignition or engine on. Very frustrating.

Verdict

If I’m honest, there’s nothing to dislike about the Tucson. For a family car, it virtually ticks every box, although it just doesn’t look the best from some angles. I would imagine most people, including me, would lean towards the Kia Sportage, which is the Tucson’s biggest rival. Why? It just looks better, mainly from the outside. But that’s it…

So, if you’re not bothered about looks, you know where you’re heading. But don’t forget about the fourth-generation Tucson. Because both the inside and outside has improved a load, and you could say it looks better than some parts of the all-new Sportage, now.