Review
Another of Hyundai's increasingly impressive family of SUVs, the entry-level Tucson is intended for those looking for off-road kudos on a tight budget.
The design features rather too many cues from the previous generation Santa Fe, itself no oil painting, but the Tucson's compact dimensions mean that it looks far less brutish than hulking big off-roaders. The cabin is nicely designed and standard equipment is excellent, including both air conditioning and an electric sunroof, but lots of the materials feel a bit cheap and shiny compared to more upmarket rivals.
It's practical, too. Rear seat legroom is a bit tight for adults, but there is more than enough for kids, while the nice, big boot is easy to access.
Dynamic performance is relatively underwhelming. The Tucson drives poorly over anything other than completely smooth road surfaces thanks to a sometimes bouncy ride. Refinement is disappointing, too, with lots of wind and road noise getting into the cabin at motorway cruising speeds. The steering also feels slightly disconnected which, in conjunction with low grip levels, means that more rapid progress is better not attempted.
Three engines are available. The entry-level 2.0 litre petrol gives respectable performance and decent fuel economy - although we can't quite see the point of the base two-wheel drive version. The 2.7 litre V6 drives through a standard automatic gearbox and is thirsty and barely faster. The 2.0 CRDT diesel gets loud under hard use, but delivers determined performance and respectable fuel economy.