- HYUNDAI TUCSON
- Price range: $ 49,990 to $ 72,990
- Powertrains: 2.0-liter petrol in-line four-cylinder with 115kW / 192Nm, 8.6L / 100km, six-speed automatic, FWD, 1.6-liter turbo in-line four-cylinder with 132kW / 265Nm, 6.9L / 100km, seven-speed dual clutch Automatic, AWD and 1.6-liter turbodiesel in-line four with 100kW / 320Nm, 5.2L / 100km seven-speed double clutch automatic, AWD.
- Body style: SUV
- On offer: now
Exactly 17 years to the day after the Hyundai Tucson first arrived in New Zealand, we are driving the fourth generation. It has a chic new look, fresh engines (although nothing is electrified yet), and loads of tech. Tucson is Hyundai’s strongest seller, so the new one has to be good.
Make me an expert right away: what do I need to know?
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
The new Tucson is here and it looks great.
Can also start with the obvious – the new grille. It looks massive, but also houses the LED daytime running lights along the outer edges. The lights are pretty noticeable in the dark and not really like anything else on the street. There are also corner-mounted fog lights for better visibility.
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On the back is a full-width LED strip with two lines on each end. On higher-quality models, these are LEDs and both light up when braking, while basic models get halogens and only the outer bar lights up.
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
It’s hard to fault the design of the new Tucson.
The profile has a number of kinks and angles that stand out particularly above the wheel houses. Hyundai’s best looking vehicle right now? Quite possible.
Inside is a completely new interior with a new center console with a digital screen that sits over touch-based media and air conditioning controls. Base models replace some of these with physical controls and analog displays instead of a digital instrument cluster.
Oddly enough, the high-end Tucsons don’t have a wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, but the lower ones do. This is obviously due to the way the wireless charging and navigation systems work. Still strange.
Delivered
The inside is as stylistically adventurous as the outside, but a lovely, upscale place.
The new Tucson is powered by one of three different four-cylinder engines when it was launched. The range starts with the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine (115 kW / 192 Nm), goes through the 1.6-liter turbodiesel (100 kW / 320 Nm) to the 1.6-liter turbo petrol engine ( 132 kW / 265 Nm). The 2.0-liter gets a six-speed automatic, while the other two use newer seven-speed dual clutch automatics.
In the next year, Hyundai will present hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants that together produce 169 kW / 350 Nm and 195 kW / 350 Nm respectively.
The fuel values quoted by Hyundai are in line with the NEDC test cycle, which is a bit old now and is not what the government uses to see if a car is too polluting or not. The NEDC values tend to be a bit lean, which means that in the real world the car really uses more fuel and emits more CO2.
During the launch, Hyundai said the 2.0-liter gasoline would likely be penalized next year if the clean car discount becomes a sliding scale while the diesel should be below the CO2 limit. It’s harder to tell with the turbo gasoline engine, but it can also just slip in.
Where did you drive it
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
In the sleepy town of Whangamomona, the New Age design looked a bit strange.
The starting gun was fired in New Plymouth at the Len Lye Center. It was apparently chosen because its design is quite fancy, a “flashy and provocative expression of movement” like the new Tucson. Fair enough.
From there we went to Richard Landers’ Glass Studio, about half an hour west of New Plymouth, before winding our way back through town towards the Forgotten World Highway and the Whangamomona Hotel.
It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that the new Tucson does great in urban areas, especially the diesel. Although the engine type has fallen out of favor in recent years, it’s hard to argue with this low torque. There’s a decent bit of horsepower too, though there’s not much to do when you crank the engine all the way up to the red line.
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
There are more than a few iconic photo spots on the Forgotten Highway.
Hyundai’s 1.6-liter oiler is also smoother than you might expect, aided by the new dual-clutch automatic transmission. Most of the time we drove at high speed so I couldn’t tell if the transmission had the typical dual clutch jolt at takeoff, but it’s nice when it’s in motion.
When switching to the atmospheric 2.0-liter base model, the lack of forced induction is clear, but the engine never feels overly stressed. It still pulls the Tucson forward well and the older six-speed gearbox is well distributed.
Part of this is thanks to the new chassis, which is designed for weight, comfort and a variety of drive trains. Quite simply, it’s great.
The all-wheel drive models weigh around 1650 kg, while the front drivers weigh around 200 kg less. Hitting the curvy parts of the Forgotten Highway in Sport mode showed how much work was put into the chassis – the cars don’t really feel as heavy as they might appear on paper.
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
Thanks to AWD, rough roads are not an issue for the new Tucson.
With the heavier steering of the sport mode, the Tucson is reactive and likes to be pushed. If you push too hard you will understeer, but that’s largely due to design (it’s easier to save than to oversteer). Interestingly, the transmission parameters haven’t changed much in sports, which means that the computer looks for higher gear ratios instead of staying in a lower gear for longer.
There’s no Tucson N yet, but there is an N-Line model that takes advantage of the 1.6-liter turbo gasoline engine and adds a number of sporty design elements, such as various seats, a glossy black grille, dual exhaust, special alloys, and a special one Interior package.
It’s not the only model in the line with the 1.6T (but it’s only available with the 1.6T) and it’s the best example of how good it can be. The engine is powerful, with maximum torque at 1500 rpm and power at 5500 rpm. If there was a bit more in both output areas, maybe it would be my choice …
What is the selection of the range?
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
These DRLs are very cool and instantly recognizable at night.
… But it looks like my favorite is the 1.6 liter diesel. Not sure if it’s better on the Limited or Elite trim considering the former doesn’t have wireless phone mirroring, but other niceties that the latter lacks.
Either way, the diesel engine is superb, cheaper than the gasoline, and if you like that type of powerplant it might be one of the last times to get one. It won’t be punished next year either.
Next year, mention the hybrids are due in early 2022. I expect these to be brilliant (especially if Hyundai can get prices below $ 80k) and I’ll likely change my mind on the PHEV. But now the diesel gets it.
Nil Bijoux / Stuff
There isn’t actually a dud, but the 1.6-liter diesel is my pick until the hybrids arrive next year.
Why should i buy it?
You want an SUV that really stands out and drives better than you might expect, but also doesn’t cost an arm or a leg.
Why shouldn’t I buy it?
You’re waiting for the juicy electrification to come next year or you don’t like it when people look at you.
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