With these looks, the new Hyundai Tucson medium SUV really stands out from the crowd.
But does it deserve to?
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This is the fourth generation Tucson, and here we're testing the 1.6 litre turbo petrol
all-wheel drive Elite. It's priced right in the heart of the range and pitched up against other
five-door five-seat SUV big sellers like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.
Hyundai calls the Tucson's exterior design language
sensuous sportiness. It takes a bit of getting used to.
Check out what Hyundai calls the parametric grille, the bulbous wheel arches and the
creased side panels. A subtler touch is the glass Hyundai emblem in the tailgate.
You can get your Tucson Elite in a choice of three four-cylinder engines,
including this impressive 1.6 litre turbo petrol.
It mates up with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, operated by push buttons and
flappy peddles. Drive gets to all four wheels via Hyundai's HTRAC all-wheel drive system.
Elite is the intermediate trim, but it still looks good with its leather seats
and steering wheel and piano black trimmings.
This shift-by-wire gear change stands out as an interior innovation,
but while Hyundai says it sits on a bridge style console,
that's a bit misleading because there's no pass-through underneath.
The other new headline feature is this 10.25 inch touch screen. It really is very easy to operate,
but it also seems to smear easily as well.
The Elite comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection
but bring your cable because only the base model Tucson has wireless connection.
Befitting its role as a family hauler, wherever you sit or wherever you look in the Tucson,
you're gonna find storage options. Up front, there is a sizable lidded bin, door storage pockets,
a double cup holder, a decent glove box, and this handy storage tray to throw your phone in.
Hyundai claims the Tucson is the driver assist leader in the medium SUV class. Several new
features added to existing staples, such as autonomous emergency braking.
It's also the first Hyundai to come with a front centre airbag.
The new Tucson is bigger and has a longer wheelbase, and it really shows in the back
seat. There's heaps of space back here for two adults.
They also get door and seat back storage, a double cup holder, and aircon vents.
There are also outboard ISOFIX and three top tether restraints to secure the youngsters.
So no power operation of the tailgate, which is a bit of a surprise at this price,
but once you do open up, there's heaps of space in here. There's a full-size spare mounted to an
alloy wheel under the floor, a security blind, a 12-volt outlet, four hooks and a remote latch
to fold the second row seats, and then space back here grows from impressive to enormous.
So what have we got so far? A dramatic exterior,
a sensible interior. But what's the Tucson Elite like to drive?
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Well, first impressions are the Tucson Elite veers towards the more sensible
end of the driving spectrum, and that's the right course to take.
Initial response from the engine and transmission is a bit hesitant,
but once up and running, this is a smooth and responsive combination.
The Tucson Elite does steer nicely. It's an electric assist system,
but it doesn't have any obvious dead spots,
and there is good feel. The only real drawback is some kickback over bumpy corners.
Hyundai's probably got a bit too enthusiastic favouring the handling side
over ride comfort. It's masterish, but not quite as good at resolving the sharp hits. The all-wheel
drive system does the job well on gravel. Accelerate hard and there's little wheel spin.
There's no doubt Hyundai's made the Tucson cabin a calm and quiet place in which to travel.
Wind, road, tyre, and engine noise are all well contained.
You'd think a turbo petrol engine would equal significant thirst, but the Tucson
Elite proves it needn't be so, not veering too far north of its claimed consumption number,
all of which adds up to a versatile driving experience.
The Tucson can handle the burbs, freeways, gravel rides, and just about everything in between.
The Tucson Elite comes with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty
and a capped price service plan, but like all petrol turbo Hyundais,
it has to be serviced every 10,000 kilometres. That's quite a short interval.
There is not much to dislike about the new Hyundai Tucson Elite. Well maybe the front
end takes a bit of time to get used to, and the dramatic creases and the big guards,
but underneath the styling flourishes, this is one very solid effort from Hyundai.
It deserves to stand out for all the right reasons and not just for its looks. Thanks for watching.
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