The Tucson is Hyundai’s entry into the compact SUV market, but instead of just dashing off another line of modified cars, Hyundai did its usual yeoman work and designed an SUV that actually works as an SUV. If you’re buying an SUV as a status symbol, or if the brand name matters to you, you’ll want to look elsewhere. But if you want an SUV that will function as a sports vehicle on the weekends and still work for getting you back and forth to work errands during the week, you need to give some serious consideration to the Hyundai Tucson. And did we mention it costs less than $20,000?
When you drive the Hyundai Tucson, it feels like a car on the road – not a sports car, of course, but definitely a pleasant car to drive. Even with this in mind, you’ll still want to get the V6 for a better driving experience. However, the acceleration on this vehicle is nothing to write home about at 10.2 seconds for 0 to 60 (the RAV4 V6 shaves 3 seconds off that figure). Gas mileage is also average, with ratings of 20 mpg in the city, and 25 mpg on the highway.
But beyond the technical specs, the Hyundai Tucson comes with a long list of attractive standard features, such as a satellite radio and safety features, like side curtain air bags. It also boasts a 10 year, 100,000 mile power train warranty – a real plus if you intend to use your SUV for more than just picking up lattes on the way to work.
Of course, there are some points where the competition surpasses the Tucson. The Tucson isn’t as speedy as the RAV4, nor as well designed as the Honda CR-V. It doesn’t have the driveability of the Nissan Rogue or the Saturn Vue, and the cargo capacity is less than others. But the best thing about this car is its price, which is certainly compelling and may just be more important than those other details, anyways. There’s no single competitor that surpasses this car in value or in all categories.
At the base level, you get 16 inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, full power doors and windows, heated outside mirrors, and a CD/MP3 player with satellite radio. Move up to the SE level and you add cruise control, premium cloth upholstery, a trip computer, fog lights, a windshield de-icer, heated front seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel and 4 wheel drive. At the deluxe level, you get leather upholstery, automatic climate control, a Kenwood audio and navigation system. Finally, the deluxe V6 adds a sun roof.
Standard safety features on all models include anti-lock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front seat side impact airbags, head side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. The Hyundai Tucson also boasts perfect 5 out of 5 star safety ratings on front and side impact crashes, and comparable scores on other safety tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Of course, some people will argue that the Hyundai Tucson offers nothing that really puts it head and shoulders above its competitors, except its better price and longer warranty. But, in your final analysis – unless you drive a particular manufacturer’s car for the status it lends – that may be all you need to make the Tucson your choice.
