We've driven the Tucson from the urban streets of Miami, the city streets of Los Angeles and uneven hills, mountains and beaches with luggage, equipment, and whatever else you can think of that you take on a road trip. tHE Tucson was extraordinary.
Starting at about $28,235, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson limited in the hybrid line is one of the most functional and multifaceted yet affordable SUVs on the market today. With surprisingly luxurious touches, this Hyundai currently has a striking lineup of incredible cars, trucks and SUVs and the Tucson holds its own in every way.
The sunroof or moonroof if you will, yeah it really mattered to open that roof and let in that cool California air for the treat. The technology enabled us to stay up to date with traffic patterns while listening to the best music on our crystal clear sound system. We had more than enough room and the cargo area to get everything back there. Parking in the city was easier because the SUV is a midsize model.
We are about style and design so that matters, and the Tucson has that in spades.
The exterior is sleek and athletic with bold yet subtle lines running along the side profile into a triangular pattern; it's like an arrow pointing to the front.
It's very well thought out and it leans forward where you can clearly identify the ground clearance and the drag coefficient ambition. The grill and front area is the standard Hyundai digital wing with cubes flowing to either side. It's futuristic and I've always liked that design and I hope Hyundai stays with it.
INSIDE
Inside the seats are sporty and comfortable. The steering wheel is sport inspired with your controls embedded on either side. I enjoyed the fact that the dash was streamlined with lines running horizontally and the dominant infotainment screen in the middle the combination of push button options. The airflow throughout the cabin is strong and responsive. That matters when it's boiling outside and you need some quick air. The second row seats can fit three but more comfortably to handle and these are ample places to charge your iPhone or Android and your pads and tablets.
The legroom was just right because I'm tall and so is the rest of my family. The headroom was just right as well. I always want to see more lighting inside because women and family members need to find stuff when they drop it at night or be able to see when they dig around in their purse. Other than that the interior was well designed and the center console and doors have lots of space and storage areas to put your things that you don't want to hold.
Because of its size it might be a good fit for an outdoorsy type or a small family. With its towing capacity it may even be a fit for a boater or a kayaker.
All in all there's very little to pick at when it comes to the Hyundai Tucson. It's stylish, it performs well in various driving environments, and it works.
THE DRIVE
The Tucson is powerd by a 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder, standard with an eight-speed automatic and front or all-wheel drive. A turbocharged 1.6-liter four powers the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, or a combined 226-hp and 261-hp. Real drivers will love that all-wheel drive is standard with the electrified powertrains. Both of them are equiptedf with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The best thing about driving the Tucson is the handling and its agility. It’s sturdy yet light, confident, its steering is tight and its cornering is smooth. It's also quiet which inspires a sense of luxury that is rare to find in this class.
This is not a high performance SUV so we didn’t expect to burst into the fast lane on the freeway. Our research revealed that the Tucson averaged 0-60 in about 8 seconds. The more powerful Tucson hybrid and plug-in hybrid are both faster. The entry-level powertrain is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder but the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models use a turbocharged 1.6-liter four that's buttressed by an electric motor—a combination that provides more quickness.
Comments