2020 Hyundai Tucson Range Review

What stands out?

The Hyundai Tucson is an enjoyable, well-equipped and very comfortable medium SUV that seats five. A powerful turbocharged diesel engine is available across the range, and you can also get a smooth and swift turbo petrol. All-wheel drive is available, and autonomous emergency braking is available across the range. Every Tucson has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and are covered by Hyundai’s five-year warranty.

What might bug me?

Not having the option to fit the SmartSense active safety suite in manual versions of the Active and Active X.

Having to make do with the relatively lacklustre 2.0-litre petrol engine if you want a more affordable two-wheel-drive Tucson.

What body styles are there?

Five-door SUV-style wagon only.

Some Tucsons drive only their front wheels, while others drive all four wheels. The Tucson is classed as a medium SUV, lower priced.

What features do all Tucsons have?

Cruise control, air conditioning, a reversing camera, and rear parking sensors that help you judge how far the bumper is from obstacles.

Headlights that turn on automatically when it’s getting dark, and bright, long-lived LED daytime running lights and front fog lights.

A colour touchscreen, from which you can control the audio system. Sound sources include an AM/FM radio, aux and USB inputs, and Bluetooth phone calls and audio streaming.

Support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which lets you display apps from your smartphone on the car’s touchscreen and operate them from there.

A tilt and telescopic adjustable leather appointed steering wheel with controls for audio, phone, cruise control and trip computer.

Roof rails, which make it easier to fit rooftop luggage systems.

Hill-start assist, which operates the brakes automatically to make take-offs on steep hills easier. Downhill brake control, which can regulate speed automatically on steep downslopes when driving off-road.

Alloy wheels, and full-size spare wheel.

Hyundai Auto Link app which you can use to keep track of vehicle information such as tyre pressure, driving history statistics, parking management and service scheduling.

Six airbags. Electronic stability control, which can help you control a skidding car. (For the placement of airbags, and more on Tucson safety features, please open the Safety section below.)

All automatic Tucsons come with an active safety package, which Hyundai calls SmartSense, that includes autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, driver attention alert, lane keeping assist.

Every Hyundai Tucson carries a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

Which engine uses least fuel, and why wouldn't I choose it?

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel uses least fuel of the three engines available in a Tucson, consuming as little as 6.4 litres/100km on the official test (city and country combined). This diesel four-cylinder – which Hyundai calls the 2.0 CRDi – is also the most powerful engine in a Tucson. And every diesel Tucson drives all four wheels.

In the real world the diesel uses a bit more fuel than that, and especially when lugging around town. On a long highway trip you could expect about 7.5 litres/100km, but if you use the car mainly around town then a long-term average nearer 11 litres/100km is likely.

Therefore, one reason you might not choose the diesel is that most of your driving is short suburban trips, where its fuel use advantage is less significant. As well, a diesel Tucson needs frequent 30-minute highway drives to prevent clogging of its particulate filter, which prevents exhaust soot from dispersing into the atmosphere.

A second reason you might not choose the diesel is that you want to pay less for your Tucson: at any equipment level, the diesel costs more than its petrol alternative.

Finally, both of the Tucson’s petrol engines are smoother and quieter than the diesel.

For fuel use, it makes little difference which petrol engine you choose.

The more powerful of the petrols is the 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder that you can get with the more expensive Tucsons, the Elite AWD and Highlander. Hyundai calls it the 1.6 T-GDi, and it uses 7.7 litres/100km on the official test.

In a real-world comparison conducted for Wheels magazine, a Tucson Highlander with this engine averaged 10.9 litres/100km, ranking second for efficiency among four medium SUVs reviewed (behind a Mazda CX-5 – 10.2 litres/100km).

The less powerful petrol engine is the GDI (for gasoline direct injection) 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder supplied with front-drive Go, Active X and Elite Tucsons. It uses about as much fuel as the 1.6 turbo – Wheels recorded a 10.7 litres/100km average.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox (Go and Active X) or a conventional six-speed automatic (Go, Active X, and Elite). It’s a good engine for around town and does well at highway speeds, however it lacks oomph when needed, such as when overtaking.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel now comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox (Elite and Highlander), which makes it quieter and more responsive than previous models equipped with a six-speed transmission.

The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol comes only with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (Elite and Highlander).

A dual-clutch automatic works like a manual gearbox that’s controlled robotically. It reduces fuel use and offers very smooth shifts on the highway. But it cannot match the very fluid, elastic starts from rest that you get with a conventional automatic.

(Power outputs and all other Tucson specifications are available from the Cars Covered menu, under the main image on this page.)

What key features do I get if I spend more?

The least costly Tucson is the Active. It comes with the 2.0 petrol engine and two-wheel-drive, 17-inch alloy wheels and full-size steel spare, cloth seat trim, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio system, and the features in all Tucsons.

The cheapest Active comes with the manual gearbox, but you can upgrade to the six-speed automatic gearbox, which also brings ‘SmartSense’ active safety that includes camera-based auto braking and lane-keeping assist.

You also pay more to get the diesel engine and all-wheel drive – the latter enhancing security and stability when the going gets slippery. (An eight-speed auto gearbox is standard.)

Paying more for an Active X sees an improvement to the entertainment system including an 8.0-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio. You also get part-leather seats (there is a mix of real and fake leather) with front lumbar support, a nicer feeling steering wheel and gear knob, and more attractive door trims.

The exterior gains power folding, heated side mirrors, and the alloy wheels grow to 18-inches with full-sized alloy spare.

Tyre pressure monitoring helps with tyre wear and fuel economy, and parking is made easier with rear parking sensors.

The Active X has the same petrol and diesel powertrain options as the Active.

Upgrading to the Tucson Elite brings additional features to the SmartSense package including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitor and high-beam assist. The autonomous emergency braking is more advanced, using both camera and radar sensors that allow to detect pedestrians and prevent or mitigate collisions at higher speeds.

The full SmartSense suite also adds non-safety extras such as duel-zone climate control that allows you to set different temperatures for each side of the cabin, electric parking brake glovebox cooling, and puddle lamps that shine down from the external mirrors when you walk up to the car at night.

The Elite also gains smart key and a start button, which let you unlock and start the car with your key kept safely in a pocket or bag. The driver’s seat is power-adjustable, the windscreen wipers turn on automatically when it’s raining, and the wheel diameter grows to 18 inches, with wider tyres that supply more dry-weather grip.

In an Elite you can stick with 2WD, in which case you receive the same engine as the Active and Active X. Or you can go for all-wheel drive, which allows you to have either of the more powerful engines – the turbo-petrol or the turbo-diesel.

Going for a Tucson Highlander adds power adjustment for the front passenger’s seat, and heating and ventilation to both front seats and heated steering wheel.

The Highlander also gains bi-function LED head-lights and tail-lamps, front parking sensors, wireless phone-charging pad, keyless power tailgate, panoramic glass sunroof, twin-tip exhaust and bigger 19-inch alloy wheels.

Does any upgrade have a down side?

Not really. Spending more on a Tucson brings you the better turbo engines and of course more handy features.

The Tucson Active rides more comfortably on its 17-inch wheels than the Active, Elite and Highlander ride on their 18s and 19s, because the lower profile tyres on the bigger wheels have less rubber and air cushioning the wheels from the road. The difference is most pronounced at city speeds.

Of nine colours available only one, Pure White comes without extra cost. Other colours cost about $600.

If you want the beige interior in the Active X, Elite or Highlander you’ll have to pay $295 over the standard black.

How comfortable is the Tucson?

The Hyundai Tucson has everything passengers need to feel very comfortable, from ample room to an absorbent ride and great seats.

The front-seat cushions are generously proportioned and nicely cushioned, and the backrests offer good side support. The leather-trimmed steering wheel is nice to hold. Minor controls (such as those for the air-conditioning and audio systems) are neatly laid out.

The Tucson’s steering-wheel buttons help the driver to work the audio system, a paired phone and the cruise control. The satellite navigation on Active X, Elite and Highlander versions is easily programmed via the central touchscreen.

The Tucson handles bumps smoothly. Its suspension feels more supple than that on most alternative medium SUVs, without being floaty.

Occupants are well insulated from noises and harshness from the engine, suspension and tyres, which makes the Tucson feel solid and refined. The engines themselves are nice too. The petrols – the 1.6 turbo in particular – are a bit quieter and smoother than the diesel.

The Tucson’s steering, accelerator and brake controls are smoothly responsive, and light to operate. Even the 2.0 petrol in 2WD Tucsons can handle highway cruising quite comfortably. It is when overtaking, or perhaps when climbing long hills with a full load, that you might wish for the additional thrust that either turbo will give you.

What about safety in a Hyundai Tucson?

Autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, anti-lock brakes, stability control, a strong body, six airbags, a reversing camera, and seatbelt reminders for all positions, are solid safety fundamentals in all Hyundai Tucsons.

The airbags are in the usual places: two directly in front of the driver and front passenger; one alongside each front occupant at chest level to protect from side impacts; and a curtain airbag down each side protecting the heads of front and rear occupants.

The Hyundai SmartSense package is available across the range, albeit with a more, camera-based, basic version in the more affordable Active and Active X Tucson. It features a City/Urban version of the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (auto braking) system, which utilises a windshield-mounted camera to detect other vehicles in front of the Tucson. This works above speeds of 8km/h, up to speeds of 180 km/h and, if a potential collision is detected, sounds an audible warning chime and display a visual warning. It will also automatically apply the vehicle’s brakes in the case of a potential collision and will attempt to bring the vehicle to a complete stop if activated up to speeds of 65 km/h.

This system also comes with lane-keeping assist that acts on the steering to help you bring the car back, and driver attention alert, that senses if the car is drifting within its lane and recommends the driver take a break.

The SmartSense system in the Elite and Highlander features both camera and radar sensors allowing for additional active safety applications. These include a more advanced auto-braking system that detects pedestrians as well as other vehicles and will bring the car to a stop from speeds up to 80km/h.

It also brings smart active cruise control which also works at slow speeds in heavy traffic; blind-spot detection, which warns when a vehicle is alongside out of view. Lane change assist alerts you if a vehicle in an adjacent lane is approaching quickly from behind. Lane departure warning lets you know that you are drifting distractedly out of your lane (a sign of fatigue), and rear cross-traffic alert, which warns when reversing that something is crossing your path.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) awarded the Tucson five stars for safety, its maximum, in January 2016. The Tucson achieved perfect scores in the pole and side-impact parts of the ANCAP test, on the way to a terrific total score of 35.53 out of 37.

I like driving - will I enjoy this car?

The Tucson is a responsive, well-balanced handler. It grips the road surely and is capable of surprisingly quick cornering without excessive body lean. The steering is quite keen, although it’s not as feel-rich as the steering systems in fine-handling SUV alternatives such as the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Escape.

The 19-inch wheels and low-profile tyres on Tucson Highlanders give them more direct steering and crisper handling than the other versions.

The turbo petrol and diesel Tucsons are the most responsive to drive. You don’t have to press the accelerator far for them to accelerate effortlessly.

All-wheel-drive Tucsons offer extra stability in slippery conditions, such as on gravel or wet roads.

Even with AWD, road-oriented medium SUVs such as the Tucson are suited to only light off-road duty, such as snowy conditions or reasonably smooth dirt tracks. The Tucson is one of the more versatile, thanks to good ground clearance, the inclusion of a full-size spare wheel and tyre, and a standard downhill brake control system that can regulate the car’s speed automatically on steep descents. However, reviewers have noted that grip on dirt from the standard tyres is relatively poor, and that the Tucson’s electronic stability control can be slow to intervene when the tyres begin to slip.

How is life in the rear seats?

It’s comfortable in the back of a Tucson. The seat is broad, inviting and supportive, and there’s a good view forward and out the sides. Leg, toe, head and shoulder room are generous.

Not so generous are the doors: a low roof-line and short upper frame hinder access for grown-ups.

Each door has a bottle-holder, however, and there are twin cup holders in a centre armrest. Elite and Highlander versions (only) get rear-passenger air-conditioning outlets in the rear of the centre console.

How is it for carrying stuff?

With the second row seats upright, the Tucson cargo bay swallows 488 litres of stuff, and with the second row folded (60-40), cargo capacity is a cavernous 1478 litres.

There’s room for a folded pram and a few large bags in the back (with the second row still upright) – likely enough to accept a family’s luggage for a week away.

The Highlander's hands-free powered tailgate opens when you walk up to it with the car’s key in your pocket, which eases loading when you have your hands full.

Where does Hyundai make the Tucson?

All Tucsons are built in South Korea.

(Prior to May 2017, only the Tucson Active X was made in South Korea, with all others sourced from the Czech Republic.)

What might I miss that similar cars have?

Perhaps the driver appeal of the Ford Escape, which has sharper steering than the Tucson and an even more potent, 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine option. The Holden Equinox offers a bigger and more powerful turbo petrol engine.

Possibly seven seats in a compact SUV package, like you get in a Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V, or a Nissan X-Trail.

Maybe standard access to autonomous emergency braking in lower-spec versions. The X-Trail, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan supply AEB standard on all versions, for example.

I like this car, but I can't choose which version. Can you help?

We like the Tucson Elite with the turbo petrol 1.6 engine and all-wheel drive. The Elite brings a big boost in equipment for the extra outlay. And this drivetrain, which costs less than the diesel, is smoother and more refined than its oil-burning counterpart while delivering similar low-speed driveability and urban economy.

Are there plans to update the Tucson soon?

The current, third-generation, Hyundai Tucson arrived in mid-2015, replacing the ix35 (as the second-gen Tucson was named in Australia).

About September 2016, Hyundai added an AWD diesel version of the Active. About the same time it upgraded the cloth seats and 18-inch wheels of the Tucson Elite to part-leather and 19s.

In May 2017 Hyundai extended the more powerful, direct-injected, 2.0-litre petrol engine, originally supplied only with the Tucson Active X, to the Tucson Active and the Tucson Elite 2WD (which previously had used a port-injected 2.0 petrol). It also extended support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, initially restricted to the Active and Active X, to the bigger touchscreens in the Elite and Highlander, making the superior smartphone integration available on every Tucson.

The Tucson received a facelift for the 2019 model year in August 2018, with updated interior and exterior styling, improved infotainment system, an eight-speed automatic gearbox for the diesel engine and wider availability of SmartSense active safety across the range, The Active spec was deleted and replaced by the Go at the bottom end of the range.

In July 2019 Hyundai dropped the Go badge and brought back the Active to the bottom of the range for the 2020 model year. Autonomous emergency braking was also included as standard in the Active and Active X versions along with lane keeping assist and driver attention alert.

The next all-new Tucson might be expected about 2021.