Hyundai Tucson (04-09) - Review

Review by David Ross on
The Tucson is a budget 4x4 that majors on value for money and generous equipment. That's not to say it isn't capable off road and the four-wheel drive versions can cope surprisingly well with tough terrain. But it's on the tarmac where the Hyundai is really designed to spend the majority of its time. Here it is comfortable enough and handles well in corners with good body control, although the suspension is firm which is noticeable in town and over rough roads. There's a good diesel engine available, which is just as well as the petrols are underpowered and thirsty. The model was slightly facelifted for 2009 while a two-wheel drive version was also introduced.
3 out of 5

Other Hyundai reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

The Tucson seems good value, although the similar Kia Sportage is cheaper and equally well equipped while the superior Suzuki Grand Vitara is similarly priced. The thirsty V6 is best avoided but whichever model you go for, you'll find Hyundai servicing and parts reasonable while the five-year warranty means any unexpected costs are taken care of for a large chunk of the cars life.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,753 - £2,192 *

Diesel

£1,602 - £1,831 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Every 10,000 miles.

Warranty

Five years, unlimited mileage.

Road tax (12 months)

£215.00 - £460.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
    184
  • J
  • K
  • L
    237
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

There's no low emission model in the Tucson line-up and the cleanest engine - the 2.0-litre diesel - isn't particularly green with a CO2 output of 187g/km (184g/km in two-wheel drive models) and an average fuel economy of 40mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2