Hyundai Tucson cars for sale

Frequently asked questions about the Hyundai Tucson

• What is the Hyundai Tucson?
• Slotting into the middle of the Korean brand's British market SUV range is the Hyundai Tucson. It's a medium-sized five-seater family crossover, with the much smaller Kona below the seven-seater Sante Fe above it in the hierarchy. The current Tucson is actually Hyundai's third generation of this-sized SUV, but its immediate predecessor was instead badged ix35 in the UK.
  
  It’s the sister car to the Kia Sportage, and comes well equipped right across the range – though it also isn’t as cheap as you might expect given Hyundai’s traditionally budget-friendly pricing and value. Rival cars include the Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Kadjar, SEAT Ateca, Skoda Karoq, Vauxhall Grandland X and Volkswagen Tiguan. A tough crowd, but the Hyundai does come with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, which particularly appeals to private buyers.

• Which versions of the Hyundai Tucson are available?
• All Tucson SUVs are five-door, five-seat crossovers; Hyundai is playing with a straight bat here. There are five standard trim levels: S Connect, SE Nav, Premium and Premium SE, with a sportier N Line for those hankering after the look - but not the running costs - of a performance SUV. Granted, it’s not the most logical of naming systems, but most are generously equipped, with only the base model doing without standard sat-nav.
  
  Engine choice comprises two petrols and three diesels. The petrols are both 1.6-litre units – a 132hp variant with a six-speed manual gearbox, and a 177hp turbo with six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. All are front-wheel drive. The bread and butter of the diesel range are also 1.6-litre units, one with 115hp and the other with 136hp; both are front-wheel drive with a six-speed manual, though the 136hp model can be had as a seven-speed auto, too.
  
  At the top of the diesel tree is a 2.0-litre 185hp motor, only available with automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. By the end of 2019, all of the diesel engines also came with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system fitted as standard to improve fuel efficiency even further.

• What's under the skin?
• The Hyundai Tuscon is attractively styled on the outside, with a clean, modern look that’s unlikely to offend anyone. On the inside it’s a little more bland, and suffers from a few cheaper plastics. But you get plenty of kit and reasonable space for four adults; you can cram in a fifth, but they won’t thank you for it for long.
  
  The Tucson is based on the Hyundai-Kia J4 platform, which means it’s related not only to the Kia Sportage SUV but also the Hyundai i30 and Kia Ceed ranges as well.

• Is the Hyundai Tucson good to drive?
• The Tucson is one of those cars that does a perfectly good job of providing sensible, easy-to-drive transport, but is never going to set your hair on fire. The steering is direct but doesn’t inspire enthusiasm, and while it’s well-controlled in the corners you’ll rarely be encouraged to take the long way home. Comfort levels are high, though – and for most SUV buyers this is probably more important.

• How much does the Hyundai Tucson cost?
• It’s pretty mediocre on all fronts. While you get plenty of kit for your cash, you do have to fork over quite a bit of it these days; certainly there are cheaper rivals by list price. Finance deals are typically also uninspiring, with more premium or much more powerful alternatives available for similar amounts of monthly cash over the same contract terms.