The fourth generation of the Hyundai Tucson has been launched and is now available for a base MSRP of $25,500. Coming with 12 trim configurations, including the coveted hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson is one of the best value-for-money offerings of the segment. The exterior design looks ravishing and the interior comes inspired by the legendary Hyundai Palisade.
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is also pretty comfortable to travel in, and even the driving dynamics were a notch above the outgoing 2021 model. The performance is decent and if you opt for the hybrid and PHEV powertrains, the fuel efficiency is one of the best of the segment too. Competing with the likes of the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Volkswagen Tiguan, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 SUV.
10 Not Very Powerful
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson comes with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 motor, producing 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. This motor comes mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission and can be had with both FWD and AWD drivetrains. The car feels peppy at low and mid-range RPMs and the motor is supremely refined throughout the rev range.
The automatic transmission is reasonably quick for a compact SUV, and it is very smooth even when mashing the throttle. The car has a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 lbs as well. Apart from that, if you want better gas mileage and acceleration, there is also a hybrid and plug-in hybrid variant, producing 227 hp and 261 hp, respectively.
9 Confident-Inspiring Handling
Coming with an independent strut front suspension with coil springs and an independent multi-link rear suspension with coil springs, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson turned out to be a capable handler. The car could take corners at higher speeds very comfortably and the chassis is well-sorted too.
We were also pretty happy with the direct steering feel through a wheel that offered a decent level of communication to the driver. When it comes to the suspension system, the car offered minimal understeer and oversteer when at the limits, unlike some of the rivals of the segment. The car had more than adequate grip, too, especially with the AWD drivetrain.
8 Pliant Ride Quality
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The ride quality has always been a USP of all the generations of the Hyundai Tucson, and the same ethos is taken forward by this fourth-generation moniker. With independent front and rear suspension systems on offer, the ride quality is top-notch, and the passengers are going to enjoy the traveling experience, especially during those long road trips.
The broken roads are filtered with absolute perfection and the ride never gets unsettled even when met with massive potholes and undulations. While driving on the highways, the car rides quite flat with no major vertical movement. The body roll is comparable to the best of the segment, like the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5.
7 Ravishing Exterior Design
The all-new Hyundai Tucson comes forward with the striking design language which is going to turn heads wherever it goes. The Tucson looks like nothing else on the road, and the inspiration taken from the beautiful Hyundai Palisade works pretty well with this compact SUV as well. All the eight exterior colors look quite ravishing too.
The Parametric Dynamics design language of the Tucson helps the car to come out as one of the most handsome SUVs of the lot. The chrome kinetic jewel surface at the front grille, best in class width, and the masculine hood look purposeful. The 19" machine-finished alloy wheels, chrome window lines, and multiple character lines stand out too.
6 Spacious Cabin
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is a 5-seater compact SUV and in comparison to the outgoing 2021 model, this all-new iteration turned out to be slightly superior in terms of overall space and storage options. The front row offers impressive headroom, legroom, and shoulder room. The seats are very supportive, and the higher trims get leather upholstery too.
The rear seat also turned out to be pretty good and felt better than the Mazda CX-5 and the Nissan Rogue. The space is adequate for accommodating three passengers, and the seat offers great under-thigh and lower back support. There is a wide armrest on offer too, which offers cupholders and makes the ride even more comfortable. There are charging ports and air conditioning controls too.
5 Interior Looks Elegant Too
Even if you get the base trim of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, which is offered for sale at a base MSRP of $25,500, the car managed to impress us with its elegant cabin design, which is multiple notches above the mundane cabin design of the older generation. The beautiful ambient lighting coupled with the futuristic dashboard design makes the cabin look much more expensive than it is.
The interior comes in two color combinations, black and gray, and the well-incorporated beige elements coupled with gloss-black and aluminum inserts make the cabin look like a German SUV. There are leather inserts as well, which makes the car look and feel uber-luxury, especially for the low price tag. The interior fit and finish and overall quality are superb too.
4 Comes With A Feature-Rich Infotainment
The 8.8" touchscreen infotainment system is offered with all the trims, and it is going to impress the passengers due to the fluid animations, excellent display quality, and top-notch user interface. However, there is also an optional 10.3" digital infotainment system, which offers a few more features, including built-in navigation and wireless charging support.
Being a Hyundai, it doesn't lack any of the features, be it connectivity or entertainment-related. This includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, voice recognition, Bluetooth connectivity, audio streaming, wi-fi hotspot, etc. The audio experience put forth by the Bose stereo system is impressive for the segment, too.
3 Many Safety Features Are Onboard
The 2022 Tucson comes packed with all the necessary safety and driver-assistance features as standard, especially when compared to the rivals, which offer many of these features as optional extras. The standard driver-assistance features include automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, etc.
Some of the features like adaptive cruise control, lane centering assist, etc are part of the optional packages. Nevertheless, with the decent build quality on offer, the car managed to secure the top safety pick + title from the IIHS for the small SUV segment, which is quite an impressive achievement.
2 Fuel Efficiency Is Better Than Expected
Coming with the naturally aspirated gasoline motor with the non-hybrid variants of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, we found the gas mileage to be pretty decent. The FWD models of Tucson did 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, which equates to combined gas mileage of 29 mpg.
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If you opt for the AWD variant, the car offers 24 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. Even though the fuel efficiency turned out to be better than the Mazda CX-5, the Toyota RAV4 offered a slightly superior combined gas mileage. If you want even better fuel efficiency figures, the Tucson also comes with hybrid and plug-in hybrid trims, both of which are superb in this regard.
1 Adequate Braking Performance
The braking performance offered by the 2022 Hyundai Tucson turned out to be pretty positive, with superb initial bite and more than adequate progression. Under hard braking, we found the pedals to offer a decent amount of feedback and the front-end dive is minimal too. The 8-speed automatic does a wonderful job of engine braking as well.
The 12.8" front rotors and 12" rear rotors coupled with a long list of features coming in as standard, such as 4-wheel ABS, ventilated rotors, brake assist, hill descent control, brake actuated limited-slip differential, and many more, the car managed to do the 70-0 mph braking test in just 167 feet, bettering many of the rivals.