The Hyundai Tucson is a compelling entry in the competitive compact SUV class. It got a makeover for 2022 with bold new looks and even more features, and provides great value for the money. Plus it’s available with a gas engine as well as two hybrid powertrains.
Base Price: $36,200
As Tested: $37,620
Horsepower: 187
Mileage: 24 mpg city/29 mpg highway/26 mpg combined
The five-passenger Tucson is slotted between the larger Santa Fe and smaller Kona in the Hyundai line-up of crossovers and is now in its fourth generation. The exterior has a more aggressive look, the interior is upgraded with more standard and available features, and there’s more cabin space since the new Tucson is six inches longer than the 2021 model. It stacks up well against such worthy rivals as the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. The previous redesign occurred for the 2016 model year.
The gas-powered 2022 Tucson comes in four well-equipped trims: SE, SEL, N Line, and Limited. Starting prices range from $24,950, which is below average for the class, to $34,700 for the top Limited trim. Front-wheel-drive is standard and all-wheel-drive is available on each trim for $1,400.
The 2022 Tucson Hybrid has starting prices from $29,050 to $37,350. A plug-in hybrid will be available later this year. Reviews for these vehicles will come later.
Each trim in the gas-powered version comes with the same engine: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Tucson definitely isn’t the sportiest crossover but it offers a pleasant ride. It’s quick enough off the line and easy to drive in city traffic. It isn’t the swiftest at accelerating for passing and merging, and the engine can make some noise when pressed, but once you’re up to speed the Tucson is a nice cruiser. The ride is smooth even over bumps and rough roads. There’s some body lean but overall the Tucson feels planted when cornering. Visibility is good all the way around. Driving dynamics are not as engaging as in some rivals, but the Tucson will smoothly get you from point A to point B which is what most crossover buyers want.
Fuel efficiency is decent for the class. EPA ratings for my AWD tester are 24 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with a combined rating of 26. I got 25 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving. Front-wheel-drive trims get 26 mpg city/33mpg highway/29 mpg combined.
When properly equipped, the Tucson can tow up to 2,000 pounds.
The interior is roomy, upscale and stylish with quality materials. It’s close to what you’d find in some luxury brands. The front seats have generous leg- and headroom, even for taller adults. The rear seats are roomy, too, with enough room for adults. The rear seats recline, making it easy to get comfortable.
There are a boatload of standard features including remote keyless entry, rearview camera, cloth upholstery, eight-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, HD Radio, two USB ports, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rear seat alert, and LED headlights with automatic high beams.
Available features include proximity keyless entry, push-button start, surround-view camera system, dual-zone climate control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, ventilated front seats, power-adjustable driver’s seat, power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated steering wheel, 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation, eight-speaker Bose audio system, satellite radio, two additional USB ports, wireless device charging, and a panoramic sunroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, pedestrian detection, and driver drowsiness monitoring.
Available driver assistance technologies include blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, rear cross traffic alert with safe exit assist, front and rear parking sensors, and remote-controlled parking, which lets you use the key fob to get the Tucson in or out of a tight parking space.
The standard eight-inch touchscreen is user-friendly and there are physical buttons and knobs on the dash for common functions such as audio and climate. The available 10.25-inch touchscreen also has intuitive menus and looks great with sharp graphics. But instead of physical buttons and knobs, it has some quirky touch-sensitive controls that take getting used to. Both systems respond quickly to touch and voice commands.
There’s lots of room for your stuff in the Tucson with 38.7 cubic feet of storage with both rows of seating in place. This is excellent for the class. There are 74.8 cubes with the rear seats folded. The low liftover height makes it easy to load. A hands-free power liftgate is available.
The Tucson comes with Hyundai’s excellent warranty of five years/60,000 miles and powertrain coverage of 10 years/100,000 miles.
The good:
Smooth ride
Easy handling
Upscale and roomy cabin
Generous cargo space
Lots of standard and available features and tech
Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Good value for the money
Excellent warranty
The not-so-good:
Rivals have sportier performance
Larger infotainment screen has quirky buttons
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $36,200. Carpeted floor mats are $195. Delivery fee is $1,225 bringing the grand total to $37,620.
Bottom line:
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson gives you a lot of bang for the buck with snazzy looks, a roomy and upscale cabin, lots of bells and whistles, and an excellent warranty. It’s not the sportiest crossover in the class, but it sure does everything else well.
