The crossover market is a busy one, but the Hyundai Tucson is a worthy competitor to the highly acclaimed Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar. The Korean offering recently received an overhaul having disappeared from the market in 2009, now getting bold styling and a decent specification considering its price.
The smart choice for saving money – Hyundai Tucson S
The S might be the bottom of the range Tucson, but a generous amount of standard kit means that you don’t have to compromise too much for saving money.
The exterior gets many of the same aesthetic touches that can be found on higher specification models, such as body coloured door handles, mirrors and bumpers, as well as an LED brake light integrated into a rear spoiler. Metallic or pearl paint are both optional extras on all trim levels at a cost of £620.
Step inside, and you’ll find fewer interior luxuries in this base model, with cloth-trimmed seats that do without heating or electric lumbar support. Technology and convenience are less compromised, as the S model comes with automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights, and tinted glass.
There’s no integrated satellite navigation system, however the stereo comes with six speakers, DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Hyundai Tucson S starts at £18,995 for the 1.6-litre, two-wheel drive petrol engine, making it comparably-priced and with a marginally better specification than its Nissan Qashqai equivalent.
The smart choice for those on a budget – Hyundai Tucson SE Nav
In SE Nav guise, the Tucson offers many of the top level car’s upgrades while doing without some luxuries to keep the price down, giving a more premium look and feel without the associated costs.
The exterior styling upgrades begin with slightly larger wheels – the SE Nav gets 17-inch alloys, which are an inch bigger than the base spec car’s. It also gets roof rails, a rear skid plate and LED rear lights.
On the inside you’ll still be perched upon cloth-trimmed seats, but they now come with heating elements and electric lumbar support. Here the air conditioning system has been upgraded to a dual-zone climate control setup. The SE Nav, as the name suggests, is the lowest specification model to come with an integrated satellite navigation system, which is displayed through an 8-inch touchscreen.
Considering the upgrades this car receives, the premium over the base model isn’t too severe. The SE Nav starts at £21,645 for the 1.6-litre petrol engine.
The smart choice for technophiles – Hyundai Tucson Premium SE
The Premium SE is the very top-spec Tucson, and as such comes with every conceivable extra you could want from your family crossover.
On all but the 1.7-litre diesel engine, 19-inch alloy wheels are present. The exterior gets lashings of chrome effect styling upgrades, such as those found on the door handles and radiator grille.
Inside, the cloth trim is replaced with leather, and the seats are fitted with electric adjustment. The leather steering wheel now warms the driver’s hands, and rear passengers also benefit from heated seats.
Technophiles will love the automatic dimming rear view mirror – complete with compass – rain sensing automatic windscreen wipers, and LED headlights. The top-spec Tucson also comes with some autonomous safety features, including Smart Park Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Keyless Smart Entry.
Being a part of this tech-fest comes at a cost. Prices start at £28,695 for the 134bhp, 2.0-litre diesel engine with two-wheel drive, while the most expensive Tucson comes in at £32,700. For that you get the 183bhp 2.0-litre diesel with four-wheel drive.
