By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(April 21, 2023) Last year Hyundai made a big deal out of its all new for 2022 compact SUV Tucson with a daring new design intending to bring a wow factor to the compact-SUV segment. Going head-to-head with excellent competitors like the best-selling Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V among others, the Tucson did just that winning numerous consumer and industry awards.

We first drove the new fourth-generation Tucson at its manufacturer’s media launch program a year ago for our evaluation and driving impressions — and indeed, we were impressed.

Hyundai had two or three trim levels available for our evaluation along with a promise that in the very near future they would be introducing both a hybrid and plug-in hybrid variant. Now for the first time Hyundai delivered a shiny new 2023 Tucson Hybrid Limited with the opportunity to spend a week behind the wheel rather than just a few hours.

Given the ever-increasing price of gasoline, hybrids have become an even more popular choice for consumers and are no longer sitting on the sidelines on dealer lots. With just a couple of exceptions, all automakers who build compact SUVs offer a hybrid option with some offering multiple hybrid options. And, with so many hybrid choices available, and we’ve driven most of them, only a few are standouts among the crowd with the Tucson the best in class offering both a hybrid and plug-in hybrid for broader consumer appeal.

The Tucson hybrid is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four cylinder that’s paired with a 59-horsepower AC electric motor and a 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack good for a combined 226 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft torque. All-wheel-drive is standard on the hybrid along with a 6-speed automatic transmission. While we didn’t test the plug-in hybrid Tucson, the folks at Hyundai says it will travel up to 33 miles of electric-only driving. A 7.2-kW onboard charger allows the battery to be fully recharged in about two hours when connected to a level 2 charging station.

During road testing, our Limited trim level hybrid eclipsed 0-60 MPH in a very reasonable 7-seconds compared to the gasoline-only Tucson with an unimpressive 8.7 seconds. Regardless of which trim level one choses sporty driving and handling performance is not part of the package. Still, handling is confident, steering on center with a comfortable, compliant ride and quiet cabin void of road and tire noise. These driving dynamics are rare to find in the compact SUV class of vehicles.



Inside, the Tucson’s interior design is focused on simplicity with either 8-inch or optional 10.26-inch full-touch screen void of hard buttons. All operations are immediate below the touchscreen and while we miss knobs for the audio system there is steering wheel mounted switchgear. Of course, one can always use voice control for operating functions.

 There’s a hoodless digital gauge cluster, and multi-air ventilation, a temperature-adjusting system providing diffused airflow on the front passengers. This indirect, diffusing ventilation system reduces potentially unpleasant airflow and is unique in the automotive industry. Materials and build quality throughout the cabin are well-chosen and refined enough to seem right at home and on par next to the brands upscale and excellent Palisade SUV.

Tucson also offers a number of segment-first exclusive features competitors don’t have including remote smart park assist that allows owners to park and retrieve their Tucson from the tightest of parking spaces from outside the vehicle. Remote start with heated and ventilated seats that uses a cellular data connection via the Blue Link app to warm up or cool down the vehicle remotely including the seats. Digital key is a segment-exclusive supported via smartphone app allowing the owner to lock, unlock the vehicle, activate the panic alert and start the engine. Finally wireless Android Auto and apple CarPlay with wireless pairing automatically connecting to the apps.

Standard safety features include Hyundai SmartSense with standard forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping assist, high beam assist, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert. Optional safety features include blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, safe exit warning, smart cruise control with stop & go, and ultrasonic rear occupant alert.

After testing both the gasoline only powered Tucson along with the hybrid trim, we strongly recommend the hybrid that delivers the best of all worlds between driving dynamics, performance, features and price. We also suggest the SEL Convenience Hybrid trim might be the better choice over the Limited since it is well equipped with features most drivers will want including standard heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a sunroof, and a 10.3-inch digital gauge display, among other niceties for less money.

Overall, we couldn’t be more impressed with a compact crossover hybrid utility vehicle than the Tucson and would be our choice over excellent rivals such as both the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V hybrids as well as Kia Sportage hybrid, Ford Escape and Subaru Crosstrek hybrids. The Tucson is roomy for both people and cargo, comes loaded with a long list of standard equipment, enjoys excellent materials and build quality with cutting-edge style and superb safety ratings all at a value price.

Vital Stats

Base Price: $38,910
Price as Tested: $40,245
Engine/Transmission: 1.6-Liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with 59-horsepower AC electric motor for a combined 226 horsepower and 258-lb. ft torque with a 6-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel-drive.
Fuel Economy: 37/37/36 MPG – City/Highway/Combined
Seating: 5

Where Built:  Montgomery, Alabama

Crash Test Safety Results: Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and overall, 4 out of 5 stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Competes With:
Ford Escape Hybrid
Honda CR-V Hybrid
Kia Sportage Hybrid
Kia Niro Hybrid
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Likes:
Stylish design inside and out
Lively, fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain
Excellent driving dynamics

Dislikes:
Subpar fuel economy compared to rival hybrids
No audio volume knob