NEW FOR 2016:
- All-new model
At first glimpse, Hyundai’s handsome new Tucson could easily be mistaken for a European vehicle. This makes sense given that it was actually the work of Hyundai’s design studios in Germany.
But Hyundai didn’t just leverage its global operations for vehicle styling; much like the Ford Escape, this latest Tucson aims to please customers from around the globe. As such, Hyundai has put a lot of cutting-edge luxury and technology features to one-up the competition. Provided your pockets are deep enough, a Tucson can be had with everything from full LED headlights, to heated rear seats, and ventilated front seats.
Although larger than the petite outgoing model to improve rear-seat cabin space and cargo room, the Tucson is still on the smaller side for the class. It’s bigger than subcompact crossovers like the Chevy Trax and Honda HR-V, but has a smaller footprint on the road than the latest iterations of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, not to mention Hyundai’s own Santa Fe Sport.
The Tucson is available in seven trim levels: 2.0 FWD, 2.0 Premium FWD, 2.0 Premium AWD, 1.6T Premium AWD, 2.0L Luxury AWD, 1.6T Limited AWD, 1.6T Ultimate AWD.
Models with 2.0 on the tailgate come equipped with a 164-hp, 151-lb-ft of torque 2.0L four-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed automatic with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A manual transmission is no longer offered. The 1.6T features the Tucson’s first turbo motor; though smaller, it develops 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box, and comes exclusively with all-wheel drive. The latter is a particularly impressive drivetrain – not only does it have plenty of pep, it’s smooth and is more efficient than the base 2.0-litre.
The 2.0 FWD includes 17-inch steel wheels, remote keyless entry with alarm, air conditioning with cabin air filter, six-speaker AM/FM/CD/satellite radio system with 5.0-inch display audio screen, USB and aux-in port, reverse camera, console arm rest with storage, body-colour power mirrors and door handles, integrated garage door opener, six-way manual driver’s seat, heated front seats, Bluetooth, tilt and telescoping steering column, 60/40 split folding rear seat with recline, LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights, rear spoiler, windshield wiper de-icer, fog lights, carpeted floor mats, alarm, integrated blind-spot mirrors, and Drive Mode Select.
The 2.0 Premium FWD adds 17-inch alloy wheels, blind-spot monitoring system, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, mirror-mounted LED turn signal indicators, solar tinted glass, rear privacy tint, heated rear seats, dual illuminated vanity mirrors, leather-wrapped steering wheel, driver side auto-up and down power windows. The 2.0 Premium AWD adds all-wheel drive system.
The 2.0 Luxury AWD adds leather upholstery, eight-way power driver’s seat with two-way power lumbar support, eight-speaker premium Infinity audio system with 8.0-inch display, navigation, chrome window trim, panoramic sunroof, shark-fin antenna, dual-zone climate control with ionizer, heated steering wheel, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, “smart” power operated liftgate, and proximity key with push-button start.
The 1.6T Premium AWD builds on the 2.0 Premium and adds 19-inch wheels, premium front and rear fascias, eight-way power driver’s seat with two-way power lumbar support.
Key options include dual-zone climate control with ionizer, and a heated steering wheel
The 1.6T Limited AWD builds on the 1.6T Premium AWD and adds adaptive HID headlights, LED tail lights, chrome window trim, leather upholstery, power adjustable passenger seat, eight-speaker premium Infinity audio system with 8.0-inch display, navigation, rear park assist, shark-fin antenna, deluxe scuff plate, heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with ionizer, heated steering wheel, Supervision instrument cluster with 4.2-inch TFT display, panoramic sunroof, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, “smart” power operated liftgate, and proximity key with push-button start.
The 1.6T Ultimate AWD builds on the 1.6T Limited AWD with full LED headlamps and ventilated front seats.