Autoblog Finds Tucson to be Smart and Sensible Under Its Wild Exterior

A meme a few years ago claimed that all SUVs looked alike, proven by showing profile line drawings of different model SUVs. The illustrations weren’t really fair, as the oversimplified depictions left out key details, and several models had since been redesigned. But Hyundai’s designers appeared to take it to heart and thus penned the Tucson with all the exterior character anyone would ever ask for. Automotive enthusiast site Autoblog reviewed the 2024 Tucson and found that under the high fashion clothes was a spacious compact SUV with a high-quality cabin and a praiseworthy available hybrid drivetrain. Hyundai of Mankato highlights what they said.

What’s New?

The article begins with a list of what is new for 2024, which is surprisingly long. Outboard 2nd-row passengers now get much of the same safety features as the front row with rear side airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Also, on the safety front, lane keeping and blind spot warning systems are now standard and add haptic steering wheel feedback. Both the 10.25-inch touchscreen and dual-zone climate control are standard on all but the base model. Models with ambient interior lighting now have 64 colors from which to choose because ten was just not enough.

Daring Design

The site describes the exterior exuberance by pointing to the side creases, fender blisters, and the way the wheel arches are stretched to form a corner in the upper rear.

In front, there are no less than 10 LED daytime running lights that all appear as part of the grille. The headlights are hidden in the front corners, but the tail lights are quite visible with quad fangs. It is not boring. 

The dash is also stylish with an elegant manner, as dual wide dash vent trim curves in the center to border a waterfall-like center stack with a black face that houses the touchscreen and multiple separate controls. A nice touch on the 8-screen is that it is bordered by functional controls rather than blank space. A tech anomaly is that the small screen benefits from wireless smartphone compatibility while that function is wired for the larger screen.

Room for More

Space is a Tucson strong point where it joins its Kia Sportage sibling and the Honda CR-V at the top of the segment for both 2nd-row legroom (41”) and cargo space behind the rear seat (39 cubic feet). The Tucson goes on to beat the CR-V in maximum cargo space with 80 cubic to the Honda’s 77. Autoblog confirmed the usability of this space in their trademark luggage test in which the Tucson was only edged out by the Sportage in the number of items they could stuff with the rear seat up.

Strong and Unique Hybrid Drivetrains

While declaring the base 187 hp engine as “adequate,” Autoblog’s real enthusiasm was for the Tucson Hybrid drivetrain. This combines Hyundai’s 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 with an electric motor to produce 226 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, which ups the driving enjoyment considerably. Furthermore, the power is managed by a 6-speed automatic transmission rather than a CVT, which is the norm for hybrids. All hybrid models have standard all-wheel drive, and it is a mechanical system rather than putting a second motor in the rear. The aesthetically sport-focused N-Line model now comes standard with the hybrid drivetrain. The fuel economy for the hybrid models is 37/36/37 for most trim levels.

If your daily driving averages less than 33 miles, the plug-in hybrid is an additional consideration. The drivetrain described above will be largely dormant most of the time, provided you charge it overnight. When no longer running on electrons, the PHEV Tucson is rated at a combined 35 mpg.

So yes, the Tucson is quite stylish, but within the flash is a very useful vehicle with one of the most spacious and attractive cabins and excellent available hybrid drivetrains. If you are considering a compact crossover for your household, the Tucson is a must for your shopping list, and the place to see it is Hyundai of Mankato, where there is a vast inventory of Tucsons from which to choose.