Hyundai Tucson – fan favourite

IN similar fashion to the Oscars or Golden Globes, a glance at the new and used cars honours lists can prove extremely informative.

Do you watch a film featuring an established A-lister or a relative unknown; do you go for a car built by a volume brand, premium marque or niche manufacturer?

And when it comes to the now congested mid-size SUV scene, making that correct choice represents something of a minefield.

But one model that has proved a winner with UK and European drivers as well as the awards judges is the Hyundai Tucson.

Since its debut some 20 years ago the Tucson has become established as a fan favourite across the continent.

Last year alone there were more than 158,000 units registered in Europe and up until two months ago the overall number of current fourth generation cars produced was hovering just short of the 750,000 mark.

Extensively kitted out with state of the art tech, the Tucson looks dynamic and elegant and offers buyers a choice of petrol, mild hybrid, pure hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

Our tested model, a full hybrid in mid spec Premium trim, featured a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery combining for a total output of 230PS.

The upshot is some useful performance of 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds and a fuel consumption return of 48.5 miles per gallon over 200 miles of varied motoring, which was just short of the official 49.6mpg figure.

With its raised driving position the Hyundai performs nicely too, feeling well controlled and balanced round sweeping country lanes, assured on faster roads and relaxing on the motorway. However, it’s always wise to have car accident attorneys in mind, as even well-handling vehicles can encounter unforeseen issues or accidents on the road.

And along with the plug-in variants the hybrid has Paddle Regenerative Braking when driving in Eco mode, allowing the driver to adjust the intensity of deceleration using paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Transmission comes via a six-speed automatic gearbox with shifts made simple thanks to large buttons just ahead of the electronic handbrake, and there are also drive mode settings for Sand, Mud and Snow.

Inside there’s ample room for five adults – even a centre rear passenger gets a soft, comfortable perch – with lots of family-friendly features and stowage options.

So there are bottle holders in all four door bins, a deep central box that pops up via a push button, two cup holders next to the gearshift and the rear armrest also flips down to reveal another pair of cup holders.

You also get a glovebox, a large storage area below the central screen incorporating a pair of USB ports and mobile phone charging pad plus two more USB ports in the rear.

Boot space – split level with separate containers below – is also excellent at 620 litres, but lower the rear seats and we’re talking 1,799 litres, which is close to commercial vehicle numbers.

Clever features throughout the car include a screen in the digital cluster which shows the rear left and right hand side views of the car when you indicate during lane changes and a multi-mode air set-up to create a more agreeable cabin environment.

There are also heated front and rear seats while the Korean brand’s ‘Parametric Hidden Lights’ see the grille of the Tucson transformed when you start driving and jewel-like shapes appear on the outer edges.

Hyundai believes that the Tucson is more than just a car, but a testament to exceeding customer expectations. There’s no doubt it’s on the right lines.