2019 Hyundai Tucson Ultimate AWD
MSRP $23,200.00
“Hyundai’s Tucson balances luxury and high-tech features with the posture of a deft ballerina.”
Avg
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Superb interior
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So many features
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Affordable prices
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A smooth, almost lush ride
Against
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Unsatisfactory fuel economy
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Average performance
The strategy automakers are taking with crossovers and SUVs will be familiar to any half-decent restaurant trying to lure millennials with three different versions of avocado toast. In other words, today it is not enough to have one good SUV. Now brands are expected to offer multiple offers covering different segments. In terms of numbers, the 2019 Hyundai Tucson may not have the same history or sales figures as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, but plain avocado toast gets boring after the first few times, and the Tucson’s luxury side is as great a complement as a poached egg.
To stay relevant in one of the most popular segments on the market, Hyundai has updated its best-selling SUV in several key areas. There’s more technology than before, updated styling that makes the Tucson better, and a new dashboard design. It’s all in the name of keeping up with the competition, most of which is either brand new or heavily updated.
Hyundai offers the Tucson in seven trims, ranging from the entry-level SE all the way up to the plush Ultimate. The base SE is one of the more affordable compact SUVs, starting at $24,245 with destination. Adding four-wheel drive to any trim is an additional $1,400. Our 2019 Tucson test vehicle was the top-of-the-line four-wheel-drive Ultimate, priced at $33,995.
Interior and exterior design
Other compact SUVs, most notably the RAV4 and CR-V, have opted for sharp edges, but the Tucson’s new exterior design is classic with a modern twist. Minimal edges can be found on the Tucson’s body, instead there are gentle curves at both ends. While Hyundai has chosen to pursue a more youthful design with its other SUVs, the Tucson is an elegantly grown-up model that continues to age gracefully. It has to be avocado toast. Exterior styling updates include new headlights, refreshed taillights, revised front and rear fascias and updated wheel designs. The changes don’t completely reinvent the Tucson—you can still tell it’s a Hyundai from the road—but they successfully keep the SUV from becoming obsolete.
Combining premium materials with first-class looks, the new Tucson perfectly mimics a premium SUV. The 2019 model year saw the introduction of a new dashboard design that now features a touchscreen that sits atop the center console instead of one built into it. Again, it’s not a huge difference. But it is a step towards creating a more classic cabin. Leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen and wireless device charging, all standard on the Ultimate trim, also help with the premium feel.
Fortunately, Hyundai has let the Tucson’s semi-luxury qualities shine, putting the sporty side of things on the back burner.
It’s not just the features, the fit and finish or the build quality – all excellent – but the feel of the features that impresses the most. The leather seats in the Ultimate trim are truly amazing, allowing for long journeys without any of the back problems that plague drivers over 21. Interior passenger space is worth mentioning, as there’s little chance anyone will complain about having to spend time in any of the Tucson’s five seats. The cabin is also quiet, keeping road and wind noise to a minimum, while narrowly losing the battle to the engine, letting in a minimal amount of engine noise.
Where the Tucson is just average is the luggage space. This will not be a problem for most consumers, but it is not for us, but it should be noted that it is smaller than some of the competition. Behind the back seat, the Tucson offers 31 cubic feet of cargo space. In total, the compact SUV has 61.9 cubic feet of cargo space. Compared to the RAV4 and CR-V, the Tucson lags far behind as those vehicles can hold up to 69.8 and 75.8 cubic feet of cargo, respectively.
Technical features
Inside, the 2019 Tucson now has an infotainment screen that sits atop the dashboard. You’ll enjoy a 7-inch touchscreen on most Tucsons – the Ultimate gets an 8-inch unit – that powers Hyundai’s excellent infotainment system, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Hyundai’s infotainment system is one of the few that doesn’t require an entire day to fiddle with, but if your smartphone is more your thing, it’s nice to have that integration.
Other standard tech features on the base Tucson include three 12-volt power outlets, remote keyless entry, a 3.5-inch multi-information display and a front USB port. For entry-level equipment, it’s a decent set of equipment. Hyundai makes stepping up to one of the higher trims extremely attractive, as they really do come with some great features for a relatively small price increase.
Higher packages have navigation, a second-row USB port, wireless charging, and a 4.2-inch LCD screen on the instrument panel. Sure, all those features are nice, but the real gem in our tester’s repertoire was the Infinity audio system. The highly customizable eight-speaker audio system pumps out tunes of an impressive quality not usually found at this price point. He kicks, jumps and thumps. Before you know it, you’ve already finished playing your favorite album.
Driving impressions
Many automakers these days are trying to make all-around crossovers that should balance comfort, agility, and the occasional day of easy off-road driving. Usually that tiger mom mentality results in an obvious compromise somewhere. Fortunately, Hyundai lets the Tucson’s semi-luxury qualities shine, consciously putting the sporty side of things on the back burner.
In the compact segment, it’s hard to beat the Tucson’s stylish ride, great list of tech features, and luxurious cabin.
Revisions have been made to the Tucson’s powertrains for 2019. The turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder is gone, leaving a 2.0-liter inline-four and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder. The base 2.0-liter engine makes 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque, while the larger 2.4-liter generates 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Those aren’t exactly the most exciting numbers. The RAV4’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 203 horsepower, while the CR-V’s available 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four makes 190 horsepower.
For the most part, the meager numbers of the 2.4-liter engine do not detract from the driving experience. In the city, 181 horsepower is fine, only on the highway do problems arise. Patiently wait for a gap to overtake a Honda Civic coupe that is in the far left lane with the hazards on and by the time the Tucson finally springs into action, the gap is gone. It’s as frustrating to any urban dog owner as those “Please do not restrain your dog” signs on a 1×1 piece of wasteland.
Joel Patel/Digital Trends
Fuel consumption figures are also lackluster at best. Despite being less powerful than its main rivals, the Tucson’s figures also lag behind those of its competitors. Our AWD Tucson with the 2.4-liter engine is rated at 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. After about 400 miles, our Tucson recorded 24 mpg, which is close to the 23 mpg combined rating. With the most powerful engine and four-wheel drive, both the CR-V and RAV4 are estimated to get up to 30 mpg combined. In a package as refined as the Tucson’s, having a weak engine is a waste of natural talent.
While the engine is nothing to write home about, the rest of the driving experience is the height of luxury. The ride is superb, letting you drive over train tracks at speeds you wouldn’t otherwise dare and feel nothing but a slight shudder. Even in worse Baltimore, and some of the roads here are truly awful, the Tucson protected us from knowing how big that last pothole we just ran over was.
Rivals
Clearly, we think the Tucson’s two main competitors are the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. Compared to these two, the Tucson has a big advantage when it comes to price. Prices for the RAV4 range from $26,595 to $35,995, while Honda’s CR-V starts at $25,395 to $35,195. The base Tucson is priced at $24,245, and the Ultimate AWD package is priced at $33,995. Pricing, however, is the only place where the Tucson has a clear lead over the other two crossovers.
As we pointed out earlier, both the CR-V and RAV4 have more cargo space, can achieve lower fuel consumption and more powerful engines. Toyota’s latest generation RAV4 saw the SUV get a revised hybrid model – for those looking for the best of the best in fuel economy – and a new off-road-ready Adventure trim. The CR-V, well, it’s just one of those rare machines that can walk and talk.
peaceful souls
Hyundai continues to offer one of the best warranties on the market. The compact SUV comes with a five-year, 60,000-mile limited warranty, a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a seven-year, unlimited-mileage anti-perforation warranty. The manufacturer also includes five years and unlimited miles of roadside assistance.
Adding more safety features was a major part of Hyundai’s revisions to the 2019 Tucson.
The Tucson did well in crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The NHTSA gave the Tucson a five-star overall rating for both front- and all-wheel-drive models. The IIHS named this SUV a Top Safety Pick, matching the Honda CR-V and beating out the Toyota RAV4.
Adding more safety features was a major part of Hyundai’s revisions for the 2019 Tucson. It wasn’t like the compact crossover was on the back burner at first, but now there are more than ever before. All Tucsons come standard with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assist. Move up to the Value trim and blind-spot collision warning and rear cross-traffic collision warning are included as standard. A surround view monitor is standard on the Limited and up, while the Night and Ultimate get smart cruise control with stop and go, as well as forward collision assist with pedestrian detection.
How would DT configure this car
Luxury is one of Tucson’s strong points. So we’d aim for the higher end of the spectrum and, after some infighting, land on the Limited trim. The leather upholstery is nice, but the fantastic Infinity audio system, surround view monitor, LED lighting, wireless charging pad and heated steering wheel are what really sell the package. All-wheel drive is probably worth $1,400 if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow.
Our example
There’s only one thing the Tucson left us wanting: lower fuel consumption. The currently available 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine doesn’t have enough power to match the competition, nor does it have competitive fuel economy figures. If the engine produced more power, it would be easy to overlook the less-than-ideal fuel consumption figures. Not interested in fuel economy or all-around performance? The Tucson’s elegant ride, excellent list of technical features and superb cabin are hard to beat in the compact segment. From buying artisan avo toast at a local coffee shop in the heart of the city to driving 300 miles for a rural getaway, Tucson makes commuting, no matter how short or long, easier to tolerate.
Should you get one?
That. As long as fuel economy or performance aren’t high on your priority list, the Tucson has so much going for it. Considering its price, you’ll probably fall in love after just a short trip.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn