Hyundai Tucson (2015) 1.7 CRDi SE Nav review (Month 3)

Our long term Hyundai Tucson has left the Motor Trader fleet after three months and 6,200 miles and has served as a useful benchmark for what to expect from a new  generation compact SUV.

The car is a statement of intent from the brand. Launched last September it saw Hyundai ditch the clumsy ix35 nomenclature, revive the more customer-friendly Tucson branding and aim for conquest sales in one of the most competitive of all car segments.  This confidence is well placed as the car has become Hyundai’s fastest-selling model in the UK.

The car’s success is deserved. In its time with us the Tucson has been used as a daily commuter, carving through the stop/start crawl of south London traffic, a family run-around, motorway cruiser and mover of furniture, conference paraphernalia and video production gear.

In all that time it has never been found wanting. The Tucson’s size, which defies its compact tag, is probably one of the car’s greatest assets with a spacious boot that converts effortlessly into a wide, deep and flat cargo bay.

Our 2WD generously specified SE Nav is the best seller and it’s easy to see why with its dual zone climate control, heated front seats, rear parking camera, 17-inch alloy wheels and 8-inch touch screen infotainment system (complete with DAB radio but, in common with many new cars, no CD player) and easy to use satellite navigation. Its smartphone connectivity is also good with an easy to set-up hands-free function and the ability to stream music and podcasts on the move.

The car retails for £22,795 with Hyundai offering a 25 month PCP of just £138 a month based on a deposit of £7,431, a competitive rate helped by its three year/60,000 mile residual value of 42%.

The car was easy to live with. It cruised well at motorway speeds and was comfortable around town with its suspension not being caught out by pot holes and smoothing out mostly poorly maintained roads. Furthermore the cabin ergonomics made for a pleasant environment with plenty of space for five adults with those in the back benefitting from plenty of leg and knee room.

The car is built in the Czech Republic and designed for European buyers. It certainly boasts a good road presence with its muscular styling featuring some neat lines and creases emanating from its super-size grille. Our trim also included a shark fin antenna, which neatly completes what is an undeniably upmarket look.

Its toughest gig with us was a full day’s video shoot in cold damp weather which entailed transporting the crew and their gear around West Sussex A- and B-roads with a succession of short-hop trips to set-up and then film the car’s progress. The car handled everything with aplomb, remained unruffled throughout and even got the thumbs up from the production crew who appreciated its comfort and load lugging abilities.

The 119PS 1.7-litre engine was quiet and flexible but often felt under-resourced when it came to over taking manoeuvres and accelerating up to motorway speeds, a job no doubt more suited to the recently launched 141PS version of this engine. Also, despite our best efforts, it failed to deliver anywhere near its claimed fuel consumption figure of 61.7mpg. Our running average was 43.9mpg with our best tank delivering 45.5mpg, so anyone buying this model expecting returns of over 60mpg is going to be disappointed.

Ultimately the Hyundai Tucson is an excellent all-rounder. It has the generous interior space and stylish looks demanded of the compact SUV sector and is highly practical. Combine those elements with its sub £23k price tag and low PCP rate and dealers have a car that is very much in contention against the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga and Renault Kadjar.

Month 1 report

Month 2 report