Hyundai is continuing its move away from its “budget-car” roots with the 2010 Tucson compact SUV.
Completely redesigned for the new model year, this crossover sport utility vehicle provides an upgraded interior while still offering a modest base price ($18,995).
Motor Mouth recently tested the Tucson Limited AWD PZEV, the model’s top trim line.
On the outside, the Hyundai Tucson features a medium-sized hood and protruding grille that lead back to 10-spoke alloy wheels, as well as front doors outfitted with folding side mirrors.
All the way back, my test car came standard with a keyless entry hatchback and a handy rear wiper.
Inside, the Hyundai Tucson Limited mixes family friendly durability with some upscale amenities.
The Limited comes standard with heated front seats, a dual-zone climate system and an seven-way electric seat adjuster on the driver’s side.
My test car also came standard with decent but not incredible stitched-leather finishes: Black leather on the steering wheel and gear shifter and brown-leather covering the seats.
My test Tucson also included an optional $2,850 Premium Package that added a upgraded AM/FM/XM/6CD/iPod stereo, a touchscreen GPS, a panoramic sunroof and a backup camera.
The Tucson’s front seats provide good headroom, legroom and hiproom for both driver and passenger.
In back, 60/40 split fold-down rear seats likewise offer good headroom and hiproom, while legroom is pretty good but could be better. (These seats can easily accommodate three children for highway rides, but three adults would probably find anything more than a 30-minute trip taxing.)
All the way back, the Hyundai Tucson’s 25.7-cubic-foot cargo area can hold perhaps two big suitcases and four knapsacks.Or, you can fold down the model’s rear seats to create a generous 56-cubic-foot space - enough to hold a tent or other bulky items.
On the road, my test Tucson’s four-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive system and six-speed automatic transmission teamed up to produce a firm but pretty good ride.
The model corners and brakes well, while backing up and parking are fairly good thanks to the Tucson’s backup camera, relatively modest size and good sightlines. (Although the vehicle lacks a big SUV’s “high-up” road view, the Tucson’s medium-sized windshields offer good visibility.)
The vehicle’s 170-horsepower engine accelerates acceptably, although my test car revved a tad noisily to 5,800 rpm just to go from 0 mph to 40 mph.
As for fuel economy, the EPA rates the Tucson AWD PZEV at 21 mpg/city and 28 mpg/city. During a week of mixed test drives, Motor Mouth logged a pretty good combined 22.1 mpg city/highway.
However, it’s pricing where Hyundais really shine.
The Tucson’s $18,995 base sticker handily beats that of the $21,545 Honda CR-V, $21,675 Toyota RAV-4 and $22,615 Chevrolet Equinox.
The bottom line: The 2010 Hyundai Tucson is a well-priced, nicely updated player in the highly competitive compact-SUV market.
Although the well-regarded CR-V and RAV-4 dominate this popular segment, anyone looking for a small SUV should definitely check the Tucson out.
Test drive: Information about the 2010 Hyundai Tucson:
Base price: $18,995
As tested: $29,590
Type: all-wheel-drive five-passenger compact SUV
Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (170 horsepower)
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Mileage: 21 mpg/city, 28 mpg/highway
Built in: South Korea
{ 0 comments… add one now }
Leave a Comment