LIKES
- A styling wake-up call
- Bold interior
- Gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrids
- Cockpit’s gone digital
- Roomy back seat
DISLIKES
- Gas models are hesitant to accelerate
- No wireless Apple CarPlay with larger screen
- Noisy on the highway
- Buzzy powertrain
BUYING TIP
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson swings for the styling and efficiency fences–and connects.
What kind of vehicle is the 2022 Hyundai Tucson? What does it compare to?
The Hyundai Tucson is a five-seat compact crossover that has been completely redesigned for 2022 to better compete in automotive’s most hotly contested segment. It competes with the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, and Nissan Rogue.
Is the 2022 Hyundai Tucson a good vehicle?
The redesigned 2022 Tucson earns a TCC rating of 7.0 out of 10, due to strong technology offerings, comfortable and roomy interior, and plentiful safety features. Holding back the Tucson are a middling fuel economy score, based on the gas version, and a Limited trim that does offer many creature comforts, but lacks some of the refinement expected at that price range.
What's new for the 2022 Hyundai Tucson?
The Tucson’s redesign is sweeping, changing it from an anonymous crossover into something distinct, inside and out. Built from dozens of complex origami folds, the Tucson comes to the U.S. in just one size, while a shorter version will also be sold in other countries.
The Tucson’s interior hones down the hard bevels and drapes digital displays over the center stack in a waterfall of techno. There’s hardly any complex surfacing inside, other than the twin hoops that lower the dash and put distance between it and the front passengers. Some Tucsons will adopt a digital gauge cluster and a touchscreen for secondary controls.
Gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrains motivate the 2022 Tucson (though we’re still waiting for the plug-in to arrive). Base versions get the 187-hp 2.5-liter inline-4, with 182 pound-feet of torque. An 8-speed automatic ships power to the front or to all four wheels. The latest version of Hyundai’s all-wheel-drive system adds Mud, Sand, and Snow modes to its existing Eco, Comfort, Smart, and Sport drive modes. A sporty N-Line edition will also be offered, though that is a styling package and doesn’t add more power or performance.
A 1.6-liter turbo-4 with a hybrid system delivers a net of 226 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Tucson hybrids get special hardware that boost its directional stability and steering response when the road kinks or gets wet and slippery.
The plug-in hybrid has the same gas engine, but a larger 13.8-kwh battery pack and more power (261 total system hp). That upsized battery allows for an estimated 32 miles of electric range.
All Tucsons will come with automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, smart parking assist, and automatic high beams. Available safety features include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and blind-spot braking intervention. Base versions get an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Bose premium audio and automatic climate control are available.
How much does the 2022 Hyundai Tucson cost?
The Tucson is offered in four trim levels for gas models (SE, SEL, N-Line, and Limited) and three for the Tucson hybrid (Blue, SEL Convenience, and Limited). The SE starts at $26,135 (including a $1,185 destination charge), followed by the SEL at $27,685, N-Line at $31,785, and finally the luxurious Limited at $35,885. All of the gas models come with standard front-wheel drive; adding all-wheel drive costs $1,500 across the board.
All-wheel drive comes standard on the hybrid models, which start at $30,235 for the Blue. That is followed by the SEL Convenience for $32,835 and the Limited for $38,535. Comparing the hybrid to the gas version, it represents around a $1,100 markup at each step compared to the corresponding AWD gas trim. That’s similar to the gap you’ll find between the hybrids/gas models of the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V.
Where is the 2022 Hyundai Tucson made?
Some gas models are produced in Montgomery, Alabama, but other gas models are also built along with the hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and N-Line variants in Ulsan, South Korea.
Styling
The Tucson is anonymous no more, with angular styling that makes it stand out.
Bold choices inside and out pay off here, with the Tucson’s striking grille and angular sides drawing plenty of eyes on the road. We give it a 7, with a point extra for its exterior and interior.
Is the 2022 Hyundai Tucson a good-looking car?
In stark contrast to the old Tucson’s anonymous styling, the redesigned Tucson opts for the same angular approach that Hyundai also took with the recently redone Elantra to give it some visual panache. The sides are filled with dramatic creases on both doors, topped by a sharp line that feeds into the taillights.
Just like the outside, the interior look is entirely different though it takes fewer risks. The center console is now mostly composed of a glossy black panel that also houses the multimedia screen (8.2-inches standard, with a larger 10.3-inch display standard on the Limited only). It looks much more modern, but watch out for fingerprints—those stick like glue on the glossy surface. Limited models replace many of the controls with capacitive touch buttons, a change that I don’t think is for the better.
Performance
The Tucson hybrid performs better, and it’s more efficient.
We give the Tucson a 6 for performance, with the extra point awarded for its ride quality. Gas-powered models will be more popular, but their acceleration is just average. It’s the ride that gives the crossover its extra point.
Is the Hyundai Tucson 4WD?
All of the gas models come standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available as a $1,500 option. All Tucson hybrids come with AWD standard.
There is a clear difference in performance between the Tucson’s two powertrains and the hybrid is the obvious choice between the two.
Powering the gas versions is a 187-hp, 2.5-liter inline-4 that makes 178 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid’s 1.6-liter turbo-4 gas engine offers similar output on its own (180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque), but adds on an electric motor to bump total system output to 226 hp. Instead of a continuously variable transmission, the hybrid opts for a 6-speed automatic which helps to make the driving experience feel more natural. All-wheel drive is optional on all gas models and standard on the hybrid.
After driving both models, it’s hard to recommend the gas version. The electric boost from the motors feels like a necessary additive, when contrasted to the 2.5-liter engine’s hesitancy when it comes to acceleration, both off-the-line and when attempting passes as well. The hybrid also uses an e-handling system that utilizes the electric motor to improve handling and make the vehicle feel more balanced while turning.
Comfort & Quality
The redesigned Tucson is larger, adding cargo space and lots of rear leg room.
We give the Tucson points above average for front-seat comfort and cargo space, which brings it to a 7 here.
The redesigned Tucson is much larger for 2022, though it still feels compact sized when parking and driving it thankfully. The wheelbase has been stretched by 3.4 inches to 108.5 inches, and overall length is up 6.1 inches to 182.3 inches, which puts it much closer in size to its rivals, the RAV4 and CR-V.
Inside, that additional space is felt the most in the rear seats and the cargo area. The Tucson’s front seats are mostly supportive, though a thigh seat extension would be appreciated. Cloth seating is standard, with leather upholstery optional on the SEL and standard on the Limited. Rear leg room is now up to 41.3 inches, giving the back seat plenty of room to fit two adults. In hybrid models, there’s actually more rear leg room than front leg room. The rear seat can also recline quite a bit for added comfort, and with the optional panoramic sunroof equipped it feels like an airy and expansive space.
There are some plastic parts that feel cheaper on the dashboard and the cabin gets buzzy at speed, reminding you that the Tucson doesn’t harbor luxury ambitions. But on the whole, the Tucson is competitive at the top end and well equipped in the middle.
Safety
The Tucson is still waiting for crash test ratings, but offers a robust set of safety features.
How safe is the Hyundai Tucson?
The Tucson has not yet been crash tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. This section and scoring will be updated with those results when they become available.
The 2022 Tucson’s solid outward vision, strong safety options, and standard automatic forward emergency braking power it to an impressive 8 out of 10 on our scoring scale. In addition to automatic forward emergency braking, active lane control and rear occupant alerts come standard. The SEL adds blind-spot monitors and adaptive cruise control that works down to a stop. Limited models offer the most safety equipment, adding a surround-view camera system, rear automatic braking, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot cameras that show a live display of the Tucson’s flanks in the instrument panel.
Features
The Tucson’s technology and safety features are impressive.
The Tucson’s value proposition was strong before and after the redesign is even stronger. An 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto is standard even on the base $26,135 Tucson SE, providing a solid technology baseline for the rest of the Tucson lineup.
There are some strange packaging choices in the Tucson you’ll have to watch out for. The larger 10.3-inch multimedia screen isn’t available with wireless Apple CarPlay (offering wired only), so on Limited models you get wireless smartphone charging but still have to plug your phone in to use CarPlay.
All Tucsons come with a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty.
Which Hyundai Tucson should I buy?
Both Limited models, the gas and the hybrid, do offer an enticing amount of equipment but come with a large price tag as well. The best combination of features and value is the SEL with the Convenience package, that costs $30,285 and adds on premium features like wireless smartphone charging, power sunroof, a 10.3-inch digital instrument panel, and a power liftgate among other features.
For those interested in the hybrid, the SEL Convenience for $32,835 holds the most appeal. It has all of the features mentioned above, but adds standard AWD and a panoramic sunroof as well.
How much is a fully loaded Hyundai Tucson?
Fuel Economy
Fuel economy is much better in the Tucson hybrid models.
Is the 2022 Hyundai Tucson good on gas?
Our fuel economy score is based on the volume model and for the Tucson, that means we opt for the gas version over the hybrid. Gas models are rated at 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, 29 mpg combined for FWD versions, while the AWD models are rated at 24/29/26 mpg.
The way to get the best fuel economy is of course with the hybrid, which is rated at 38/38/38 mpg for the Blue trim and 37/36/37 mpg for the SEL Convenience and Limited trims. That’s a significant increase over the gas model and makes it easier to make up for the difference in price between the vehicles over a shorter period of time.
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