2025 Hyundai Tucson First Drive Overview: Higher Than Ever

Along with being enjoyable to drive, the present era of Tucson has proved itself to be a classy, snug, and tech-forward compact SUV with environment friendly drivetrain choices. Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped Hyundai from making an impactful replace for 2025, primarily specializing in the inside and expertise. For 2025, the Hyundai Tucson begins at $28,355 and carries over its customary 2.5-liter, four-cylinder fuel engine and hybrids primarily based round a 1.6-liter engine. With both of the drive choices, Hyundai’s glorious HTRAC all-wheel-drive system is accessible.

The headline updates embody wi-fi Android Auto and Apple Carplay as customary all through the vary, a bigger 12.3-inch infotainment show, whereas higher trim fashions achieve a extra helpful middle console with the drive selector moved to the steering wheel column under the wiper stalk. We had the possibility to drive the brand new Tucson just lately; listed below are our first impressions.

Exterior: Messing With Confirmed Design

Considered one of our favourite aesthetic options of the Tucson is that it has probably the most distinctive entrance lighting structure in the marketplace. Nonetheless, in what seems to us like change for change’s sake, Hyundai’s designers have taken out the slant on the vertical line of the entrance working gentle cluster, decreased the entire variety of lights from ten to eight bigger models, after which used the phrase “bolder” to explain it. In actuality, it is a small element, nevertheless it does have an impact – the design has grow to be much less engaging to us.

The standard tropes for a refresh include the brand new lighting sample, together with a brand new grille design, redesigned entrance and rear bumper fascia, and new wheels. There’s additionally new anodized aluminum badging and an extended wiper blade hidden above the rear window. The extra rugged-looking XRT fashions get new bridge-type raised roof rails together with black facet cladding. Exterior options embody:

17-inch wheels on SE and Blue HEV 18-inch wheels on mid-range fashions 19-inch wheels on Restricted and N Line Panoramic sunroof on N Line and Restricted

Inside: Significant Change

The most important change contained in the Tucson for 2025 comes with the higher trim ranges. With the drive selector transferring to the steering column, the middle console is freed as much as home a extra conveniently positioned wi-fi charger and often reached for controls. A brand new and helpful dashboard tray for the passenger to make use of runs throughout the dashboard above the glove field, and USB-C ports within the again carry issues updated properly.

We definitely appreciated the brand new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, its improved processing energy, and revised menu system. Discovering what you want is now simpler, and it reacts crisply to inputs. Each variations we drove included Hyundai’s new 12-inch coloration heads-up show, which was nonetheless simply readable within the blistering noon California solar. The truth that the head-up show exhibits Android and CarPlay navigation makes it much more engaging.

Nonetheless, we did not use the brand new fingerprint authentication sensor on the instrument cluster, which will also be used to cease and begin the automobile. That is one thing to discover with a full drive evaluation because it must work first time each time to be taken critically. We are able to, nonetheless, report that the ventilated seats are the strongest and coldest we have come throughout but. The options listing seems as follows:

S = Normal, O = Non-compulsory

On The Highway: The Nice All-Rounder

Whereas the gas-only powertrain makes use of the larger 2.5-liter engine, it is a sluggish engine until you place the Tucson into Sport mode. Its 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque are respectable numbers for a small crossover, however we are able to see having to modify into Sport mode to affix a fast-moving freeway day by day getting outdated fairly rapidly. Sadly, the gas consumption figures aren’t adequate to make up for the dearth of liveliness within the engine.

The hybrid is significantly better for brisk driving, needing to dip into Sport mode much less typically, and has cheap 38/38/38 mpg or 35/35/35 mpg gas economic system numbers relying on trim degree. The hybrid makes use of a six-speed transmission versus the gas-only model’s eight-speed, however there is not any noticeable profit in smoothness from having extra gears. If something, the six-speed permits the 268 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque to be correctly used when a surge of energy is critical.

We particularly desire Tucson over one thing like Toyota’s RAV4, which is due to the enjoyable driving dynamics that Hyundai delivers – significantly with all-wheel-drive choices. In Sport mode, extra torque is shipped to the rear wheels, and the Tucson turns into extra agile. Whereas we do not usually suggest the Tucson as a sports activities crossover, it’s genuinely enjoyable to push round on a again street every so often. Extra importantly, the HTRAC all-wheel-drive system is well-proven on grime roads and customarily in slippery situations.

Journey high quality remains to be up there for driver and passengers alike, and the Restricted trim now comes with acoustic glass to refine the cabin additional by reducing down on noise. That does not imply the Tucson is loud with out it – removed from it – and the journey high quality is on par, if not higher, than its stiffest competitors (pun supposed). As a bundle, the Tucson makes for a beautiful cruiser and metropolis hustler.

Conclusion: A Worthwhile Replace

Including collectively simply the infotainment and security upgrades on the Tuscon, the 2025 mannequin yr facelift must be sufficient for anybody that is been ready to tug the set off on a Tucson of any trim degree. On higher trims, the transfer of the shifter to the steering column takes some getting used to, nevertheless it’s value it for the improved middle console.

S = Normal, O = Non-compulsory

There’s all the time a however, although, and on this case, it is the gas-only fashions. We would not entertain the two.5-liter engine with fuel costs as they’re and being assured they’re by no means going again to being cheap. That is unlucky, because the beginning value of the fuel fashions is nicely under $30k. Shifting as much as the hybrid sees the beginning value improve to $33,115. We expect Hyundai has missed a trick by not dropping the two.5-liter engine and going all hybrid with this refresh – the hybrids are that good. The Tucson is already not for probably the most price-sensitive clients any extra, with cheaper rivals obtainable. The PHEV fashions begin at$39,380 and prime out at $47,090 earlier than choices and vacation spot.

For anybody keen on a lower-trim Tucson, it will be value doing the mathematics with the gas economic system and native fuel costs to see if a hybrid model is smart. Whereas the decrease trims provide loads by way of options, gasoline is at the moment a excessive value to pay for them.