New Hyundai Tucson Review

The Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav can currently be ordered with £0 Advance payment. Pay £999 and you can upgrade to the 'Premium' version which adds bigger alloy wheels, electric and heated front seats, heated rear seats, an upgraded audio system and a wireless phone charging pad (section updated January 2020).

Hyundai Tucson Motability Advance Payment Offers

The Tucson is a huge car for Hyundai, with well over 600,000 units sold prior to the arrival of this facelifted version. This MK2 model replaced the old ix35 crossover in the Korean company's range back in 2015 and has sold much more strongly, thanks to higher quality, extra technology, greater standards of safety, more space and sharper driving dynamics too.

Mind you, it's pricing reflects that level of prowess: Hyundai has long abandoned its bargain basement beginnings. Can what's on offer in this improved Tucson offer a genuine alternative to established Motability-leased SUV's from carmakers like Nissan, Ford and Kia?

People have come to expect a lot when it comes to driving mid-sized SUVs. Although they want a lofty perch, they also want to feel like they could be driving a hatchback. The Tucson delivers exactly this blend of virtues, hence its very road-biased suspension setup - and the overwhelming emphasis on two wheel drive models across the range. And engines? Well the petrol range is made up of a normally aspirated 1.6-litre GDI 132PS unit and a much pokier T-GDI turbo 177PS powerplant. Go for the T-GDI variant and you get the option of the brand's seven-speed 7DCT dual-clutch automatic gearbox, also offered elsewhere in the range. Most Tucson buyers though, want a diesel. For buyers wanting to fuel from the black pump, the range starts with a 115PS 1.6-litre CRDi variant, which uses the brand's new 'U3'-series engine.

There is also a 2.0-litre CRDi version, which features Hyundai's first mild hybrid diesel powertrain.

You'll need to be pretty familiar with this Hyundai to notice the exterior changes made to this revised model, but Hyundai insists that there are plenty if you look closely. The brand's signature 'Cascading Grille' makes an appearance at the front, along with restyling for the headlights, the fog lamps, the front bumper and the skid plates. The side profile features smarter wheel designs in 16, 17, 18 and 19-inch sizes. At the rear, this Tucson receives a sleeker tail light design, with a re-designed bumper and exhaust tailpipe. The overall look may not be as overt as you'd find with some rivals but you could never call it dull and the effect is especially nice with the 19 inch wheels fitted to Premium models.

Inside, changes include a re-designed soft touch dashboard and central touchscreen display audio system, with a DAB tuner, plus 'Apple Car Play' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring now standard across the range. As before, there's 513-litres of seats-up boot space available, so in this regard, the Tucson continues to comfortably beat Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar direct rivals. Fold the seats down and this capacity increases to 1503-litres. Rear seat space is good, although the rear doors are a little on the small side.

Choose the Hyundai Tucson and there are 'S Connect', 'SE Nav', 'N Line', 'Premium' and 'Premium SE' trim options available.

Across the range, this improved Tucson gets an increased number of safety features, with Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist standardised across all trim levels, as well as Driver Attention Alert - which is standard on 'SE Nav' trim and upwards. As for the general kit tally, well even the base 'S Connect' variants get quite a lot. Expect a 7 inch display audio including a DAB tuner along with 'Apple Car Play' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Plus a rear view camera, climate control, Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel controls and a leather steering wheel and gear knob. Exterior enhancements include new alloy wheels, front fog lamps and automatic headlamps.

The Tucson can't quite match some of its rivals when it comes to running costs but it gets close. The engine line-up now includes the direct injection 1.6-litre petrol engine (offered in normally aspirated or turbo forms) now has an updated particulate filter. The old 1.7-litre CRDi diesel has been replaced by a new 'U3' 1.6-litre diesel that delivers better fuel economy and CO2 of 130g/km. 

So, what do we have? The tough looks of an SUV, the sensible practicality of a 5-seater compact-MPV and the affordability of a family hatchback. These are the facts behind this improved Tucson model, but is it good enough to attract new Motability customers to the Hyundai brand.

It's nicely built, efficient to run and quite capable of getting everywhere any ordinary family driver might want to go. No, it's not perfect - a class-leading family hatch might offer slightly sharper handling and better all-round visibility - but these aren't deal-breaking issues. More important will be this model's competitive Motability Advance Payment pricing, its reliability and its impressive boot space. It's a Hyundai of the modern era. And that makes it a very impressive car indeed.

People with a disability and carers who choose a new Hyundai Tucson through Motability will receive a brand new car, delivered by a Motability Specialist at a local Hyundai dealership, complete with insurance, servicing and maintenance, full breakdown assistance, replacement tyre cover, windscreen repair or replacement cover plus a mileage allowance of 60,000 miles over three years.