The 2024 Hyundai Tucson hybrid improves on the already excellent compact SUV
Written by Eric Brandt
The roomy Tucson gets some welcome updates for 2024
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what’s new?
The stylish 2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is a spacious, fuel-efficient compact SUV with a beautiful interior packed with modern technology. Pricing starts at $32,325.
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid improves on an already excellent compact SUV. The hybrid powertrain makes the Tucson more fuel efficient than its non-hybrid counterpart, but it also adds more power, torque and standard all-wheel drive (AWD), making it more fun and versatile. This SUV has a spacious, well-appointed interior with a standard 10.25-inch touchscreen, plus the excellent ride quality we love in the Tucson.
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid competes primarily with hybrid versions of the Honda (7267.TO) CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Ford Escape.
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Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 2024 prices
The 2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid starts at $32,325. The SEL Convenience model starts at $34,905, the sporty N Line model starts at $36,405, and the loaded Limited model starts at $39,465.
The price of the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is similar to the cost of hybrid versions of the Toyota (7203.TO) RAV4, Honda CR-V and Ford (F) Escape. The Kia Sportage Hybrid starts at a lower price.
2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid MSRP Tucson Hybrid Blue $32,325 Tucson Hybrid SEL Convenience $34,905 Tucson Hybrid N Line $36,405 Tucson Hybrid Limited $39,465
These are Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices and do not include the $1,335 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination fee).
Before you buy a Tucson Hybrid, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair purchase price to find out what you should really pay. The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid’s resale value is about average for the segment.
SEE: 2024 Kia Seltos review: This great SUV gets better
what’s new?
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid gets some welcome updates for 2024. An optional 10.25-inch touchscreen now comes standard on every model. The sporty N Line model now comes exclusively as a hybrid vehicle. New standard safety features include seat belt reminders for each seat, rear side airbags, outboard rear seat belt pretensioners, and haptic feedback on the steering wheel.
Power, ride and handling
The 2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is powered by a 226-hp gas-electric hybrid engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The dual advantage of this model over the non-hybrid Tucson is the extra power (226 hp versus 187) with better fuel economy. Electric motors also achieve maximum thrust instantly, enabling quick launches from a standstill or adding more muscle on uphill stretches. The Tucson Hybrid’s performance is comparable to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and it’s slightly quicker than the hybrid versions of the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V. As for the interplay between the gas engine, electric motor and regenerative braking system, the Tucson isn’t quite as smooth or refined as the RAV4 or CR-V hybrids.
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The standard all-wheel drive system can adjust the amount of power going to each wheel, providing an extra degree of stability and efficiency to the Tucson Hybrid’s cornering capabilities. It’s not something we noticed from the driver’s seat, but it’s still nice to have. The soft ride quality has been tuned to provide quiet comfort with just the right amount of control.
We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact SUVs, including the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid.
Fuel economy
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid gets a combined fuel economy rating of 38 mpg in the base Blue model and 37 mpg in the other three models. The non-hybrid, all-wheel-drive Tucson gets just 25 mpg. According to EPA estimates, a hybrid car burns about 17.5 gallons of gas per month less than a non-hybrid car with all-wheel drive. Assuming gas costs $3.50 per gallon, this represents a significant difference in monthly fuel cost of about $61.
When equipped with AWD, the Honda CR-V Hybrid gets 37 mpg, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid gets 40 mpg, and the Ford Escape Hybrid gets 39 mpg. This puts the Tucson Hybrid’s efficiency in the middle of the pack.
High-tech interior design
The interior of the Hyundai Tucson is one of the most spacious and comfortable in its class. As with the exterior design, the interior is stylish without sacrificing practicality. It took us a few drives to get used to the shift paddles, but this sleek design contributes to a clean interior. We like that the 10.25-inch touchscreen is now standard.
We’re thankful that the Tucson Hybrid’s interior space is nearly identical to the non-hybrid Tucson. We found plenty of legroom in the back seats: 41.3 inches of legroom to be exact. There’s 38.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which becomes 74.5 cubic feet if you fold those seats. This represents more rear legroom than the hybrid version of the Honda CR-V, and more luggage space and rear legroom than the hybrid versions of the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4.
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Bold exterior
We love the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid’s bold body lines and unique light signature. It’s also good to see an N Line model joining the range, adding a sporty appearance package to this efficient SUV.
Our favorite features and technologies
Excellent Fuel Economy: The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid gets up to 38 mpg, making it more fuel efficient than the non-hybrid version of the Tucson. A hybrid drivetrain can save you a lot of money in the long run.
AWD is standard on all Tucson Hybrids, making it a great hybrid SUV for snowy climates.
10.25-inch Touchscreen Navigation Display An intuitive 10.25-inch display is now standard on every Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. This infotainment system is packed with features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, navigation, SiriusXM, and more.
Highway Driving Assistant Put your hand on the wheel and let this driving system maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you and help you stay safe in your lane.
Hyundai SmartSense The Tucson Hybrid’s generous list of standard safety technology features includes automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and more.
Remote Intelligent Parking Assist This class-exclusive feature allows you to enter and exit tight parking spaces by pressing a button on the key fob, even if you are not in the car.
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Engine and transmission
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid’s power comes from a powerful hybrid powertrain featuring a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Combined with the electric motor, the system generates an impressive total power of 226 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Performance-wise, the Tucson Hybrid is positioned between the relatively non-hybrid Tucson and the more powerful Tucson Hybrid, which is reviewed separately.
5 year/60,000 mile warranty
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is tied with the Kia Sportage Hybrid for best-in-class warranty. It’s backed by a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Scheduled service is covered by a complimentary 3-year/36,000-mile maintenance plan.
Be sure to read: Top 10 Hybrid SUVs of 2023
safety
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid has received the prestigious IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. It earned this award because of its good crash test ratings and many standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and more.
See also: 7 safety features that your next car should have
KBB’s car review methodology.
This story was originally published on KBB.com
-Eric Brandt
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09-13-23 0501ET
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