Hyundai Tucson 1.6 Turbo Executive reviewed – pride of ownership, or general-use?

Sounds like Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona in the USA is an area which inspired Hyundai to name its compact SUV, just as it did with its Santa Fé, naming its big SUV after a place in America.

When it comes to the car, the common mispronunciation sounds like Tuksin, instead of the correct Too-sohn (the c is silent).  Where have we seen this name before?  Ah yes, Hyundai replaced Tucson with ix35 in 2010, and is now returning to Tucson.

A red Turbo badge

The big under-bonnet news is the first use of a turbo engine in a Hyundai SUV.  The Veloster Turbo was the first Hyundai turbo petrol engine, and it’s good to see this company is now using the benefits of a smaller-engine turbo.

This 1.6 litre turbo engine is referred to as T-GDi, as labelled on the engine cover, but the tailgate shows a red Turbo badge.  Should it be red?  130kW at 5500 and 265Nm peaking at 4500 is what the specs show – in driving this red-Turbo Tucson, the power dellivery is on the lively side, and mid-range torque available earlier than what the numbers suggest.

With claimed fuel usage given as 8.3 l/100km, the test cycle which included a fair mix of steady highway cruising and some about-town driving showed 10.5 on the on-board computer.

The document also says this engine can reach the 100km/h mark in 9.2 seconds with the manual, and 9.1 with the dual-clutch automatic and AWD.  This brings much-needed vooma to the Hyundai Tucson, as the 2.0 experienced in the ix35 is on the, erm, unhurried side.

Currently no diesel is offered, though a 1.7CRDi, as was later introduced to the ix35, is undergoing testing, so should become available, as asked for by buyers in this cross-over / compact SUV segment.

Does it get noticed?

The front of the new Tucson has the extra-large chrome grille, bearing a resemblance to the latest bigger Hyundai Santa Fé.  The main panels are now much more restrained, compared to the preceding ix35’s myriad of intersecting slashes.

The Turbo models also have a dual angled rectangle exhaust outlet in the lower bumper, giving a sporty look not usually associated with this kind of car.

Being fairly new to the market, with not many on the road at time of testing, the Tuscon Executive was delivered, and it looked like a completely different (much more normal-looking) SUV than the look-at-me Elite AWD model.  The big difference?  The Executive, tested here, has 17-inch average size (for this size vehicle) wheels with a generic twisted-spoke design.  The turbine-blade 5-spoke 19-inch wheels (this is the one you’ve probably seen in media images and advertisements) give the new Tucson a high sporty stance.  Unfortunately only the top-spec Elite AWD gets these 19-inch looker rims, though the 17 and 18s are cheaper tyres to replace, and ride softer.  Just goes to show how much a wheel plays a role in a car’s appearance.  Those wheels tho.

Due its new-ness there were several heads turning to take a longer look at the new be-grilled Hyundai.  The onlookers who commented say it looks good.  To get really noticed, though, the Elite AWD is the one to go for.

Premium, Elite or Executive?

These are not adjectives describing the new Tucson, but the 3 available spec levels. 

Premium is for the entry-spec, available in manual or auto with the 2.0 engine repeated from ix35.  The 2.0 6-speed auto is also available in a higher Elite spec.  The new 1.6 Turbo engine is offered in 6-speed manual with Executive spec (all of the above are front-wheel drive, which is fine for most uses, and lower-priced so therefore more popular) or as the Hyundai Tuscon 1.6 Turbo Elite AWD with a 7-speed DCT auto for the top-of-the-range model.

Common among all Hyundai Tucson derivatives is a selection of safety and comfort equipment, including steering wheel controls for audio, Bluetooth and the trip computer (with Executive and Elite models also getting switches for cruise control), ventilated front brake discs, 4-channel 4-sensor ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), 6 airbags, LED daytime lights (visible mid-bumper sides), auto-dimming inner mirror, and rear fold-out centre armrest with 2 cupholders.

Executive and Elite spec adds more braking/stability features, like ESP, Downhill Brake Control and Hill Start Assist, and electric adjustment for both front seats, headlights auto on-off, side indicators on the mirror housings, dual-zone climate control, auto-folding outer mirrors, and leather upholstery with perforation (though no seat heating or cooling).

Flex Steer is unique to this 1.6 Turbo Executive model, giving the driver a switch to select a lighter or heavier steering feel.

Both Elite models (both with auto gears) allow fitment of keyless entry and push-button start, and also upgrade to LED interior lighting, LED puddle lamps, panoramic sunroof, and high-tech goods like Lane Change Assist, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

All Tucson models have a sectioned interior mirror showing the rear-view camera display when reversing, but only Elite models get park distance sensors, and only in the rear bumper.

Pricing starts at R 359 900 for the Tucson 2.0 Premium, reaching R 499 900 for the Turbo Elite AWD auto.  The Turbo Executive manual prices at R 419 900.  This places it in the R400k-R450k price playground of, depending on model, a Ford Kuga, Jeep Renegade, Volkswagen Tiguan (new one arriving in SA in coming months), Kia Sportage (new one on the way), Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Suzuki Grand Vitara, MINI Countryman and Subaru Forester.  Hyundai is no longer the budget buy.

So right, so wrong

The new Hyundai Tucson does so much so right, yet gets so much so wrong.

The right, first.  The drive is refined and soft, the engine is eager, and the cabin materials seem, for the most part, durable.  It is such an easy SUV to drive.  One gets the feeling they were trying to make a copy of a Tiguan, so refined is it.  

The up-down steering controls for audio volume, channel/track and cruise control are very easy to use, flicked easily using a thumb.  The cargo area has a clever holding net which can be hooked mid-height to easily slide groceries under, keeping items from sliding/rolling around.  The roof lights switches are damped soft-touch, for a premium car feel.  There is a good-size space for placing a wallet or cellphone forwards of the gear lever, with grippy non-scratch rubber insert.

The wrong.  The first criticism is the controls screen – the menu buttons are large and easy to use when driving, but why is the screen so small?  It not only looks squashed-in, but is actually difficult to use, as there is no space to display even full words, so on the phone menu you see abbreviations like Histo... and P.Book.  Really?  The screen needs to be bigger, and the text graphics need to be updated to a modern look.  Hyundai offers a large touch-screen navigation option which costs R 15 000 (not fitted to this test car) but rather than a factory option it is an after-market fitment, and it looks it. 

Around that small screen are large easy-to-use menu buttons, but the plastic used shows finger-marks (even from just-washed hands) very easily, which the car wash guys could not remove, so with just 3500km on the odometer, these already look used.  Other obvious mistakes are the rotary dash-mounted rotary controls for audio volume and audio tuning – these are installed too shallow, so any normal finger cannot quite grip it to adjust.

The cubby hole is simply too small, and can hardly fit the owner’s manual.

Upon closer inspection of the seats and rear area, and in clear view of rear seat occupants, the front seat belt mountings were discovered not in the usual proper securing point on the vehicle floor, but as an attachment similar to the clip-in you’d usually be fastening your safety belt into (without the release clip, of course).  A rubber stalk is mounted upright in the floor, with the front safety belt “clipped” into this stalk.  It looks really bad and unfinished, but, more importantly, is it safe?

Hyundai is advertising its 7-year warranty all over, but read the fine print – it states it is a 5-year warranty plus 2-year drivetrain warranty.  In fact, then, a 7-year drivetrain warranty.

Pride of ownership, or improved general use

The Hyundai Tucson 1.6 Turbo has a good-performing new engine, refined overall ride and drive, and decent equipment.  Some items like the screen and controls let it down.  Can it instill pride of ownership after the new-ness has worn off, or is it more of an improved general-use SUV?