One can nearly always tell when an auto manufacturer’s design center is in California as the controls for their vehicles’ heated seats and such are often hidden inconveniently in a screen.
Well, Hyundai is both innocent and guilty at the same time with its new Tucson crossover. Its Irvine, California based design team smartly moved the climate controls and audio controls back to knobs and buttons, but the heated/cooled seats and heated steering wheel are haptic buttons below the twin info screens.
Haptics are great in California where no one is wearing gloves other than Michael Jackson impersonators. But here in the Midwest, those haptics don’t function when the gloved hand taps them. Shame, shame!
Making the situation worse, I was testing the Tucson Limited Hybrid in sub-freezing, near zero degree weather overnight. And unlike many heated seats and wheels, these don’t stay engaged or set once the vehicle’s ignition is turned off, so must be re-engaged each time you start the vehicle. First world problem, but still!
Like other push-button starts, the Tucson also beeps at a driver when he or she exits to scrape frost off the windows. Guess that’s not an issue in Irvine.
Still, I’d buy a Tucson hybrid because it looks great, delivers above-average gas mileage, is quiet inside, and offers nimble handling along with smooth power and room for four adults and their luggage. Plus, the price is right!
Yep, the restyled 2025 Tucson looks great with slim new head and taillights, a restyled grille, twin 12.3-inch info screens in one smooth panel, and a useful dash shelf for passengers.
Plus, the hybrid system coupled with the 1.6-liter turbo I4 dispatches 231 horsepower, a 44 horse gain over the fine gas-powered model. Torque is rated at 258, so Tucson feels peppy, especially when switched from Eco drive mode up to Sport. That also firms up the steering feel, which is nice, but unnecessary for city driving. There are Snow and MyDrive modes too.
The result is the hybrid’s EV mode is used a lot, except in Sport mode. I found myself cruising suburbia at 40-45 mph in EV mode a lot and of course it engages early in acceleration to extend gas mileage until the gas engine kicks in.
I got 30.9 mpg, up from 25 to 27 in the tested gas version. This hybrid is rated at 35 mpg city and highway vs. 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway for the gas-powered models. This is with a silky six-speed automatic too, not a CVT that can help mileage, but hinder performance.
The easy nimble steering effort and solid feel to this AWD-equipped crossover makes it a delight in town and on the freeway. Ride is mostly fine too, just a little jiggle on rough city streets. Struts control the ride up front, and a multi-link suspension does the job in back.
Inside, the cabin looks and feels youthful and bright, no dark dreary styling here. Seats are a creamy white with a gun-metal gray dash and door tops while the lower dash and doors match the seats. There’s also a cloth trim that gives the interior a softer feel and look, plus satin chrome trim on the air vents. Classy!
The center console and door panel control tops are a gloss black, but I had no problems with reflections off these even on crystal clear near zero degree days.
Anyone who has seen Hyundai’s impressive sweep of dual screens knows how clean and modern the brand’s interiors look and that’s what you get with the new Tucson. I already mentioned those buttons and dials, as I said, better than being lodged in a screen, but wish they were real buttons or toggles so more easily engaged in winter.
Standard here is an easy-access wireless charger atop the console, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come on all trim levels.
Seats are fairly comfy, yet the bottom cushion is mostly flat. But both front seats are powered and come with heating and cooling functions. However, for shorter passengers, one must crank the seat up as high as possible to avoid nicking elbows on either the console or door armrests, sort of a tight seating compartment unless the seat is moved back a bit.
Otherwise, the interior is roomy with good head and legroom in back along with oodles of storage space behind the second row, and a power hatch with rear window wiper. That’s needed in winter.
Overhead is a large sunroof, and the Tucson comes with a navigation system, something many manufacturers are now leaving off as folks mostly plug in their phones for that. Still, nice to have for quick reference.
Hyundai delivers a full bevy of safety features on the Limited model too, everything you’d want or expect is included, from blind-spot warning to rear cross-traffic assist, parking assist, lane-keeping assist and smart cruise control and driver attention warnings.
Sadly, there’s also an annoying rear-seat warning that goes off every time the ignition is turned off. Plus, the key fob is rather huge, and Hyundai is sticking with its funky steering column-mounted gear shifter. Twist it up for drive and down for reverse.
Pricing remains a selling point as Hyundai still over delivers on content while keeping entry price reasonable. The base Blue model is $34,815 and the next level SEL Convenience trim lists at $37,815. For sportier sorts there’s the N Line at $39,565 and this delivers sporty looks and feel.
The tested Limited with AWD starts at $42,590 with delivery and this added just $210 carpeted floor mats to end up at $42,800. That’s about $3,000 below the average new car or crossover starting price. Hyundai also still includes a 5-year or 60,000-mile warranty.
Additionally, Hyundai offers a plug-in (PHEV) hybrid Tucson for $48,790. It offers a 33-mile electric-only range and will fully charge in two hours on a Level 2 charger. The PHEV model also boasts 268 horsepower, so a little more juice.
Drop down to the gas-only model and the starting price is $34,300, or $500 less than the hybrid Blue version. An AWD gas-only goes for $35,560 and a top-line Limited for basically $40,000.
Let’s see now. This hybrid Tucson gives you better gas mileage, plus more power than the gas-only version. Yet it costs just a little bit more. Hmm, now which to buy? That’s not a tough call.
FAST STATS: 2025 Hyundai Tucson XRT AWD
Hits: Handsome crossover, roomy quiet interior, smooth power, easy handling, and AWD, decent ride and excellent mpg. Full range of safety features, big dual screens, heated/cooled front seats, heated wheel, sunroof, multiple drive modes, wireless phone charger, nav system, power hatch, power front seats, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, strong warranty, modest pricing.
Misses: Big key fob and funky shift lever, haptic dash controls don’t work with gloves, heated seats/heated wheel don’t automatically retain settings when vehicle restarted, irritating rear seat warning, tight elbow room for passenger.
Made in: Ulsan, So. Korea
Engine: 1/6-liter, turbo I4 hybrid, 231 hp/258 torque
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Weight: 3906 lbs.
Wheelbase: 108.5 in.
Length: 182.7 in.
Cargo: 38.7-80 cu.ft.
Tow: 2,000 lbs.
MPG: 35/35
MPG: 30.9 (tested)
Base Price: $42,590 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $41,188
Major Options:
Carpeted floor mats, $210
Test vehicle: $42,800
Sources: Hyundai, www.kbb.com
Photos: Mark Savage
