Summary
The 2019 Hyundai Tucson compact SUV received an all-new look, and new features for this model year that are helping it compete with the popular, yet crowded, segment, which includes some top-sellers, such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.
Other competitors for the new Tucson include the Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Escape, Nissan Rogue, and Kia Sportage. While the 2019 model is somewhat similar to the former model, some of the newest and most noticeable features include more chrome trim, a larger grille, and smaller headlights.
Under the hood, the 1.6-liter turbo-four has been replaced by a 2.4 liter I-4, and additional safety tech is available on the Limited trim. The dash is newly organized, highlighted with a tablet-like touchscreen in the center.
Exterior
The newly designed Tucson has an appealing design, especially for those who are a fan of the styling approach used by Audi. In addition to the new body styling, this model offers fresh alloy-wheel designs. When it comes to dimensions there isn’t much of a difference; however, the chassis is designed with over 50 percent high-strength steel, which is one of the factors that is attributed to the superior safety credentials this vehicle has received.
One of the most noticeable upgrades of this vehicle is the cascading grille that is also found on a number of other Hyundai vehicles. The rear bumpers on the vehicle have also been redesigned – though subtly. You can choose either 17- or 19-inch alloy wheels, depending on which trim is used.
The 2019 Hyundai Tucson is offered in six trim levels, including the Ultimate, Limited, Sport, SEL, Value and the base model- the SE.
The suspension on the vehicle does a good job at balancing control against a soft and compliant ride. Bums and ruts may still be felt, but they aren’t intrusive like with other vehicles in this class. Also, the quality of the ride is not too disconnected or floaty. Wind and road noise isn’t very noticeable on the highway, and it remains extremely quiet when you are cruising.
Interior Quality and Comfort
One of the first things you are going to notice with the 2019 Tucson is the well-built surroundings and the tightly fitted panels, along with the European style of design. While it is somewhat monochromatic with an all-black color scheme (which comes standard), you can opt for beige upholstery, which adds a bit of contrast.
Cloth seating comes standard and is provided by YES Essentials. According to Hyundai, the fabric is stain resistant, repels odors, and can resist static. If you prefer leather, then you can opt for the Ultimate or Limited models, which offer this as a standard feature. You can also ramp up the luxury features further on these top trim models including a built-in air ionizer, dual-zone climate control, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and more.
The interior of the Tucson has a fresh center stack, which is topped off by an all-new infotainment touch screen, along with instrument cluster, rearview mirror, panel vents, and new design for the Limited trim’s leather-covered seats.
The dash, which has been described as “sensible” houses easy-to-use, simple controls for both the audio system and climate control system. When it is dark out, the controls are backlit with a soft, blue lighting. Also, the digital display present doesn’t overload a driver, presenting too much information that may cause distraction.
While the Tucson isn’t head of the class when it comes to spaciousness, the rear seats are still comfortable, and the luggage area has an adjustable floor, including storage for the cargo cover. If the rear seats are being used, then the cargo space offers 31 cubic feet of from, and when folded, this space almost doubles to 61.9 cubic feet.
The vehicle offers two full sets of the LATCH connectors for the installation of car seats, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the LATCH system offered in the Tucson a rating of “Acceptable,” which is the second-highest available, regarding ease of use.
The interior of this vehicle looks stylish and it remains mostly quiet while traveling at average highway speeds. While this is true, the lower trims actually feature quite a bit of hard plastic, and even some of the top trims aren’t considered quite as luxurious or upscale as the rivals.
It also offers heated seats, which is included standard on all trims besides the SE. Ultimate and Limited trims also feature a heated steering wheel, and the Tucson Ultimate (specifically) has ventilated front seats, along with heated rear seats. All trims that have AWD come with a de-icing wiper system.
Utility and Practicality
This model year offers drivers a generously sized cargo space, with 31 cubic feet behind the rear seats. However, when the rear seats are folded away, this space expands to 61.9 cubic feet.
There is also plenty of storage elsewhere in this version of the 2019 Hyundai Tucson. While the smartphone charging pad is found at the bottom of a storage bin, it is a bit inconvenient if you have a lot of junk rolling around.
At the back of the vehicle, you receive a Smart Trunk, hands-free tailgate. This is a standard feature for the Ultimate, Limited, and Sport trims.
Technology and Infotainment
When it comes to technology, standard features include an infotainment system, that offers a six-speaker audio system, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a seven-inch touch screen. Some of the available features you can opt to add-on include an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, satellite radio, navigation, an eight-inch touchscreen, wireless device charging, and a panoramic sunroof.
The features provided by the infotainment are extremely easy to use, which is attributed to the user-friendly interface, along with the convenient placement of most of the buttons and knobs. The touchscreens also work easily and are big enough to read without having to strain, which makes it a more user-friendly system in general.
All the trim levels of the Tucson, besides the SE version, also include Blue Link connected services. Both the Remote and Connected care packages remain free for the first three years the vehicle is owned. What this means is that you have access to geographic boundaries, curfew, safe teen driver alerts for speed, enhanced roadside assistance, slow-down and stolen-vehicle recovery, remote access for some functions of the vehicle, automatic collision notification, and SOS emergency calling.
Safety and Driving Assistance
The NHTSA has given the 2019 Hyundai Tucson a five-star overall safety rating and this is out of a possible five stars. Some of the safety features of this particular SUV include forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking, which are all offered standard across all trim options.
Standard safety options include rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. These are included on all trims except the base SE grade. The Limited trim also features driver attention warning, high beam assist, pedestrian detection, and cruise control featuring stop and go function.
Driving Experience
When it comes to the driving experience, the changes for this model have extended to the engine bay, too. The initial two trim levels, the Value, and S, include a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that provides 164 horsepower. While this gets the job done, it isn’t described as being refined.
The remainder of the range is powered by a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine, offering 181 horsepower. Both of these engines connect to a six-speed automatic transmission. You can choose the all-wheel-drive (AWD) with both engine options, which replaces the standard FWD (front wheel drive) setup.
The AWD Tucson models also come equipped with a “lock” feature, which enables a 50/50 torque split in between the rear and front wheels, which makes it much easier to control in wet or slippery conditions.
Fuel Efficiency
The 2019 Hyundai Tucson is available with the 2.0 liter I-4, which is standard, featuring 151 lb-ft of torque and 164 hp. If you opt for the SEL grade, or above, then the standard engine is a 2.4 liter I-4, offering 175 lb-ft and 181 hp. Across the lineup, a six-speed automatic transmission is a standard.
Of the two engine options, the 2.0-liter base is the most efficient, offering an EPA fuel economy rating of 23/30 miles per gallon on the city versus highway while in front-drive guise, and 22/25 mpg when all-wheel drive is engaged. For the models with the 2.4-liter engine, you don’t get the same efficiency, with it offering 22/28 mpg for the front-drive variants, and 21/26 for those with all-wheel drive.
Pricing and Value
The compact-crossover-SUV, the 2019 Hyundai Tucson has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $23,200 along with a destination charge of $1,045, bringing it to a grand total of $24,245. For the value model, you are going to pay an additional $1,450, but moving to the SEL, you can expect to pay $26,645. The upside – this puts the larger engine at the helm.
On the more expensive end of the spectrum, you have the Limited trim, which starts at $31,345. If you pile on all the options, it’s going to be an additional $3,000 with the all-wheel-drive option costing $1,400.
The details for each trim level include:
Tucson SE 4dr SUV: Features a 2.0L, 4cyl engine and starts at $23,200. It seats five and gets 23 city and 30 highway miles per gallon. This comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear view camera, adjustable driver’s seat, heated mirrors, automatic headlights, and forward collision warning.
SEL 4dr SUV AWD: Features a 2.4L, 4cyl engine and starts at $27,000. It seats five and gets 21 city and 26 highway miles per gallon. This trim offers similar features to the Value, along with 18-inch alloy wheels, a second row USB port, dual-zone climate control, and upgraded exterior trim.
Value 4dr SUV: Features a 2.0L, 4cyl engine and starts at $24,650. It seats five and gets 23 city and 30 highway miles per gallon. This trim offers all the standard features of the SE, along with a power adjustable driver’s seat, roof rails, keyless access, heated front seats, push-button start, and Blue Link communications.
Sport Trim: This model adds LED headlights, 19-inch wheels, exterior styling enhancements, wireless smartphone charging, auto-dimming rear view mirror, a hands-free liftgate, and fog lights.
Limited Trim: In addition to the features mentioned above, this trim is upgraded with a power adjustable passenger seat, 360-degree parking camera system, heated steering wheel, upgraded door trim, and leather upholstery.
Ultimate Trim: This is the top of the trim level ladder and adds even more features to the ones mentioned above, including an upgraded eight-inch touchscreen display and navigation, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, upgraded driver information display, adaptive cruise control, an upgraded forward collision mitigation system, automatic high beams, and a panoramic sunroof.
To compare, the Honda CR-V has a starting price of $25,250, and the price is similar for the 2019 RAV4. Regarding the resale value, it’s expected that the Honda and Toyota compact SUVs are going to be the leaders, with the Hyundai falling close behind.
It’s well-known that Hyundai, along with its sister company, Kia, offers the best of the best when it comes to competitive warranty coverage and the longest-running powertrain coverage. In fact, Hyundai is actually better than Kia in this regard, offering longer roadside-assistance terms and corrosion options. However, note that these warranties are only applicable to the initial owner of the vehicle.
The warranty options available include a limited warranty of five years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first – along with a powertrain warranty that covers 10 years of 100,000 miles (whichever comes first).
The Tucson makes a great deal and is well-equipped, regardless of the trim you choose. It also offers you more features at a lower price than the majority of competing SUVs in this class. With this compact SUV, drivers will find the options extremely functional and versatile, allowing them to create a vehicle that meets the specific driving needs they have.
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