Hyundai Tucson (2015-2020) review

The Tucson is an easy-going, unmemorable drive. It’ll never trouble the Seat Ateca for handling smiles, though if you’re buying a family car based on how well it tackles corners, you’re unlikely to be interested in crossovers at all.

So, accepting the fact there’s more pulse-racing excitement to be had watching the Antiques Roadshow than driving a Tucson, the good news is the rest of the package is thoroughly fit for purpose. By shunning sportiness, Hyundai has been able to create a tall-ish car that rides pleasantly – it resists roll in the bends well enough, but that hasn’t come at the expensive of transmitting great shuddering crashes into the cabin every time it potters over a drain cover. Even on the 19-inch optional alloys, it’s a placid, quiet-riding machine.

We’ve tried the new 48-volt hybrid version, and can report that, well, if no-one briefed us it was a hybrid before climbing aboard, we’d never have known. It has regular dials, it doesn’t shut the engine down when coasting, and economy is par for a 2.0-litre diesel in this class at around 40-50mpg. We did note that the stop-start system is extremely quick-reacting, so if  - like us – you’ve been tempted to switch the darn things off before now because the engine’s become narcoleptic at just the wrong moment, the Tucson’s fast restart will restore your faith in start-stop.

Only the toppiest 2.0 CRDi engine with 183bhp is equipped with all-wheel drive, but the Tucson is by no means a renowned off-roader, so we’d recommend sticking with front-wheel drive, saving money and fuel along the way. We’ve only been able to try the eight-speed automatic so far – which is only allied with all-wheel drive, and it’s as smooth as you’d hope for a modern transmission. Elsewhere in the range, the self-shifting option is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.