The Hyundai Tucson is a popular compact crossover for a reason – it’s stylish, relatively affordable, packed with standard features, and offers plenty of usable space for a small family. Its power comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a choice of front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. For those shopping for a compact crossover, the Tucson weighs up well against the Toyota RAV4, which is currently the market’s best seller.
Base MSRP $27,500
Engine 2.5L Inline-4 Gas
Horsepower 187 hp
Exterior Design 9 / 10
Performance 7 / 10
Fuel Efficiency 7 / 10
Interior & Cargo 8 / 10
Infotainment & Features 7 / 10
Reliability 8 / 10
Safety 8 / 10
Value For Money 8 / 10
ProsModern styling that won’t offend anyoneValue-for-money pricingSpacious and comfortable interiorUnfussy and pleasant drive ConsLarge screens only available on top trimsWireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto not available on top trims2025 model is a better deal
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A refreshed version of the Tucson is close for 2025, and while it’s one of the easiest small crossovers to recommend, it’s not perfect. We revisited the 2024 model but in Limited AWD form to figure out if it’s worth trying to score a deal on a 2024 model or whether you should wait for the 2025 refresh to land at dealers later in the new year. The Tucson starts at $27,600, but the Limited is much more expensive, coming in at $36,760. Is it worth the price?
Exterior: Heavy On The Styling
While the Hyundai Tucson stands out in traffic, and we like the current styling, its problem is that its stylized, sharply creased body panel styling and upper-trim wheels will likely date it quickly. That’s often an issue with heavily and intricately stylized cars, but to Tucson’s advantage, this generation still manages to look fresh in its fourth year on the market. It helps here that the Limited model comes on 19-inch wheels, and Hyundai’s LED heavy headlight and taillight motif is as well-designed as it is creatively different from anything else on the market.
2024 Hyundai Tucson Limited Trim Overview
Horsepower
187 hp
Torque (pound-feet)
178 lb-ft
Drive Type
FWD standard, AWD available
MPG (City/Highway/Combined)
FWD: 25/32/28 AWD: 23/29/25
Transmission
Eight-Speed (paddle shifters available)
Infotainment Screen
10.25-inch with navigation
Apple CarPlay /Android Auto
Wired
The Limited trim also includes a panoramic sunroof and all-important roof rails for that adventurous look that isn’t going away anytime soon – the 2025 model will lean into that harder.
Interior: Almost The Class Leader
Again, Hyundai leaned into the styling inside the Tucson, with a pleasant layered look and the ends of the dashboard curving into door trim – reminding us of a bathtub. It gives the Tucson’s interior an easy feeling, even though once you think of a bathtub, you can’t stop.
The jump to Limited from the basic trim is big in terms of materials and functions, netting you a powered passenger seat, heated seats in the front, heated seats in the back, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and leather-trimmed seats instead of cloth. The cabin is spacious enough for four large people, including leg room in the back.
Cargo space is great relative to the Tucson’s overall size and cabin space. HVAC is controlled by a touch-sensitive control panel, which could be better for people who don’t set a temperature and forget about it.
Infotainment: Some Odd Decisions
In the base model, an eight-inch touchscreen is the window into the infotainment system, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the two base models – but for some reason, wireless connection is not available on the higher trims. Just as strangely, the gauge cluster is larger than the base model infotainment screens at 10.25 inches as standard, matching the touchscreen size in more expensive trims, but you have wired CarPlay/Android Auto.
The 10.25-inch screen also upgrades the system and includes Hyundai’s navigation and the brand’s BlueLink and Connected Car Service. The upgrade also includes wireless charging, rear USB ports, Hyundai’s excellent Digital Key for phone access to locks and functions, and LED interior lighting.
Overall, Hyundai’s infotainment feels a cut above its Japanese competitors with its on-screen styling and quick response to input. It’s intuitive enough to navigate individual screens, requiring little learning effort. One minor bugbear with Hyundai, in general, is the steering wheel controls. Why Hyundai chooses to go against the grain and make toggling a switch down to skip to the next track is beyond us. It’s not intuitive.
Under The Hood: Just Enough Power
The Tucson’s four-cylinder engine makes 187 horsepower, which is enough for everyday driving but far from exhilarating. Acceleration is reasonably brisk, but getting up to speed with fast-moving traffic needs a heavy right foot. The eight-speed automatic transmission is businesslike and finds itself in the right gear at the right time with relentless reliability. While it’s not an engine you’ll want to hustle, the upside is a reasonable 26/24/29 miles-per-gallon city/highway/combined driving.
On The Road: Perfectly Pleasant
There’s little to fault in the Tucson’s day-to-day driving manners. The ride is supple, the steering nicely balanced to the lighter side, while the cabin and infotainment system help take the sting out of being stuck in traffic. The engine has just enough poke to work with the easy and direct steering to hustle around town. We’ve had the hybrid version on test before, and we were impressed by how well the package comes together – that remains the case here.
The Tucson is just as pleasant to drive on the freeway, and the all-wheel-drive system on our tester does a nice job of getting power to the right place on a brisk drive through the backroads. Try to get somewhere in a hurry, though, and body roll starts to show itself, which won’t impress a passenger. But, if you want something sporty, there’s plenty of choice out there.
Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Conclusion: If You Can Get A Good Price…
The 2024 Hyundai Tucson is a complete package as a small family or commuter car. While other cars might beat it in one way – we do like the interior of the Mazda CX-5 more, and the Toyota RAV4 has the best reputation for reliability – we can easily recommend the Tucson, particularly the middle trims, as they balance creature comforts and price.
However, if there are deals to be had on base models or top trim models as the model year transitions, then it’s worth considering. The 2025 model comes with some quality of life updates that will address our minor grips – firstly, a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen is standard across the range for the new model year, as is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The interior redesign is also something we’re excited about (goodbye bathtub imagery!). The 2025 version costs less than $1,000 more than the older model, so it seems like a no-brainer to us. We’ll be driving the 2025 model soon, so if you want to wait, we’ll be reporting on the first drive event.