2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Review -- Quiet Proficiency

It's a bit like covering a sports team -- it's easy to write about the very good teams and the very bad teams, but one that is around .500 can be hard to cover in an interesting manner, unless there's off-field scandal.

So it is with cars, too -- it's easy to take a flamethrower to the bad ones and to heap praise on the good ones. I don't have to think too hard about the words I choose, they come naturally.

But when a vehicle is just fine, and when its styling is neither pretty nor ugly, it's trickier.

That's the case with this refreshed Hyundai, as I learned in a day tooling around the Santa Barbara wine country.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, saying a vehicle is "just fine" unintentionally comes across as pejorative. I don't mean it that way here -- I mean it as a compliment. The Tucson Hybrid does most things well, and the few faults I found were minor. That said, I am still not sure it has that hard-to-quantify "it" factor that propels a vehicle to the top of its class/segment.

In other words, I liked the Tucson a lot -- but would I choose it over a RAV4 Hybrid or CR-V Hybrid were it my money on the line? That would be a tough call.

Let's start with the argument Hyundai is making. The hybrid model pairs a 1.6-liter turbo four (178 horsepower/195 lb-ft torque) with a 47.7-kW electric motor for a total of 231 system horsepower and 271 system lb-ft of torque. Plug-in hybrids have a 72.0-kW electric motor and their total system HP is 268, with the same torque number.

We only drove the hybrid, no PHEV or internal-combustion engine vehicles. The ICE Tucsons get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. ICE vehicles get an eight-speed automatic transmission and either front-wheel or all-wheel drive, while hybrids and plug-in hybrids are all-wheel drive only and have a six-speed automatic.

Those with a head for figures will note that the ICE carries over, while the hybrids gain a bit of system power and torque -- even though the 1.6 loses two HP.

Changes here include minor styling tweaks, the addition of standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an available head-up display, revamped infotainment, and a 0.4-inch increase in overall length. The interior is revised, too.

Cabin changes include a curving display for infotainment and the return of some knobs and buttons for audio and climate controls. Upper trims have the shifter moved to the steering column. On these vehicles, the wireless cell-phone charger moves to the area where the shifter was, putting it within easier reach of the driver.

When it came time to get on the road, the Tucson impressed with smooth hybrid transitions -- I hardly noticed which mode the powertrain was in. I did wish for more power, though -- it's adequate for most urban and suburban driving needs but merely that.

Handling is -- well, it's a compact SUV, so you can guess. There's some body roll and you can tell you'll only be able to push so hard, but at reasonable speeds it's planted well enough. Turn-in is sharp and accurate and the steering feel is, while a tad artificial, weighted appropriately.

Enthusiasts might wish for a sportier version, but for the Tucson buyer who is just commuting and running errands, the ride and handling balance is just fine. There's that word again.

Speaking of ride, it's pleasant -- but so are Southern California roads. I hope to test one on pockmarked Midwestern streets soon.

Outside noise stays outside -- the Tucson Hybrid is a very nice freeway companion.

The revamped cabin is a nice place to be, and I really did appreciate having the wireless phone charger within easier reach. My only beef was that the driver's seat seemed a bit too high, even at the lowest setting, and it wasn't super comfy once the mileage passed 50 or so. I also found that some of the control indicators -- such as the seat heater/cooler lights -- were unreadable when wearing sunglasses. As an aside, this was the inspiration for that recent QOTD that baffled some of you.

Rear-seat room seemed fine for adults in a brief test.

I did get a brief spin in one ICE model -- Hyundai set up an off-road course for the Tucson XRT. The trail was a bit of two-track that wouldn't make a Wrangler or Bronco sweat (you probably wouldn't even need 4WD) but was still a tad more challenging than I expected, thanks to some loose rocks. If you want to truly off-road, the Tucson is obviously not your huckleberry. But if you need to get to a campsite accessible via the type of two-track that would stymy a Sonata, you'll be fine with the XRT.

Standard or available comfort and convenience features include dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, heated rear seats, cooled front seats, navigation, 19-inch wheels, panoramic sunroof, rain-sensing mirrors, power liftgate, 19-inch wheels, LED lights, Bluetooth, satellite radio, USB ports, remote keyless entry, keyless starting, and more.

To get in the door, you'll need $28,355 before fees. A top-trim Limited PHEV will start at an eye-watering $47,090.

The trim walk for ICE Tucsons is SE, SEL, SEL Convenience, XRT, and Limited. All-wheel drive will cost you $1,500 more.

Hybrids walk like this -- Blue, SEL, Convenience, N Line, and Limited. PHEVs are available as SEL and Limited, and once again, all hybrids are AWD only.

Hyundai's Monroney for the Limited I drove didn't list a price, but based on what's listed on the sticker it should be $40,945 before the $1,395 D and D charge. The EPA numbers for this vehicle were 35 mpg across the board, by the way.

Aside from a need for more power and some minor nitpicks, I liked the Tucson well enough. It's probably not quite as attractive as the current RAV4 or CR-V, but looks are subjective, and it's certainly not objectionable. It has a nicer cabin than the Ford Bronco Sport and offers electrification, though the BS is, when properly equipped, more capable off-road. Ford does offer a hybrid with the Escape, which shares the Bronco Sport's platform, but I have not driven it yet.

It's hard to come to a grand, sweeping conclusion with the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid other than this -- it's very good for doing what most suburban and urban drivers will use it for. Whether the hybrid premium is worth the price tag will be up to your individual use case -- but I can report that should you spend the extra dough, you'll find a smooth powertrain.

Hyundai is offering a very fine automobile with this refreshed Tucson, at least in Limited trim. I mean that in a good way. Just don't be surprised if you struggle to articulate to your friends how competent this Hyundai is.

[Images © 2024 Tim Healey/TTAC.com. Vehicle on the off-road course is the XRT trim.]

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