The 2021 Hyundai Tucson doesn’t exactly redefine the compact SUV/crossover class. This corner of the automotive world rumbles with such titans as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Both roomy, mature, and resale-value kings. The Subaru Forester, meanwhile, is the darling of the Snow Belt. The Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage are pretty darn good as well. Which obliges the Tucson to take a different approach. It has an unbeatable 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. It could also be said that the Tucson offers a more muscular engine and all-wheel drive, but plenty of rivals can make these claims as well. Handling-wise, the Mazda CX-5, and Ford Escape have that area covered. Some of the Tucson’s driver aids in the higher trims, like adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams, are available at the entry level of some competitors. But the 2021 Tucson still represents good value for money, and owners won’t lose their shirts on it when the time comes to sell.
2021 Hyundai Tucson Pricing
The front-drive SE kicks off the 2021 Hyundai Tucson range with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $23,700. Add the $1,140 destination charge, and the total is $24,840. The Value model is only another $1,450, but stretching to the SEL, from $27,240, brings the bigger engine into play. At the pricier end is the Limited, beginning at $30,540 and the Ultimate at $33,190. All-wheel drive is $1,400 more on any trim. A Honda CR-V starts around $27,000, and the Toyota RAV4 is in the same ballpark. Before buying, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area are paying for their new Tucson. In the resale values department, we expect Honda and Toyota to be the leaders, with Hyundai close behind.
Driving the 2021 Hyundai Tucson
There are no big surprises or troublesome learning curves with the 2021 Tucson. It’s comfortable and quiet, and the suspension has been tuned to take corners with confidence, despite the vague steering feel. Sport trim’s 19-inch wheels tend to reduce ride quality and increase sound levels, so test-drive a few versions to find the ideal choice. Selecting Sport mode from the drive settings tweaks the responses of the throttle and transmission for a little more fun. But acceleration is not a Hyundai Tucson strong point, not even with the optional 2.4-liter engine. Generating only 181 horsepower, this motor lags far behind its turbocharged rivals. Power for low-speed passing maneuvers is accessible when required, thanks in part to the excellent 6-speed automatic transmission, but don’t expect any kind of breathtaking action beyond that.
Interior Comfort
A sensible dashboard houses simple controls for the climate and audio systems. At night, those controls have soft blue back-lighting. The digital display doesn’t overload the driver with too much information. A 7-inch infotainment touchscreen (measured diagonally) is also standard, going up to an 8-inch unit in the Ultimate. Limited and Ultimate trims have leather seating surfaces. The rear seats are comfortable enough, even if passenger space back there is not class-leading. And the luggage area’s adjustable floor also includes storage for the cargo cover. With the rear seats in place, cargo space is 31 cubic feet. When folded, it’s 61.9 cubic feet.
Exterior Styling
The clean look of the 2021 Hyundai Tucson is arguably easy on the eye, especially for fans of Audi’s styling approach. There’s nothing wrong with a mainstream marque paying homage to something upscale and successful. It makes the commute more bearable and lets the owner feel good. Beneath the styling is a chassis made up of more than 50 percent high-strength steel, contributing to the Tucson’s excellent safety credentials. SE and Value models ride on 17-inch wheels, while the SEL, Limited and Ultimate move up to 18s. The Sport trim rolls on 19-inch wheels.
Favorite Features
HANDS-FREE SMART POWERED TAILGATE YES ESSENTIALS STAIN PROTECTION
No need to wave a foot under the bumper, simply approach the rear of the Tucson with the key fob in your pocket, wait a few seconds, and the tailgate opens automatically.
The Tucson’s Yes Essentials seat fabric is a brilliant addition to an already nice cabin. Beyond repelling stains, the material also helps to reduce the build-up of odors and static electricity.
Standard Features
A lavish amount of standard equipment for the money has long been a hallmark for Hyundai. In ascending order, the 2021 Hyundai Tucson’s trim levels are SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate. SE starts off with a 164-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated/power-folding side mirrors, 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, Bluetooth, and smartphone integration. The obviously but aptly named Value trim adds blind-spot monitoring, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, satellite radio, and keyless entry/ignition. LED headlights and an Infinity audio system come in at the Sport level, while the Limited trim has leather seating surfaces, a heated steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera system. The Ultimate comes with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation, adaptive cruise control, and a panoramic sunroof.
Factory Options
All-wheel drive is optional in every trim level. The bigger 181-horsepower engine goes into the SEL trim and above. To acquire other desirable extras — like pedestrian detection for the forward collision mitigation system, rain-sensing wipers, powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof, wireless device charging, and heated rear seats — buyers must look to the higher trim levels.
Engine & Transmission
The base SE and Value Edition employ a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 164 horsepower. It does its job, but not in any noticeably refined manner. The rest of the range is propelled by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower. Both engines connect to a 6-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive (AWD) is available with either engine, replacing the standard front-wheel-drive (FWD) setup. 2.0-liter inline-4
161 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
150 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/28 mpg (FWD), 22/25 mpg (AWD)
2.4-liter inline-4
181 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
175 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/28 mpg (FWD), 21/26 mpg (AWD)
KBB Vehicle Review and Rating Methodology
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings. We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology. Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing. Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.) We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
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