Is the Hyundai Tucson 2025 worth your investment? A Deep dive

In case you are looking for a new compact crossover in the UAE, you ought to consider the Hyundai Tucson 2025. It offers a fairly convincing combination of a modern design and a quality interior wrapped in a sound and decently prized package.

The new Hyundai Tucson competes with the Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, and Toyota RAV4. The Tucson shares its underpinning with the Sportage, but the Kia can be more pricey. Having covered some of the basics, it is time to take a closer look at the Hyundai Tucson.

Variants and Price

The Hyundai Tucson 2025 range offers a variety of options in the UAE, possibly available in six variants. However, note that the availability of some of these variants is at the sole discretion of Hyundai UAE. The Tucson Smart 2.0 (FWD) can cost around AED 85,000 and the Tucson Smart 2.0 (AWD) around AED 90,000.

The estimated price of the Tucson Comfort 2.0 (FWD) and Tucson Comfort 2.0 (AWD) is AED 100,000 and AED 110,000, respectively. Then there are the Tucson Premium 1.6T (FWD) and Tucson Premium 1.6T (AWD) variants. These fully loaded variants of the new Hyundai Tucson should set you back by around AED 125,000 and AED 135,000, respectively.

Comparing it side-by-side with the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Tucson 2025 is less expensive. It also appears to be well-priced when compared to the Toyota RAV4, though the difference there is not as noticeable. Hyundai’s official dealer in the UAE is Juma Al Majid, whose showrooms in Dubai are located on Al Ittihad Road and Sheikh Zayed Road.

Exterior

The Hyundai Tucson 2025 presents the Korean automaker’s new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language. In fact, the fourth-generation Tucson was one of the first Hyundai models to feature this design philosophy. The new ‘jewel-like’ grille merges neatly with the blade-style signature LED DRLs (five on each side). This makes for an impressive and modern-looking front fascia.

The vertically-stacked headlights are recessed deep inside the bumper, with air intakes located on their outer edges. There is a subtle ‘wing’ element in the middle of the front bumper which looks rather nice. The ambitiously flared fenders and sharp creases along the bodywork of the new Tucson will grab your attention, too.

The angular arches house wheels between 17 and 19 inches, with the two-tone 18s & 19s looking particularly stylish. Hyundai has also applied some shiny trim around the wing mirrors. Although the Tucson’s roofline is straight, a silver trim above the windowline makes it appear sloped towards the rear. The almost-flat roof spoiler is a sizeable unit and looks sporty. 

At the back, the new Tucson has its Hyundai logo moved up from the tailgate to the rear windscreen. Then there are the cool LED taillights with their claw-like extensions – these signature elements will not go unnoticed. The front & rear overhangs have been kept relatively short, while the rear bumper features a faux diffuser and fog lamps.

The Hyundai Tucson 2025 has a shorter wheelbase than both the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. It is also not as long as those two cars, but it is slightly wider than the Toyota. The new Tucson, though, is shorter in terms of its height – measuring 1,650 mm at the roof (sharkfin antenna).

The new Hyundai Tucson comes in at 4,500 mm in length and 1,865 mm in width. Meanwhile, its fuel tank can hold up to 54 litres of petrol – one litre less than the RAV4. The 2025 Hyundai Tucson is unequivocally one of the most stylish cars in its segment.

Interior

The lower variants of the new Tucson mostly come with a grey/black interior. While these may appear sporty to some buyers, others might not appreciate them as much. Fortunately for them, the higher variants get an airier grey/black dual-tone interior that offers a more premium feel. Although this lighter theme will look sullied sooner, its upmarket impression matters to many.

The rear seats of the Tucson are well-designed and adults will have no problem being on the two outer seats. However, the middle seat may feel uncomfortable due to its higher perch and reduced legroom. The outer seats, though, have plenty of legroom and headroom to spare – they feel well-cushioned and comfortable as well.

The front seats are even better, offering loads of adjustments (especially in the higher variants) and a good view out the front. However, the thick rear pillars might be a bother at times for the driver. The quality of materials and their fit & finish is really good in the new Tucson – noticeably better than in the RAV4.

The boot space of the Hyundai Tucson 2025 is 539 liters, which is more than that of the Honda CR-V. Of course, the latter can carry up to 7 occupants, whereas the Tucson is only available with 5 seats in the UAE. The new Tucson’s cabin benefits from having a panoramic glass roof, making this space feel even larger.

Higher variants of the Hyundai Tucson get dual 10.25-inch screens comprising of the touchscreen and the digital driver’s display. The latter is well-configured and presents clear information with unnecessary distractions kept to a minimum. As for the infotainment screen, its graphics are not the best but it does get Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

There are automatic LED headlamps, ‘Smart Entry’ with push-button start, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, and powered front seats with memory. Options include cooled & heated seats, multi-color ambient lighting, wireless charging, an 8-speaker Bose audio, leather upholstery, rain-sensing wipers, and a powered tailgate. The conveniences also manifest themselves in the form of an electronic handbrake with Auto Hold.

Engine and Performance

The Hyundai Tucson 2025 gets at least two petrol engine options in the UAE. There is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 154 hp & 192 Nm and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 177.5 hp & 265 Nm. The N/A engine comes with a 6-speed automatic, while the turbo-petrol gets a 7-speed DCT. However, the base variants of both are front-wheel drive.

The Tucson 2.0 will do 0-100 kmph in 11.4 seconds (0.2 seconds quicker than the AWD) and hit 181 kmph. Meanwhile, the Tucson 1.6T should hit 100 kmph in 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 201 kmph. Just like its 2.0-litre AWD avatar, the 1.6-litre turbocharged AWD version takes 0.2 seconds more to reach 100 kmph.

The Hyundai Tucson comes with drive modes such as Sport, Normal, Eco, and Smart. While the first three are self-explanatory, the Smart mode automatically adjusts various parameters of the vehicle (throttle, gear change, etc.) based on your driving pattern. However, the system’s effectiveness is not as profound as one might expect.

The 2025 Hyundai Tucson can be expected to have a fuel economy of between 12.3-13.8 kmpl (8.1-7.2 L/100 km). The most efficient here (on paper) is the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol with the DCT gearbox. However, if you push this powertrain a lot, that theoretical number will tumble by a considerable margin.

Safety

The Hyundai Tucson 2025 can be had with 6 airbags, blind-spot warning, surround-view cameras, lane-keeping assist, and forward-collision avoidance. The latter is made possible because of adaptive cruise control (and its integrated sensors and computing). All variants get ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, parking sensors with a reversing camera, and ISOFIX anchors.

Conclusion

While they are not a deal-breaker, the button-type gear selector will take some getting used to. Hyundai could have switched the positions of the Drive (D) and Reverse (R) buttons to make their placements make sense. The new Tucson definitely delivers on the looks and comfort fronts, so those are non-issues.

Its interior is built well and the boot space is good as well. If you want all this plus decent performance, you have to get the turbo-petrol Tucson. Even though it may look pricey on paper, its Premium variant is perhaps the best of the bunch.

Also read: Hyundai introduces Ioniq 9 as its new flagship electric SUV