It's time for the Hyundai Tucson's mid-cycle refresh, which brings a whole lot of new stuff to this compact SUV for the 2019 model year.
Key among the changes is Hyundai's decision to swap out the Tucson's optional 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder engine for a 2.4L engine borrowed from the brand's larger Santa Fe SUV and Sonata sedan models.
Active safety also becomes less expensive, as Hyundai makes forward collision assist, lane keep assist and driver attention warning standard in all but the entry-level model.
And all trims gain the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration platforms as standard equipment.
Finally, the Tucson's styling has been touched up inside and out.
Standard motivation remains a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 161 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive; AWD is optional.
The new-to-Tucson 2.4L boasts 181 hp and 175 lb-ft (the old 1.6T engine was good for 175 hp and 195 lb-ft). It also comes with a six-speed auto and is standard with AWD. Note that the disappearance of the 1.6T also takes away the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that was paired with it in the Tucson.
With this model, Hyundai competes with a lot of big names in Canada's car market. Three big ones are the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape. Notably, two of those use turbocharged engines that Hyundai's 1.6T lined up against quite nicely. Predictably enough, the new, larger engine is less thrifty than the smaller turbo mill, at least according to Hyundai's fuel consumption estimates. Those are 11.0/9.1 L/100 km (city/highway), versus the 1.6T's 9.9/8.5 L/100 km ratings for 2018. With the 2.0L engine, estimates are 10.0/7.9 with FWD and 10.8/9.2 with AWD.
Trim levels are Essential, Preferred, Luxury and Ultimate.
Standard features include 17-inch steel wheels with covers, LED daytime running lights, fog lights, heated side mirrors, windshield wiper de-icer, cloth seating, six-way manual driver's seat, heated front seats, 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, six-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay and Android CarPlay, air conditioning, cruise control, trip computer, power windows and power locks with keyless entry.
Preferred trim adds aluminum wheels, blind spot monitoring, heated rear seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shifter, lane departure warning with lane keep assist and forward collision avoidance assist.
Next up is the Preferred 2.4L Trend package, which adds the larger engine, AWD, 18-inch wheels, eight-way electric driver's seat with lumbar, satellite radio, dual-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror, garage door opener, passive keyless entry and push-button engine start.
Luxury trim adds leather seating, artificial leather dash trim and an electric parking brake.
Finally, the Ultimate package gets 19-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, chrome exterior trim, rain-sensing wipers, electric passenger seat adjustment, ventilated front seats, 8.0-inch infotainment screen with navigation, rear park assist, 4.2-inch LCD gauge cluster display, adaptive cruise control, forward pedestrian detection, driver attention warning and automatic high beams.
