2010 Hyundai Tucson - Review

Safety features include ABS, an antiskid system, traction control, and standard hill-descent control and hill-start assist control.

The top-line Limited's interior offers shapes that are pleasing to the eye and switches that are generally easy to reach and use. It also offers plenty of legroom and headroom for taller drivers, and the leather seats are comfortable. On the downside, there is a bit too much hard-plastic trim, and the headliner feels like it was made from materials that are a bit sub-par.

The 2.4 offers plenty of pep, although the responsive throttle can lead to torque steer. There's plenty of power reserve for passing, although the engine gets noisy and is a bit uncouth above 3,000 rpm. One neat trick: An "Eco" light in the dash that flashes on when your driving matches prime fuel-economy optimization. It also suggests when to upshift and downshift in the manual.

Cornering behavior is generally composed, although the tall stance leads to some body roll, especially when the Tucson is pushed. For the most part, the Tucson's suspension filters out bumps and road imperfections, but there is some float and wallow on certain pavement sections.

Steering feel is appropriately heavy, and it's more than accurate enough. One nagging complaint was odd on-center behavior: On two of the three models I drove, there was a strange tug in the steering when returning to on-center after exiting a corner. Brake feel was reassuringly smooth.

The GLS AWD I tested didn't differ much in performance from the FWD Limited, despite the 17-inch wheels and added weight of the all-wheel drive system. In corners, the all-wheel drive system makes the Tucson feel a bit more planted than front-wheel drive models, and the extra weight of the all-wheel drive system doesn't hamper acceleration much.

The absence of the more upscale features does not go unnoticed--the headliner feels cheaper, and black inserts that replace certain switches look down-market. The cloth seats aren't bad, however.

Even if you don't spring for the Limited, certain features can be had on the GLS, for a fee. This particular tester had the popular equipment package (telescopic steering wheel, leatherette seat bolsters, alloy wheels, wireless cell phone link, roof rack side rails, and other features, $1,700) plus the carpeted floor mats ($100). The base price was $21,495, and with the options and destination fee, the as-tested price was $24,090.

My final spin came in the manual, front-wheel drive GLS. With the exception of the carpeted floor mats, this particular model had no options--a stripper, indeed. Its cornering and handling behavior was similar to the others. Acceleration wasn't much different, either. The clutch feels a bit soft, with a long travel, while the shifter moves from gate to gate with ease, although the throws are a bit on the long side.

Hyundai is planning on pitting the Tucson against the Ford Escape, the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, and the Nissan Rogue. While it has some flaws--namely, some cheap-looking interior materials--the price is right, the performance is solid, and the fuel-economy numbers are attractive. That will give Tucson a fighting chance in a very tough class.