Say hello to…
…the plug-in hybrid version of the recently updated Hyundai Tucson, the manufacturer’s mid-size family SUV. The plug-in hybrid version is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine plus an a electric motor and battery with a 40 mile EV-only range.
Hyundai offers the Tucson PHEV in front and all-wheel drive – something of a rarity in the sector. However, the addition of all-wheel drive means the Tucson will have added appeal to those that tow or use their vehicles for light off-road duty. The towing capacity of the PHEV is 1,210kg.
The Hyundai Tucson is offered in five trim levels, however the all-wheel drive versions are not offered on the entry level specification cars.
- Advance
- Premium
- N-line
- N-line S
- Ultimate
Standard equipment on the Advance trim includes 17-inch alloys, leather wrapped steering wheel, front seat height adjustment, 40:20:40 split-fold rear seats, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights, wireless phone charging, drive modes, powered & heated door mirrors, luggage net, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, digital driver’s display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and 4x USB-C connections.
Premium adds 18-inch alloys, powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, heated rear seats, uprated upholstery, adaptive cruise control, powered tailgate, rear window sunblind, uprated stereo and heated steering wheel.
N-line adds 19-inch alloys, bodycolour wheel arches, N-line styling pack and uprated leather upholstery but removes heated steering wheel, rear heated seats, uprated stereo and powered front seats.
N-line S adds powered front seats back in plus front seat ventilation, rear heated seats, tri-zone climate control, matrix LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel and surround view camera with park distance warning.
Ultimate adds driver’s seat memory, black wheel arches and a greater choice of seat leather options.
Is The Hyundai Tucson Suitable For My Fleet
Having a plug-in hybrid option is a big positive for company car drivers, which thanks to a 40 mile EV only range the car qualifies for the 8% benefit-in-kind tax band. There’s also little compromise in boot space due to the PHEV system. At 558 litres it’s down just 58 litres on the non-plug-in version and still very competitive against rivals.
The real world EV range is also very close to the claimed, with our test showing 38 miles of battery power on a full charge.
As with all PHEVs, the petrol fuel consumption will depend highly on the amount of charging and the amount of long distance work the car puts in. We saw a 63mpg figure with approximately two-thirds motorway work.
Leasing A Hyundai Tucson
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the Hyundai Tucson PHEV in N-line trim with all-wheel drive for £474 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Maintenance is forecast at £39 a month, according to Gensen Reports. While Class 1A NIC comes in at £53 a month.
Driving A Hyundai Tucson
The mid-life upgrade to the Tucson has focussed on exterior styling changes – including the striking daytime running lights in the grille – and a new dashboard.
Within the dash is a new infotainment system, running the same system as other Hyundais (and Kias). It’s a good set up and is very logically designed. However, in the Tucson it feels slower to fire up when you press the car’s start button than in other group product and feels like it’s using a slower processor.
Hyundai has also added a new touch panel below the main screen for functions such as the climate control. It looks good and works well. The Tucson also retains physical buttons on the steering wheel which make everyday controls easy to get to, such as volume and cruise.
Hyundai hasn’t messed with the way the Tucson drives for the updates. This is a good thing. The Tucson is a comfortable car, as befits a mid-size family SUV. In fact, the suspension is probably just on the softer side of average for the class. On UK roads this is perfect as most imperfections in the road surface aren’t felt in the cabin. The pay-off is that it’s not the most exciting car to take on a twisty road. But, again, that’s not what this car is about. Even if you do go a bit quicker on a b-road the Tucson acquits itself well, it’s just that you don’t get a lot of feedback from the steering.
The only real negative to the way the car drives is specific to the brake regeneration for the battery. You can set different levels of regen, but it keeps resetting to zero every time you get in the car. And when the battery is full there’s no option of regen (which makes sense because no more charge will go into the car) but you do have to remember to adjust your driving accordingly.
However, when the car is open to recouping energy there’s the option of a long pull on the wheel-mounted paddles for max gain no matter what regen level you’ve set and this will bring the car to a full stop. A surprisingly useful function and one that’s easy to get used to.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Hyundai Tucson
Revisions keep the Tucson on point for fleet. Still a great all-rounder.
Hyundai Tucson
- Model: Tucson N-line 1.6T 4WD Plug-in Hybrid auto
- Power: 252hp
- Torque: 367Nm
- Max speed: 116mph
- 0-62mph: 8.1s
- Official mpg: 217mpg
- Test mpg: 63.1mpg
- Official range: 40 miles
- Test range: 38 miles
- CO2 emissions: 29g/km
- BIK tax band 2022/23: 8%
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Why not join the conversation on SME fleets – visit our LinkedIn SME Fleet Discussion page