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For the first time in Australia, the mid-sized Hyundai Tucson is being offered with a hybrid powertrain – which combines its spritely turbo-powered engine with a fuel efficiency-improving electric motor. And it might be enough to swing you to becoming a hybrid fan.
The new powertrain makes the Tucson a proper competitor against Australia’s darling, the Toyota RAV4 but the Nissan X-Trail e-Power and Kia Sportage remain strong rivals.
This week I’m family-testing the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack to see how the newly updated Tucson handles family life.
Kia has released the newly updated Niro, which is the smaller and less sporty sibling to Kia’s popular, EV6. As far as EVs go, it has a decent driving range and specs that should entice first-time electric vehicle owners to dip their toes into the EV pool.
However, the updated model does come with a price hike… which might not excite a budget-conscious buyer, especially with such affordable competitors like the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric also available.
I’ve been hanging in it for a week with my family of three to see how it handles!
The updated Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line offers families space, features and easy-enough handling for everyday stuff and the occasional weekend adventure pursuits.
The price point is higher than the previous non-hybrid model but you get a lot of bang for your buck and my family was comfortable this week.
The Kia Niro S Electric is a solid little SUV that has decent space inside and some nice specs, but it's more expensive than its nearest rivals. The EV powertrain can take a little getting used to and I would have liked a smoother ride, but the 460km driving range is good.
For first-time EV owners, this wouldn’t be a bad option if you wanted to dip your toes in the water but it will suit urban dwellers and smaller families, like mine, best. This gets a 7.5/10 from me.
My son wasn’t in love with this one. Not enough buttons for him to press and he did comment on how bumpy the ride was in the back. He gives it a 6.0/10.
The Hyundai Tucson has seen a minor facelift on the exterior but most of the changes are in the cabin.
The N Line pack means that you get 19-inch alloy wheels over the standard 18-inch version as well as extended body panelling instead of black plastic trims. There is N Line badging across the car too, but N Line option pack does limit you to just four exterior colour choices.
The front features new stacked LED DRLs which tie in with the fang-like design of the rear LEDs. The origami-styled panelling looks more severe than the previous model which helps it stand out in a class that’s heavy on rivals.
The cabin features a completely reconfigured dashboard and now sports a large curved display panel that houses those upgraded tech screens and a new 6.6-inch climate control panel.
The centre console has been redesigned to look like it’s floating and now adds an extra-large storage cubby underneath it.
The upgraded interior makes the Tucson a leader for the mid-sized SUV segment and is very pleasant to spend time in.
It’s a compact SUV with a footprint that's 4420mm long, 1825mm wide and 1570mm tall. But while small, I wouldn’t call it cute. It’s boxier than its sibling and without any of the swoopy design elements that make the EV6 look cool.
I do like the way the two-tone body panelling, which is seen most prominently on the C-pillar, breaks up the ‘blocky-ness’ and creates areas of interest. As do the high-mounted rear LED lights.
Speaking of lights, the base model makes do with halogen headlights, which unfortunately stand out against the LED daytime-running lights. You’ll notice the dimmer light at night, too.
The 17-inch alloy wheels are thick for better aerodynamics but the clever two-tone colouring stops them from looking unfashionable.
The interior has a lot style cred with the curvature of the door panelling blending in almost seamlessly with the dashboard.
The gently sloping panelling that houses the multimedia systems and switchable touchscreen interface for the controls creates a very pleasing cabin space.
There are some harder plastics mixed in here but enough soft touchpoints that you won’t be bothered by them.
The cabin up front is spacious with plenty of head- and legroom on offer. You also won’t jostle for elbow room either when you have a passenger.
The seats are comfortable with their heat function but you might still get fatigue on longer trips as you only get adjustable lumbar on the drivers side and it's simple at best.
The back seat has really good space for the class and no matter the passenger, they were comfortable back there. The seats in the rear are well-padded and access to this row is good for sliding in a child seat as the door aperture is wide.
Other amenities are average with directional air-vents, a single reading light, and a fold-down armrest. My seven-year-old son found the window sills to be quite high, so he didn’t get the view he wanted.
The individual storage is excellent for the class with the redesign as you get a dedicated storage shelf in front of the front passenger and a massive cubby that easily fits a handbag underneath the mid-sized centre console.
There are two cupholders and two drink bottle holders per row but the rear storage bins are skinny. The rear row also gets map pockets but again, these are shallow.
The upgraded technology is a must have and the new multimedia system is easy to use once you spend time with it and looks great with its graphics. The system has built-in satellite navigation, over-the-air updates and wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Connecting the CarPlay is simple and maintains a strong connection.
Charging options are great with two USB-C ports per row and the front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket to choose from. The centrally located position of the charging pad is handy and the liner grippy - so no phone movement.
Rounding out the practicality is the boot, which has a wide aperture and a loading space level with 582L of capacity available with all seats in use, which is good for the class.
The back row has a 60/40 split but don’t fold flat – they sort of spring up a bit, which might annoy when you do a big Bunnings run.
There is a 12-volt socket, a space-saver spare tyre underneath the floor and you get a powered tailgate in this model – which I always like.
It’s surprisingly roomy inside and all passengers will enjoy decent leg and headroom, but taller passengers will find the backseat cosier than the front.
As such, two child seats will fit best but you do have ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard positions and three top-tether points, if you need them.
The synthetic leather/cloth seat trim cleans well and is nice to touch. The seats themselves, front and rear, are well-padded and super comfortable.
The backs of the front seats can double as coat hangers and have hardened kickplates, which are always practical for little feet.
The front row gets the most amenities and tech. The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system has clear graphics but is different to other Kia’s I’ve sampled recently. It seems to have been simplified but you’ll get used to it quickly.
There are plenty of charging options available, too, with a USB-A and C port, plus a 12-volt socket. Not needing a cable for the wireless Apple CarPlay is a bonus, too!
The front row also has the most storage space with two retractable cupholders, dedicated phone tray, glove box, middle console and skinny drink bottle holders in each door.
Back seat passengers enjoy two USB-C ports, reading lights, drink bottle holders in each door plus an armrest with two cupholders. As well as, a standard three-pin socket in case you need to run electrical gear or charge anything up on the go.
The windows are wide and offer good visibility but I really like the 150mm ground clearance. It was super easy for my six-year old to climb in and out, plus he got a good view this week!
The boot is good for this size SUV with 475L of capacity available. It does look more like a hatchback, because while you can readjust the floor to sit lower, the back still slopes up.
However, it was fine for my weekly grocery and school run. The 'frunk' storage is small at 20L, which is just big enough for a charging cable.
You don’t get a spare wheel but you do get a puncture repair kit. And being the base model, it’s not a powered tailgate but it’s not heavy to close.
There are now six variants for the Hyundai Tucson with the release of the hybrid powertrain and all six have the choice of being either a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive with either the petrol engine or hybrid powertrain. And every grade gets the option of adding the N Line style pack. So, there is no excuse for not getting the combo you actually want now.
The model on test is the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack and its priced from $55,100 before on-road costs. That positions it towards the top end of the market but you get an SUV that's more feature-heavy than most of its rivals.
The standard equipment for the upgraded Elite Hybrid N Line now includes dual 12.3-inch technology screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 6.6-inch climate control touchpad.
Other equipment includes a powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, suede/leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, digital radio, four USB-C ports, keyless entry, push-button start, space-saver spare wheel and a powered tailgate.
The Kia Sportage SX hybrid is more affordable at $45,950 MSRP but unlike the Elite Hybrid it misses out on wireless connectivity for phone charging and phone integration apps.
The Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD is priced from $52,585 MSRP but misses out on the newer and bigger technology screens that the upgraded Elite Hybrid has.
The Nissan X-Trail Ti 4WD e-Power is the closest rival in terms of price ($55,090 MSRP) and available features.
There are two variants for the Niro, our base model, the S, and the range-topper GT-Line.
Despite being the base model, the Niro S will still set you back $65,300, before on-road costs. Which makes it about $5K dearer than the equivalent Kona Electric, and $20K more expensive than the ZS EV.
There is a hybrid Niro (also available in two grades), if you’re not quite ready to commit to a full EV life. The price isn’t as eye-watering, either, being just $44,380, before on-road costs.
The Niro is well-specified, though, and the driver will enjoy an electric seat with adjustable lumbar support while the passenger side remains manual.
The regenerative braking is customisable (levels 0-3), there’s an 'iPedal' function, a dual-zone climate system, reversing camera and the backs of the front seats even double as coat hangers.
The tech is also good, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 10.25-inch digital instrument panel plus wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto all coming as standard equipment. More on the tech below.
The Elite Hybrid N Line model features a hybrid powertrain that combines an electric motor with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. They combine to produce 172kW of power and 367Nm of torque. Which is more than enough to make the mid-sized Tucson feel spirited.
This particular variant is AWD and uses a six-speed automatic transmission, which can over rev at times but is mostly smooth with its gear changes.
The Niro is a full EV and has a front-wheel drive drivetrain with a maximum output of 150kW/255Nm. It’s not as powerful as its stablemate and only has the single-motor which is powered by a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery but going from 0-100km/h can still be achieved in 7.8 seconds. With specs like those, this is most suited for an urban setting.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is a low 5.3L/100km, and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L after doing a lot of open-road driving where hybrids tend to be at their least efficient, so that is an excellent result.
The Tucson hybrid is the second best for fuel usage after the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, which sits at 4.8L/100km for combined usage. Overall, the new hybrid powertrain has proven itself to be pretty frugal.
Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 53L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 981km, which is great for a family road tripper.
Such is the EV life but you can’t escape the charging.
The onboard DC charger has up to 85kW of capacity and that means on a 50kW fast charger station, you can get from 10 to 80 per cent in 65 minutes.
However, if plugged into a 350kW ultra-fast charger, you’ll only save 22 minutes because it can’t accept that faster speed.
On a 7.5kW system, you’ll go from 10 to 80 per cent in approximately nine hours, 25 minutes. On an 11kW, you’ll see that figure drop to six hours, 20 minutes.
The charging port is a Type 2 (CCS Combo2) and the car comes with an emergency charging cable that can plug into a standard three-pin domestic socket, if needed.
However, it’s slow going and you’re looking at a wait time of up to 27 hours, 30 minutes to get to a full charge. All other cables cost extra.
The official kWh/100km consumption is 16.2kWh and my average on-test figure was 14.3kWh after a mix of urban and open-road driving.
However, I did see figures getting closer to 20kWh on longer trips. Still, I would consider my average to be efficient.
The Niro S has a driving range of up to 460km (WLTP).
The new hybrid powertrain offers respectable power delivery that makes the Tucson feel zippy in the city and a relaxed cruiser on the open road.
There can be some over-revving when you’re trying to get up to speed and the accelerator and brake feel touchy at first until you get used to them.
On the hybrid side of things the Elite Hybrid has regenerative braking and there are moments of pure EV mode but it kicks in seemingly when it feels like it. When it is on, there’s practically no engine noise but when it's off, the cabin still remains fairly quiet.
My family went off the paved stuff this week and hit muddy and gravel roads on our quest to find a cool picnic spot, and the Elite Hybrid impressed with how it handled the different terrains. It’s not an off-roader but you can still do mini adventures.
The Tucson is mid-sized and has a very clear reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors, so it’s not too hard to manoeuvre or park.
The real negative feedback is that on three separate occasions, our test car randomly shifted into neutral while driving and to clarify, this did not occur while trying to shift into or out of 'drive' but while on the road, already in drive.
The first time it happened, I thought I had somehow bumped the column shifter but on the other two occasions, I happened to be watching my husband drive and he didn’t touch the shifter.
This is probably just a fault on out test car and not indicative of the model in general but it wasn't fun.
This is a pretty simple car to drive but it doesn’t feel as fun as some other EVs I’ve driven. It can even feel sluggish when you accelerate from a full stop and that makes it feel laggy in stop/start traffic.
Once you’re on your way, the acceleration is fairly responsive. You feel confident overtaking on the open road, too.
The car feels connected to the road with minimal shuddering through the steering wheel. The car responds in a timely manner when you have to make sudden moves, which I like.
Sometimes, the lane keeping aids make it feel jerky and I turned it off in some situations.
The regen braking delivers a big physical presence like the EV6 but isn’t as refined and can feel almost ‘bunny hoppy’ at times.
You can customise it up to four levels, zero being low regen and four being the iPedal. I’m not overly fond of the iPedal, so didn’t use it that much this week and kept it at level 3.
You do have to change up how you drive an EV, so this wasn’t that surprising and something I’m sure you’d get used to.
The ride comfort is pretty mixed. Around town, it’s good but there’s quite a bit of passenger movement in this. You kinda feel like you’re bobbing along sometimes, which is jolting.
You also feel the road but the seats are so comfortable, they stop it from feeling too rough.
Surprisingly, the cabin gets very loud with wind and road noise. You can still chat but you won’t forget that it’s there, which is a shame.
I didn’t notice much difference between the drive modes, so it was kept on 'Normal', too.
This is very easy to park! It’s a good size for even a tight car park with a 10.6m turning circle and the reversing camera is super clear, which is great.
However, I would have liked to have seen front parking sensors, as well as the rear sensors. You can get them on the GT-line though.
FINALLY! Hyundai has listened to the people.
They have found a workaround for the annoyingly intrusive beeping alerts associated with the traffic sign recognition and speed alert tech. Yes, they still alert unless you turn them off and yes, you still have to turn the damn thing off every time you get in the car, but you not longer have to access five to six menu pages to do so. Hurrah.
The Hyundai Tucson Elite Hybrid N Line has a robust safety features list and includes equipment like blind spot monitoring, driver attention monitoring, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, forward collision warning, LED daytime running lights, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, and front/rear parking sensors.
Our test model misses out on lane departure alert and the lane keeping aid is too intrusive for every day driving. It gets to the point where you wonder who is driving, you or the car.
The Hyundai Tucson has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and the hybrid variants are covered by this as well. It has seven airbags, including, the newer front centre airbag.
The Tucson has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tethers.
Auto emergency braking (AEB) is standard and features car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist detection which is operational from 5.0 – 80km/h (85km/h for car) but it's usual to see a higher top speed for the car detection (usually 180km/h).
The Niro EV S has a good list of safety features, with the following being standard: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera (with dynamic guidelines), rear parking sensors, driver fatigue alert, check rear occupant alert and adaptive cruise control (with stop/go function).
It has auto emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as junction turning assist, which is operational from 5.0-85km/h.
The Niro was recently awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022. It has eight airbags and that does include the newer front centre airbag.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers, but two seats will fit best. And while there will be room for a 0-4 rearward facing child seat, it will encroach on front passenger comfort.
Hyundai offers the Tucson with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty which is pretty standard for the class now.
You can pre-purchase servicing for up to five years and the breakdowns are as follows.
Three years or up to 30,000km for $1240 (average $413 per service).
Four years or up to 40,000km for $1700 (average $425 per service).
Five years or up to 50,000km for $2040 (average $408 per service).
The five-year pricing is comparable to its rivals and not outrageous for the class.
Servicing intervals could get annoying if you put a lot of kilometres on your car as they sit at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.
The ongoing costs are great on the Niro. It comes with Kia’s ‘better-than-average-for-the-market’ seven-year/150,000km warranty, which also covers the battery.
You get a seven-year capped-price servicing plan and services average $250 per year, which is good.
Servicing intervals are more in line with a petrol car at every 12 months or 15,000km. It’s usual to see those intervals doubled on an EV but it’s still reasonable.