2012 Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai is offering the Tucson in three trim levels with the prices starting at just above 20 grand and going all the way up to nearly 25 grand for the top trim. The AWD versions are a couple of bucks extra while the GL misses out on AWD even as an option. There are two engine options on offer, the base on is a 2.0 L Inline-4 that comes exclusively in the base GL trim mated to a 5-speed manual as standard. The higher models get a stronger 2.4 L Inline-4 mated to a 6-speed automatic and are available in both FWD as well as AWD. The following table depicts the detailed list of features and prices of each trim of the 2012 Hyundai Tucson- 

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For us, the GLS makes the most sense out of the bunch as it is very reasonably priced at just over the $22k mark. For that money, you get alloy wheels, roof rails, heated mirrors, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter knob, Bluetooth, heated front seats, wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and upgraded suspension. Plus for the ones who need AWD, that option is also available with the GLS.

Essentially the 2012 Hyundai Tucson comes with two engine options, both of which are naturally aspirated inline-4. The base one is a 2.0L motor which produces 165hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. These figures aren’t very inspiring just like the engine. The better option, in our opinion, is the stronger 2.4-liter four-cylinder, as it feels quite a bit stronger without sacrificing any real-world fuel efficiency. The bigger motor is able to pull the car in a more linear manner without much effort. It feels better suited for the job and we would recommend picking it over the 2.0L one if you have the option.

There is a 5-speed manual as well as a six-speed automatic gearbox available. Both the gearboxes are quite efficient in their jobs and it is one of the rare cases where the Automatic is better and more fuel-efficient than the Manual and that is the really surprising part. The Tucson isn’t available with a turbocharged engine, unlike its cousin from the Kia which does get a turbocharged engine, but it is fine as the 2.4L engine in the Tucson is just enough for all the daily driving duties.

In the base version, the Tucson is the least powerful with the base engine and that shows in the performance figures. It is also pretty much the last on a run from 0 to 60 mph. It is also the one with the highest quarter-mile time and one of the slowest top speeds. The Kia which actually has the same underpinnings as the Tucson is offered with a stronger engine in the base trim itself and is the best performer here followed by the Honda CR-V.

Hyundai is constantly working over making their cars more and more fuel-efficient and while there is still a long way to go, they are certainly on the right track. The base Tucson is rated at 22/29 MPG for City/Highway by the EPA. With the five-speed manual transmission, the same engine delivers a lower 20/26 MPG for City/Highway. With the stronger, 2.4-liter four-cylinder the Tucson gets 21/29 MPG (manual) or 21/30 MPG (automatic) for City/Highway. For the ones who admire the All-wheel drive cars, the MPG drops by 1 to 3 miles there.

The 2012 Honda CR-V is the most efficient one here while also providing the most range. The Kia and Hyundai cousins output the same combined efficiency and they are equipped with the same fuel capacity which results in both of them delivering the same combined range. The RAV4 is the least efficient one here but holds up well with a higher fuel capacity. 

Inside, Hyundai has given the Tucson the same treatment in terms of their new fluidic design elements. The dashboard has curves all over it and while the car is smaller by exterior dimensions than other cars in nearly every way, inside it doesn’t feel like a smaller space at all. In fact, this could just be one of the best-designed cabins in the segment right now. The front row seats are wide and they have plenty of knee room but there is a problem and that is the under-thigh support isn’t that very great here. 

When it comes to seating surfaces, we like the cloth seats more than the leather ones as they have better cushioning and are easier to maintain as well. The back seats also have really good space and this is among those crossovers which can actually seat three adults abreast for shorter journeys at least. For the longer ones though, the middle passenger has to be a kid for everyone to stretch their legs easily.

The Toyota RAV4 is the biggest SUV here so it is pretty much expected that it will also be the one with the most amount of space in both the front and rear seats. The Tucson though has the smallest boot and that means there is a limit on how much you can put in here on your trips and that limit is a bit small. Some of the key interior features are:

• Adjustable Steering Wheel
• Steering Wheel Controls
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Remote Trunk Release
• Electrochromic rearview mirror

How intuitive is the 2012 Hyundai Tucson’s infotainment unit?

In the entry-level trims of the 2012 Hyundai Tucson, you get a basic infotainment unit with functionalities like AM/FM/XM/CD player with a USB port and a 160-watt, 6-speaker audio system. The Limited trim on the other hand gets a 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation system fitted in tandem with an upgraded 360-watt, 7-speaker audio system. It’s not a very sophisticated system but still, it is pretty easy to use and can really amplify the feeling of the cabin. Some of the key infotainment features are-

• Audio And Cruise Controls On Steering Wheel
• 3 Months Of Provided Satellite Radio Service
• Auxiliary Audio Input And USB With External Media Control
• 160-Watt Audio Output
• 6 Total Speakers
• USB Connection

Under their new design philosophy of this decade, Hyundai is giving all the cars a major design change to make them look fluidic and futuristic and we can say that we really liked what Hyundai designers are doing. The curves actually make the 2012 Hyundai Tucson look bigger and more premium. It looks pretty much like a jacked-up Elantra if you look at it from the front and honestly Elantra does look quite good too.

Though there are a few angles where the Tucson feels just too curvy but overall in general we feel it looks pretty good. One thing though, the headlights feel like an empty bucket and if there were projector lamps inside them, that would have worked a lot better. Overall the Tucson is a good-looking machine, but the thing is, there are much more impressive and better-looking ones in this segment. 

Comparison-wise, the Tucson lies in the spectrum of crossovers that don’t weigh a lot and that is actually good. It also happens to be the smallest in length and width by considerable margins. In fact, Tucson is really among the smallest cars here when we talk about the numbers, however standalone it doesn’t look small at all. However, I find all other crossovers we have compared here against the Tucson, better-looking than the Hyundai. Some of the key exterior features include-

• Roof Rack Cross Rails
• Wheel Locks
• 18-inch Euroflange alloy wheels
• Automatic headlights
• Rear spoiler with integrated brake light
• Fog lights

The 2012 Hyundai Tucson has done pretty well in the crash tests for a car of its category. It has certainly managed to impress us all by the level of safety equipment the car is carrying. The NHTSA has given the Tucson a four-star score for frontal impact, as well as a four-star overall score, while the Tucson earns a top five-star score in both the side-impact and side pole tests. 

Further, Tucson manages to get the “Top Safety Pick” award from IIHS which shows how serious Hyundai is about safety in their cars. The 2012 Tucson covers all the usual bases for the safety-conscious. Dual front side and curtain airbags are standard, as are anti-lock brakes, traction, and stability control. Hill descent control is also standard, along with brake assist, tire pressure monitors, and active headrests. Some of the key safety features are:

• Vehicle Stability Management 
• Electronic Stability Control 
• Traction Control System 
• Brake Assist 
• Downhill Brake Control 
• Hillstart Assist Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The Hyundai Tucson has really evolved from being boring and understated to be really exciting and a talked-about crossover. We have genuinely loved this transformation and for all that goes into making this car a good one, Hyundai has done a commendable job with the design and we certainly praise their efforts as they are working in the right direction. The 2012 Hyundai Tucson is very reasonably priced, is quite packed with features, and is decently good to drive as well with impressive fuel efficiency. The only thing the Tucson needs now is a turbocharged engine and a bit more power.