"Ruby"
As a 30-year (two Accords) Honda owner, my natural tendency when it came time to acquire a more compact vehicle which was also easier for us (ages 73 and 79) to get in and out of, was just to go out and buy a CRV. To be honest, we did test drive a couple of them - as well as Honda's smaller HRV - before "discovering" the Tucson, almost on a whim, since my impressions regarding earlier Hyundais had not been all that great. I did do extensive research on the internet, at least becoming aware of almost every compact SUV offered. In fact, I created a spreadsheet comparing ALL SUVs that Consumer Reports tested this year (some 80+) and the Tucson comes out VERY well indeed - in the top twelve, beating many big names, including a LOT of the "luxury" models! Sharp readers may note that CR did not test a Limited, so I allowed one (1) extra point, over the Sport's rating of 75, for AEB, LDW, leather, panoramic sunroof, etc. At that, it's possible we cheated ourselves!
With the Tucson it was a case of lust at first sight. The new sheet metal looks really nice. My wife and I both disliked the bulbous rear of the CRV, combined with its' non-matching upper window lines, giving the distinct appearance that the design team was not all on the same page. From some angles the CRV can look downright bizarre. Not so with the Tucson which, to our eyes at least, simply does not have a 'bad' view.
The interior is also really nice (we did get the Limited with the Ultimate package) giving the impression of a far more expensive car. Driver's seating position (I'm 5'-10") is excellent, and the cooled seats are the greatest in our 100 degree+ summers. There is ample seating room in the rear, which is also quite comfortable. Cargo area is not huge, but we are empty nesters. The car is very quiet. Instrumentation (we especially like the simple, classic, white-on-black tach and speedo) and controls are great, and fall easily to hand. Much of the design work was done in Germany, which I think is a major plus.
The 8" screen navigation system is crystal clear, and easy to use. We're not that big on the current music transmission (Sirius, etc.) capabilities, but we will learn. I do think they made a mistake by not providing a CD/DVD player in the Limited (lower trim levels do have one). A lot of people have a lot of music on CDs, and all of the "high-tech" music options seem to require a subscription.
In addition to three Hondas, we also test drove the Toyota RAV4 and the Mazda CX-5, twice, and looked at the Nissan Rogue. We completely passed on the Ford Escape since it was not recommended by Consumer Reports this year, and because it did not fare well in the crash-safety tests. I'm sure Ford will fix this, but we were in the market now. The Tucson, on the other hand, received the coveted IIHS "Superior" rating.
I've not yet really pushed it, but the spunky little 1.6 liter turbo and 7-speed DCT seem like they will be more than up to the task. The car is (at least from published test data) considerably quicker to 60, and in the 1/4 mile, than was my 1962 Austin-Healy 3000 (considered a fairly powerful sports car in its' day).
We do live in relatively flat country, and perhaps as a result are getting a little over 26 mpg, overall, so far (7300 miles). Originally (since I value function over trendiness) we had some qualms about the 19" wheels with the 245/45 tire profile, even to the point of considering requesting a swap to the 225/60x17" setup, at delivery, but in the end, we went with the larger wheels. Hopefully all will be well with them, and I do have to say the ride is still quite smooth, and that the car feels really planted on the road.
At least so far, I'd have rate our new 2016 Tucson at around 9.5/10 - based on the theory that nothing is "perfect". This could well be our last vehicle and yes, the much longer than "standard" 3Y/36K warranty DID, very much enter into our decision-making.
Recommended
Verified Owner
