2021 Tucson Limited
I have now had my 2021 Tucson for just about a month and 1400 miles. Here are the major points with a few pros and cons at the end.
I decided that the Limited model was where I needed to shop as the features that I was looking for are standard on the Limited , Sport and Ultimate models for 2020 and 2021.
The main things I wanted were all wheel drive, not a Black or white color, the high end Infinity stereo, and heated seats, preferably in leather, which rules out the basic Sport model which has leather as an option, but also comes with 19 inch wheels which I did not want due to the price of snow and replacement tires as well as the increased likelihood of damage on my terrible local roads.
I did not need auto folding, electro chromatic auto-dimming outside mirrors (cool though!) or heated rear seats so that meant I did not need to spend the extra money on the Ultimate even though the larger center display with navigation built in would have been nice. So the limited was my choice.
Things I love or like a great deal about my Tucson limited start with having room to haul things around as well as being extremely comfortable to ride in. The seating area is wide enough and with the tilt, extending steering wheel (Heated for winter!) and the 8 way power seat with adjustable lumbar support, you should be able to find a comfortable position. The passenger seat is also power adjustable and both are heated, which is controlled by switches on the center console below the climate control panel. The cameras which are activated upon putting your Tucson in reverse also have selectable views so you can avoid damaging your pretty aluminum wheels on the curb, as well as making sure there is nothing in front of your vehicle when you put it in drive to depart. There is a camera there that stays on till 9 MPH that would show you a child or pet in front of your vehicle. Very cool!
Other safety items are the lane keeping assist which has three levels of assistance or just an audible warning if preferred, You can even turn it off if you want. I often do on country roads so it does not beep at me when I move onto the shoulder to avoid a dead critter or branch in the road. It is nice on the highway in case your attention begins to wander though.
The climate control is fairly self explanatory with automatic climate controls for each front seat or manual controls that let you direct your selected temperature air in any direction chosen. The heated seats work well and warm fairly quickly even with leather seat covers and the heated steering wheel is my new favorite feature of the Tucson! It gets warm enough to feel, especially when your hands are cold from scraping windows or just cool weather, but does not get so hot as to be uncomfortable.
Visibility is very good from the driver's seat and due to the LED headlights night time visibility is much improved over vehicles without them. Even on low beams they provide good illumination that means you are less likely to over drive the headlights. On high beam, my joke is that you could light up the dark side of the moon, so dim your headlights early for oncoming traffic please. They are really that bright.
The Tucson drives nicely with a good on center steering feel, but this becomes a bit more vague when the Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) system is turned on to provide steering assistance. The LKA works very well and feels improved over a 2019 Hyundai auto that I rented last year. The only time I notice it is when I have to swerve to avoid a road hazard and it increases the steering resistance a bit, but nothing that is hard to overcome. There are three levels of assistance plus an audio only warning for the LKA system, and it can be turned off by a button ton the dash located to the left of the steering wheel. The cross traffic warning when backing is best for low speed traffic crossing your path, so use your eyes and a dose of common sense when backing, not just the safety features. The blind spot warning system is quite good on the highway and with the lights in the outside mirrors and an audible beep if you start to move into the vehicle that is in your blind spot, it is a very nice feature.
The blue link system which comes equipped and has three years of service has SOS service via a button on the mirror, auto notification of air bag deployment, and a phone app that allows you to start your car remotely while having different settings for summer or winter. You can also use the Hyundai app to check that your doors are closed and locked, as well as maintenance status with the ability to schedule any service you may need at the same time, basic maintenance is also free for three years 36K miles on all 2021 Tucson's. You can set the system to send an email alert to someone if you hit the panic button also. I hit it accidentally at the dealership and got an email saying the panic button had been pushed. Not an immediate request for help quick enough that the alert could add some peace of mind.
As I am running long I will give a quick list of pros and any cons I have found in my first month. I have not covered every feature as there are just too many, but as I have had great luck and hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles with my previous Hyundai vehicles, the additional complexity does not concern me.
Pros:
1. Comfortable, heated seats, steering wheel, a good climate control system and a killer entertainment system with good BT connectivity make for an enjoyable drive and or ride. Quiet inside, even on rough roads.
2. Safety Features, the LKA and blind spot warning system work well and if you have a young driver, geofencing and speed alerts to your email via Blue Link mean this is a good car for a family with inexperienced drivers. Remote start to heat or cool the car before you arrive via app for IOS Or Android. Bright lighting system for night driving.
3. Appearance, everyone seems to like the way the Tucson looks, from the color, to the rear spoiler and the great looking alloy wheels. Interior is pleasant and the seats are nicely sewn while carpeting and mats are high quality.
4. Capable, can pull a small trailer when equipped with the class I hitch receiver. <1500 pounds total.
5 Overall a very nice vehicle to use every day
Cons:
1. Mileage, Not as good as a few competitors in the same class. Possibly due to avoiding the complexity of a turbocharged engine.
2. Perhaps a little tall to get in if you have any mobility issues. This is only compared to my Sonata, as the Tucson is much easier to get into compared to larger SUVs.
3. Acceleration, not a hot rod by any means. If you need to get up to speed fast, just go to sport mode and the engine will rev a bit higher before upshifting to keep the engine nearer to peak power. It feels like a lot quicker, but the Tucson has decent acceleration set on normal
Those are the only cons so far, and I hope it stays that way. I have had good luck with the dealership and that is why I drive over an hour and a half to get to them. Rowe Hyundai, Westbrook Maine has been my go to for my last three vehicles since they act with respect and honesty.
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Verified Owner
