What Is the 2015 Hyundai Tucson?
The 2015 Hyundai Tucson is a five-seat compact SUV that competes with the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester. Trim levels include GLS, SE and Limited, all of which are available with front- or all-wheel drive.
What's New on the 2015 Hyundai Tucson?
The base GLS trim of the Tucson is newly available with a Popular Entertainment Package, which adds automatic headlights, an audio system with a 4.3-inch touchscreen, a backup camera and an eight-way power driver's seat. The Limited trim now has LED taillights.
How Does the 2015 Hyundai Tucson Compare to Other Compact SUVs?
The Tucson boasts a clean design with lots of appeal; it lacks the edginess of the Ford Escape and the tough looks of the Nissan Rogue, but will undoubtedly hit the styling sweet spot for some buyers.
The Tucson boasts the smooth ride of a larger vehicle, but unfortunately also has the fuel economy of one. It lags behind others in the compact SUV class, topping out at 23/28/25 mpg city/highway/combined with front-wheel drive. That's less than the Ford Escape (23/31/26 mpg), Nissan Rogue (26/32/28 mpg) and Toyota RAV4 (23/30/26 mpg).
The Tucson is also a vehicle that maximizes passenger room at the expense of cargo space. While its passenger room is more generous than that of its competitors, its maximum cargo capacity is just 55.8 cubic feet, significantly less than the Escape (67.8), RAV4 (73.4), and Rogue (70.0).
The most concerning point of comparison is the Tucson's crash-test scores. It earned a four-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and was rated "poor" in several categories by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is likely to give potential buyers pause.
What Features in the 2015 Hyundai Tucson Are Most Important?
The 2015 Tucson comes standard with a 164-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. An available 182-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder also comes mated to the six-speed automatic. The Tucson comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is optional on all trims.
Significant standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, projector-beam headlights with LED accents, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity, a CD audio system with MP3 and USB compatibility, cloth seats, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, air conditioning and cruise control. Significant available features include 18-inch wheels, fog lights, a panoramic moonroof, a navigation system with a 7-inch touchscreen, and proximity key with push-button start.
As is required in all new cars of this model year, every 2015 Tucson comes standard with an electronic stability system, front airbags and antilock brakes. The Tucson also comes with side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors, and side-impact airbags for the front seats. Optional safety features include a backup camera and active front head restraints.
Should I Buy the 2015 Hyundai Tucson?
The 2015 Hyundai Tucson is less expensive than most of its competitors, and while many of those competitors are a bit more feature-rich, the Tucson provides impressive bang for your buck in terms of its features and ride quality.
A more holistic consideration makes the Tucson less appealing. Its cargo capacity is small enough compared with its competitors to be noticeable during everyday use, and its fuel economy similarly leaves much to be desired. Perhaps the biggest concern about the Hyundai is its crash-test scores; it's reasonable to look elsewhere on that basis alone.
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