Instrumented Test
We have lavished praise upon Hyundai’s current-generation Tucson compact crossover, which manages to do most things well. Looks are subjective, we know, but the wagonoid vehicle is fairly handsome; the interior is a model of ergonomic simplicity; and the quality feel is evident. We even found plenty to like in our drive of a front-drive base-model Tucson SE. The Tucson nails the basics and fails to offend in any major way, and that stays true with the latest version to pass through our hands, the Eco model.
Eco!
As is obvious from its name, the Eco is intended to offer a fuel-economy advantage over other Tucsons. Plopped into the middle of the Tucson lineup—above the SE but below the flashy Sport and Limited—the Eco uses the 175-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic from the more expensive models. (The base SE has a 164-hp 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four with a six-speed automatic.) With fewer standard features than the Sport and Limited, however, the Eco is lighter. Our all-wheel-drive Eco test car was nearly 200 pounds lighter than the Tucson Limited, albeit at the expense of niceties such as a power passenger seat, a panoramic sunroof, and leather.
Combine the Eco’s weight savings with its smaller 17-inch wheels and tires—which promise lower rolling resistance than the 19-inch setup on the Sport and Limited—and you get the highest EPA fuel-economy estimates in the Tucson range. In front-drive guise, the Eco is rated at 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway; with all-wheel drive, it’s 25/31 mpg. Those numbers range from 2 to 5 mpg better than the SE and 1 to 3 mpg better than those of the Sport and Limited with the same powertrain.
We didn’t find the Eco’s efficiency advantage to be as great in the real world. We recorded 25 mpg over 1000 miles, a good number for a compact crossover but only a 1-mpg improvement over the last turbocharged Tucson we tested. As a consolation, the Eco’s weight advantage paid dividends at the track—it was quicker to 60 mph (7.4 seconds compared with 7.6) and posted a higher, 0.84-g cornering figure than the Limited we previously tested. Those numbers place the Tucson Eco near the head of the class—at least among its all-wheel-drive peers—with none topping its grip figure and only the more powerful GMC Terrain V-6, Kia Sportage 2.0T, and Subaru Forester 2.0XT outgunning it to 60 mph.
Outside of the test numbers, the Eco’s electrically assisted power steering is as numb, yet still accurate, as the tillers in other Tucsons, and the suspension tuning yields a comfortable and secure ride—ride comfort is as cosseting as it is in the base Tucson SE, the only other member of the family with 17-inch wheels and tires. As in other turbocharged Tucsons, the engine goes about its business quietly, the dual-clutch automatic doing its best to exploit the torque on hand and keep engine revs low. We detected only faint chatter from the clutches—a common niggle with transmissions of this type—and usually only when starting on a hill under light throttle input. More deliberate jabs of the accelerator engage the clutches smoothly and quickly, after which the transmission cracks off crisp upshifts in its quest for the highest gear practical for a given road speed.
Money Matters
The Eco not only stands as the most efficient Tucson, but also as the least expensive way to nab the turbocharged engine and dual-clutch automatic transmission. In fact, at $26,445, the all-wheel-drive Eco is just $1450 dearer than the entry-level SE with all-wheel drive. (On any Tucson, opting for front-wheel drive saves $1400.) That $1450 outlay mainly nets the powertrain upgrade, with the only other features added over the SE being a power driver’s seat, power lumbar support, illuminated vanity mirrors, roof rails, LED running lights, turn signals on the outside mirrors, premium fascias and sills, and an “Eco” badge. The lone add-on present on our test car was a $125 set of accessory floor mats, bringing the total to $26,570. There are no options beyond dealer accessories.
If our test Tucson seems plain—particularly in its Winter White paint—it’s nonetheless capable, with a roomy interior and cargo bay, smart ergonomics, and solid build quality. Although the Hyundai’s interior and cargo volumes are mid-pack, the back seat has plenty of stretch-out space and the cargo hold lacks any obstructions and is usefully shaped. The Tucson, regardless of trim level and engine, is a crossover that does everything pretty well, without doing any one thing exceptionally. Yet neither does it do anything poorly, although it does lack the driving zest of the segment’s sportiest offering, the Mazda CX-5. But the Tucson offers good value, is efficient (particularly in Eco form), and is well suited to the daily grind in any form, so we’ll continue to sing its praises.
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