The 2022 Hyundai Tucson scores a nine out of ten on Car and Driver. The Tuscon garners most of its points with an edgy futuristic exterior design, a well-equipped cabin, excellent driving dynamics, and available hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. There are a few lows that keep it from being a full ten, including the lack of a volume knob and no option for a high-performance model. Let’s take a closer look.

New for 2022

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is fully redesigned from back to front and inside and out. One of the biggest changes is that the Tucson is simply bigger. It has more room for both people and cargo in the 2022 model. With more room inside, Tucson now offers a 10.3-inch infotainment screen and a fully digital gauge display. Along with all the extra room, the Tucson has a completely new exterior design that gives it an edgy, futuristic look.

2022 Hyundai Tucson Performance

The standard engine for the Tucson is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 187 horsepower. FWD is standard and AWD is optional. The hybrid powertrains on the Tucson are actually more powerful, with the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine making 227 horsepower in the hybrid and 261 horsepower in the plug-in hybrid. Both hybrid models feel much quicker than the standard gas model, and there’s no doubt that these offerings are a big reason why the Tucson scores so high with Car and Driver. What’s better than more power and better gas mileage? Another performance reason for the Tucson’s high score is its quiet and refined driving dynamics.

Interior Comfort and Space

As mentioned earlier, the Tucson has a lot more space inside for 2022. Taking up part of the new space is an intuitive and modern dashboard design. This dashboard is laid out simply, which makes it easy to use. You’ll find the digital gauge cluster here as well as a push-button shifter and a touch panel for both infotainment and climate control. The entire interior is thoughtfully arranged with high-quality materials and luxury touches. The cargo area and rear seat of the Tucson are quite a bit larger than the previous model, which adds both comfort and practicality.

Which Model Should You Choose?

Car and Driver recommends the SEL convenience trim of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson as it offers both plentiful features and an affordable price. Some standard features of this trim include heated front seats, a sunroof, a 10.3-inch digital display, adaptive cruise control, and much more. This trim is for the gas model and starts at $30,285. If you want the SEL Convenience hybrid or plug-in, you’re looking at $33,195 and $35,975 respectively.

The Hyundai Tucson was already a popular SUV model for families, but it has really upped the ante with its competition for the 2022 model year with both performance and practicality.