LOOKS

The design of the 2024 Hyundai Tucson XRT jumps out at you from first glance with its bold, rugged exterior look that isn’t like anything you’ll see on its rivals.

With a standout grille, unique headlight designs, eye-catching wheel design, as well as sharp-looking lines on the side of the vehicle, it won’t be confused with other compact SUVs.

Features on the XRT include 19-inch black-painted wheels (base model starts with 17-inch wheels), unique bumpers, black exterior accents, side steps (rare for a smaller SUV), roof rails and a tow hitch. Please note though, that despite an off-road friendly look and an 8.3-inch ground clearance, this isn’t a true off-road vehicle that can do what other vehicles like a Jeep Wrangler can handle.

My test vehicle featured a Titan gray exterior paint job, as well as automatic LED headlights, daytime running lights and tail lamps.

Moving inside, there are two key takeaways. First, it’s quite roomy inside the Tucson vs. rivals in the compact SUV segment. FIve people can sit in the vehicle comfortably, with plenty of leg room and head room.

Second is that it’s higher-end than you would expect, offering more upscale materials than other small SUVs, and extremely comfortable seating.

Cargo space is a strong point, with 38.7 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up, and 74.8 cubic feet with rear seats folded. There’s also plenty of small storage space throughout the vehicle for drinks and small items.

The dashboard design is also pretty slick, accommodating for the center touchscreen well and saving space in the center with push-button shift controls.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson XRT that I tested featured a 2.5-liter,  4-cylinder engine, parted with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Output numbers were a decent but unspectacular 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque.

My test vehicle featured all-wheel drive, but the Tucson comes standard with front-wheel drive.

If you want to go a hybrid route, the Tucson also offers several versions featuring a turbo 1.6-liter gas engine that is paired with an electric motor and offers 226 horsepower.

In my experience behind the wheel of the Tucson, it’s not the quickest to accelerate and definitely not what I would call a powerful ride, but it handles and corners well and has an overall smooth ride quality. Some road noise gets inside the Tucson, but not enough to be bothersome.

The 0-to-60 speeds are not spectacular, coming in at over 8 seconds, so speed demons will likely want to go elsewhere, as there isn’t a true performance version of the Tucson offered. Though on the positive side, I had no issues merging onto freeways or passing other cars when needed.

Maximum towing numbers are 2,000 pounds, a solid number for the segment.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

Diving right into the Tucson’s infotainment setup, the 10.25-inch central screen and climate controls below are all touchscreen, with no physical buttons — in contrast with the usual mix of physical and touchscreen controls in today’s vehicles. (Note: Lower trims have a smaller 8.8-inch touchscreen)

But thankfully, all the controls work very smoothly. Menus are straightforward, and it’s easy to do things like saving favorite radio stations. 

It’s also worth noting that I found myself using voice commands and steering wheel controls more often than the touchscreen commands. Voice controls worked nearly perfect for me, from radio to navigation to phone calls. 

In addition to the center screen, a large digital display in front of the driver provides all the information the driver may need. 

The sound system in my test vehicle was loud and clear, with excellent quality from the upgraded Bose system. You can connect your phone to the vehicle via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for streaming audio and calls, and a wireless phone charger is included.

Safety features are another highlight of the 2024 Tucson.

For starters, it has earned strong safety ratings (including an IIHS Top Safety Pick honor),

I loved the multiple camera views that will help you enter or exit difficult parking situations.

And the vehicle’s Highway Driving Assist option (via adaptive cruise control and lane keeping systems) performed impressively. The vehicle also senses your level of attentiveness, and will warn you to stop and rest if you look drowsy.

Other safety features include a bevy of airbags, Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rearview Camera, Safe Exit Warning, Advanced Rear Occupant Alert.

MPG

The official fuel mileage numbers on the all-wheel drive Tucson XRT I tested were listed at 23 city/29 highway/25 combined.

Front-wheel drive versions of the Tucson bump up their numbers to 25 city and 32 highway.

If you go the hybrid route with the Tucson, fuel mileage can reach up to 37 mpg.

In real-world testing, I averaged 23 mpg in my test vehicle.

These numbers are decent, but not tops in the segment, so buyers who are highly focused on fuel economy may be likely to consider alternatives.

PRICE

The 2024 Tucson XRT that I tested was on the higher end of the Tucson pricing scale, coming in at $37K. For comparison, the base price of Tucson starts around $28K, and the highest-price Limited option is north of $38K.

In the grand scheme of things for compact SUVs, these numbers are generally competitive with rivals, especially with the strong overall package and features that the Tucson offers.

Trims include SE, SEL, XRT and Limited, and the pricing comparison is helped by the industry leading warranties from Hyundai, including:
— 5 years/60,000 miles overall warranty
— 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain warranty
— 7 years/unlimited mile anti-perforation warranty
— 3 years/36,000 mile complimentary maintenance
— 5 years/unlimited mile roadside assistance

BOTTOM LINE

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson, especially the XRT trim level, features a striking and unique design, plus a roomy interior and a user-friendly tech setup, that make it one of the stronger SUV options in its category.

Just be realistic about what the driving experience will offer — while power is adequate and it’s a smoot overall ride, it’s not as powerful or fun to drive as some rivals.

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