The Hyundai Tucson is a compact SUV which is a serious contender in its segment mainly due to it competitive price. The package highlights Hyundai’s attempt to offer contemporary technology and an affordable price.

The choice of either a 140 horsepower 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic with auto manual control, or larger 173 horsepower 2.7-liter V6 with an automatic transmission; both with the choice of either an all-wheel drive or two-wheel drive set-up.

Externally the Tucson follows the same design lines as its larger SUV cousin, the Santa Fe, with its sweptback headlights and curving front fenders – but pulls it off in a much more handsome manner due to its compact proportions.

In the all-wheel drive version, power is tuned primarily towards the front wheels to save fuel, until the automatic sensors switch to a 50/50 rear/front power set-up under poor traction. The driver has an option to manually lock the driveline to fix the 50/50 split power ration should they need full-time traction such as in ice and snow conditions.

The Tucson has numerous features included as standard such as, full-length side curtain airbags, seat-mounted side airbags for front occupants, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, a stability control system, air conditioning and full power accessories.

In the rear the split-fold seat allows convenient access to rear loads, or folds flat to create a level cargo floor.

The Tucson offers a spacious interior, cool styling, safety offerings and lots of generous equipment. This compact SUV, in its V6 form, offers a smooth ride with adequate power, and ranks highly amongst its competitors.