2026 Hyundai Tucson: Driven, Tested, Rated

• The Hyundai Tucson packs a seriously smooth ride.
• We love its ample selection of standard tech.
• Hyundai's stellar warranty remains a big draw for buyers.

Overall score: 7.8/10

This score puts the non-hybrid 2026 Tucson in fourth place in our rankings of Best Small SUVs and that's quite an accomplishment, given that this is one of the most competitive segments in the market. It slots in just behind the Toyota RAV4 (8.1/10) and ahead of its cousin, the Kia Sportage (7.8/10). 

For this rating, the Tucson was driven, tested and rated by automotive expert Jake Sundstrom.

How does the Hyundai Tucson drive?

Driving score: 7.4/10

The Tucson isn't an SUV for people in a hurry. The regular gas engine struggles to get the SUV moving with any authority and it takes 10.2 seconds to reach 60 mph, making it one of the slowest crossovers we've tested. It's OK around town and on the highway, but if you need a quick burst of speed, the sluggishness is apparent. But we like the Tucson's easy, direct steering and its composure around corners. The supple suspension delivers an excellent ride, easily absorbing bumps and cracks in the road. It's among the best in the class.

A large windscreen and thin roof pillars allow for great visibility. We also like the Tucson's set of driver aids. The blind-spot warning system is helpful and the adaptive cruise control works great in bottleneck traffic. The front and rear parking sensors will help keep you out of trouble when parking, but their incessant beeping can become tiring.

How comfortable is the Hyundai Tucson?

Comfort score: 7.9/10

The Tucson approaches luxury-level quality in comfort. The front seats in our Limited trim test car were excellent, with plush, supportive cushions, good lateral support and power lumbar adjustments. The upholstery also feels more premium than you might expect. The seating position feels less like an SUV and more like a regular passenger car. You sit a little higher, but it's not a towering, commanding view. But for drivers who prefer that perspective, the seats do adjust vertically. The Tucson's reliance on touchscreen controls is disappointing, though. Everything works through a flat, featureless screen with no haptic feedback.

The large door openings make it easy to get in and out of the Tucson. Inside, there's tons of space. Headroom, legroom and shoulder room are all stellar, and there's ample room for a 6-foot-tall passenger to sit comfortably behind a 6-foot driver. The rear seats also recline. A massive amount of rear seat space also helps with bulky infant seats. LATCH anchors are hidden between cushions but are easy to find and access. There are three top tether spots on the back of the rear seats.

How's the Tucson's tech?

In-cabin tech score: 9.7/10

The Tucson comes with many technology features that work quickly and feel modern at this price. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and look sharp on the 12.3-inch touchscreen. If you prefer Hyundai's native system, the navigation is easy to follow, with clear directions and a vivid map that work well together. Another strong point is voice activation, which recognizes commands well and doesn't force you to follow specific prompts as strictly as some competitor systems.

How's the storage and cargo?

Storage & cargo score: 8.5/10

You can toss plenty of stuff into the back of a Tucson. Its storage capacity of 38.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats is among the largest for small SUVs. Fold down the rear seats and you've got 74.8 cubic feet at your disposal. The low liftover and nice flat floor should make it easy to stack up boxes on moving day or presents during the holidays. The cabin offers decent-sized spaces throughout to hold your small items. The cupholders can hold larger water bottles.

Is the Tucson a good value?

Value score: 8.5/10

The Tucson's pricing is competitive for the class and generally lines up with what you'd pay for a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. But Hyundai does one-up the competition by giving you plenty of desirable features and excellent interior quality. The cabin design and materials are comfortable and interesting for the price and certainly a step above other compact crossover interiors.

Hyundai's basic warranty of five years/60,000 miles and powertrain coverage of 10 years/100,000 miles also can't be beat. Overall, the Tucson delivers excellent value at its price.

Tucson fuel economy

MPG score: 5/10

In all-wheel-drive guise, which is what we tested, the Tucson gets an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined (24 city/30 highway). This isn't bad, and our time behind the wheel returned similar numbers in mixed city and highway driving, indicating the EPA figure holds up in real-world use. But the number falls short of the EPA estimates for the AWD models of the Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue. We would also hope for higher figures, given that the Tucson lacks much in the way of acceleration.

Is the Tucson special?

X factor: 5/10

It's clear that Hyundai had fun building the Tucson. The expressive exterior design and lots of interesting tech features such as hidden headlights, innovative touchscreen menus and its remote-controlled parking system make that clear. Ultimately, though, these aspects come off as fancy icing on what is a pretty standard cake.

The Tucson is hamstrung by a sluggish engine that makes it feel like a chore to drive, and the transmission can be clunky unless driven for maximum efficiency. The Tucson stands out in a crowd, and there is a lot to like about its wealth of standard features. But it falls short of reaching fun-to-drive status in our book.