2008 Hyundai Tucson Review
2008 Hyundai Tucson Review





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Used Tucson for sale
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Stylish and functional interior, impressive warranty, plenty of standard safety features.
Cons
- Performance and fuel economy are noticeably lower than most competitors.
What’s new
All 2008 Hyundai Tucsons receive active front head restraints, satellite radio and auxiliary audio input as standard equipment. For the Limited trim, the six-CD changer is now standard as well.
Edmunds says
With its outstanding warranty coverage and a longer list of standard features this year, the 2008 Hyundai Tucson compact SUV remains a solid choice for value-oriented consumers.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2008 Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.11 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$175/mo for Tucson GLS
Tucson GLS
vs
$174/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Vehicle overview
Since its introduction three years ago, the Hyundai Tucson has been a solid choice for compact-SUV shoppers. It's generously equipped with lots of standard features and safety equipment, and its long warranty coverage is one of the best in the segment. Buyers have a choice between two engines and front- or all-wheel drive. And the Tucson delivers respectable carlike ride and handling dynamics that should satisfy most shoppers in this class.
As is common for the segment, buyers can choose between four- and six-cylinder power. But compared to rivals, the 2008 Tucson's power plants are both down on power -- the V6 makes only 173 horsepower, not much more than competitors' four-cylinders. Furthermore, the Kia must make do with a four-speed automatic, while some other compact SUVs offer five-speed automatics. These downsides are also true for the Tucson's sibling, the Kia Sportage.
With so many choices available for small SUVs these days, the 2008 Hyundai Tucson's detriments keep it from being one of our top picks. It's not as quick as the Toyota RAV4 V6, as sporty as the Mitsubishi Outlander or as refined as the Honda CR-V. However, its roomy passenger quarters, strong warranty and high value still make it worth considering, especially if you're on a tight budget.
Performance & mpg
The base GLS comes with a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that puts out 140 hp and 136 pound-feet of torque. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic with manual shift control. The Tucson SE and Limited provide a larger 2.7-liter V6 engine that generates 173 horses and 178 lb-ft of torque, coupled with the four-speed automatic. V6 models can be equipped with an all-wheel-drive system.
V6 models will accelerate to 60 mph in about 10.7 seconds, about a second or so off the quicker four-cylinders in the segment and more than three ticks off the class hot rod, the RAV4 V6. Fuel mileage estimates for a 2008 Sportage V6 with AWD are 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, a bit below the class average. The four-cylinder gets only a couple city mpg better.
Safety
The 2008 Hyundai Tucson offers a generous level of standard safety equipment for a vehicle in this class, including antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability and traction control, front seat side-impact airbags, head curtain side airbags and active front head restraints. In government crash testing, Hyundai's compact SUV achieved a perfect five stars for both frontal- and side-impact protection. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the Tucson received a second-highest "Acceptable" rating for both frontal-offset and side impacts.
Driving
On the road, the 2008 Hyundai Tucson provides a carlike ride and relatively sporty handling that makes it a little more fun to drive than many other compact SUVs. It's capable of being both a good city runabout and a long-distance highway cruiser. Power from the standard four-cylinder is barely adequate, so we recommend you opt for the V6. The four-speed automatic isn't quite as smooth as the five-speed units offered by competitors, but it's alert enough to usually keep the V6 right in its power band.
Interior
The Hyundai Tucson features a modern cabin design with a straightforward layout and good build quality. The quality of materials is inconsistent, however, with a few too many hard plastic surfaces and standard cloth trim of questionable taste. There's a generous amount of legroom up front, though larger passengers may be a bit cramped in back. When it's time to really load up, the rear seats fold flat to reveal 66 cubic feet of total capacity -- about mid-pack for its segment. Additionally, the front passenger seat folds down to allow long objects to be carried within the cabin.
2008 Hyundai Tucson models
The 2008 Hyundai Tucson is a small crossover SUV available in three trim levels: base GLS, midlevel SE and top-of-the-line Limited. Standard features on the GLS include 16-inch alloy wheels, heated outside mirrors, full power accessories and a CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. Air-conditioning is optional on GLS models with the manual transmission; otherwise, it's standard.
The Tucson SE adds premium cloth seat trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, a trip computer and foglights. The Limited provides monochrome exterior trim, a windshield wiper de-icer, leather seating, heated front seats, automatic climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Also standard for the Limited is a premium 200-watt six-disc CD changer audio system with a subwoofer. Significant options include a sunroof and Bluetooth connectivity.

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Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2008 Hyundai Tucson.
5 star(63%)
4 star(20%)
3 star(10%)
2 star(3%)
1 star(4%)
30 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
One of the most under rated small SUV's
Bob Senter, 06/05/2016
2008 Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
Super reliable, easy to live with, easy to drive and park, carries 5 people with ease, comfortable on long trips and tons of utility and space. Not the pretties SUV ever built but definitely one of the best.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Best bang for the buck
Craig, 05/31/2009
2008 Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Purchased this SUV after having a 4 cyl 5 speed Sante Fe for 4 years & was quite happy with both service & reliability with Hyundai vehicles. Was looking for something comparable & found the 4 cyl 5 speed Tucson surprisingly similar to drive. Handles very well in the city with great gas mileage. Having purchased a front-wheel drive, a good set of snow tires handled winter driving in the … snow well. The highway driving is very good but the engine works harder on hills with 4 passengers and a full load, which is to be expected. Interior noise is surprisingly quiet for a hard working engine as well as very smooth handling. Recommend this vehicle with anyone with kids.Trunk space is a minimum
3.13 out of 5 stars
hmmmmm, jury is still out.
Salem Boicot, 11/20/2008
2008 Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
So far, I like the general conservative styling of the vehicle. I have the black interior which gets rid of a lot of the tackiness and cheap feel. Audio is great. Handling is brilliant for a car in its' class. A few blind spots, but otherwise vision is good. Space is well used in car, although question to the depth of the dashboard, could be smaller so that the interior is forward with … larger boot. Fuel economy and engine performance is rubbish. Thus far have got no where near what the dealer claimed, transmission is horrible, it needs 5 gears with better ratios, and it loves a drink. You watch the fuel gauge more than the road. Don't get this if you want an economical car.
4.88 out of 5 stars
Love This SUV
Love My First SUV, 10/28/2010
2008 Hyundai Tucson GLS 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
I've only owned this vehicle for a couple of months and I'm very pleased. This is my very first SUV. My sister owns a Sonata and my dad owns a 2007 Tucson and I've never heard them complain so I got one. My Tucson is a 2.0L 4-cyl but I like it. Could do a lot better on gas.
2008 Tucson Highlights
GLS
Base MSRP | $17,235 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 22 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $175/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 22.7 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestPoor
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintPoor
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