What’s it like?
While the first generation of the Hyundai Tucson and the ix35 that followed it were fine, offering great value-for-money alternatives to the mainstream, the Mk3 SUV of 2015 was a step-change in quality from the Korean company. Smart on the outside, spacious, nicely built and well-equipped within, and good to drive right across the range, the third-gen Tucson signalled with serious intent where Hyundai wanted to go – and it got there, because the successor became Ireland’s top-selling vehicle for several years in a row. Rivals for the Tucson include the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4, among many, many other similar options.
Which model to go for?
The vast majority of used Tucsons on these shores are diesel-powered. You might find a handful of the petrol cars, which were badged ‘GDi’ (gasoline direct injection) for the non-turbo 1.6-litre engine making 132hp, or ‘T-GDi’ for the 177hp turbo model, but it really will be a handful.
Therefore, you’re looking at the 1.7 CRDi, 1.6 ‘Smartstream’ CRDi, or the 2.0-litre diesel. There’s another heavily weighted split here, as the 2.0-litre CRDi is a very rare find, with most Tucsons powered by either 1.6- or 1.7-litre four-cylinder diesels.
The only real differences between these two is that the 1.7 was the older engine, being installed in the Tucson from launch while the Smartstream 1.6 started to come online in 2018 and eventually replaced the 1.7. Either engine will make 115-136hp, with plenty of torque for easy day-to-day driving, and they’re efficient too, so you can’t go far wrong with whichever one you choose.
Furthermore, most used Tucsons here are accordingly front-wheel drive, with the six-speed manual gearbox readily available. Automatic versions of the third-gen Hyundai family SUV are a little thinner on the ground, as are all-wheel-drive (AWD) examples – but you can find both. Bear in mind that most AWD Tucsons are paired to the automatic transmission.
Does anything go wrong?
As Hyundai has a strong reputation for reliability and the Tucson is, relatively speaking, mechanically simple, not much big seems to go wrong with this likeable SUV. Owners most commonly report clutch faults on the manual and slight quirks to the dual-clutch automatics, so check any car you’re looking at changes gear smoothly and with no dramas – be it a three-pedal car or an auto.
There were four recalls issued for this generation of the Hyundai Tucson, which related to a potential engine oil-supply issue, as well as an associated faulty brake booster; fibres from the tandem pump belt getting into the filter, causing an impediment to normal braking; a possible malfunction of the ABS modules; and a faulty bonnet catch that could see the item open with the vehicle in motion.