The Hyundai Tucson is a compact, five-door crossover with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. It can fit in up to five occupants including the driver, and it has a default cargo space of 877-liters. For the Philippine market, the Hyundai-made model either gets a 2.0-liter inline-4 gasoline engine or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline-4. The gasoline engine option can make up to 155 horsepower and 192 Nm of torque. The diesel option can produce 185 horsepower and 402 Nm of torque. Only the entry-level GL 2.0 FWD MT is available with a six-speed manual transmission.The automatic gasoline variant uses a six-speed automatic gearbox, while the diesel variants come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Launch
The Hyundai Tucson was initially introduced way back in 2004. For this particular version, it shared a platform with the Hyundai Elantra sedan. Later onwards in 2009, the 2nd-generation model made its debut. The third-generation model in turn, was launched in 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show.
For the Philippines, the Hyundai-made crossover was launched in April 2015. It has four variants, and has two engine options - a 2.0-liter inline-4 gasoline engine, or a 2.0-liter inline-4 CRDi.
Exterior
On the outside, the Philippine-spec Tucson comes standard with a pair of halogen headlamps, halogen turn signal lamps, and LED taillights. Also common on all four Tucson trims is a rear spoiler. Only the top-spec GLS variant is equipped with side turn signal repeaters and front fog lamps. For wheels, the GL variants ride on a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, while the GLS uses 18-inch alloy wheels.
Interior
Inside, the Tucson for the Philippine market can seat up to five occupants. Keeping said occupants cool is a manual air-conditioning system. As for the seats themselves, all variants come standard with fabric covers and a leather-clad steering wheel. The driver's seat on the GLS variant however, is electronically adjustable. Also, the top-spec GLS has rear AC vents.
Technology & Safety Features
To keep its occupants entertained, the Philippine-spec Tucson GL is equipped with a 3.8-inch floating audio display, which is capable of connecting via USB, Bluetooth, and aux-in. The GLS on the other hand comes with a seven-inch touchscreen with the same connectivity options as the smaller headunit, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both headunits are linked to a six-piece speaker system.
For the driver, the Hyundai crossover model comes standard with a push-to-start button, a tilt and telescopic steering column, a digital trip computer, analog gauges, a reverse camera, and parking sensors.
For safety, also standard on this crossover model are dual-front airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, and stability control. Only the top-spec GLS comes equipped with an engine immobilizer.
Platform & Chassis
The Tucson for the Philippines is a five-door, five-seater crossover. It uses a unibody chassis with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout.
For suspensions, it utilizes a MacPherson Strut for the front, and a multi-link rear end. Braking is handled by a disc brakes for the front and rear. This Hyundai model also uses a manual, hand-operated parking brake.
In terms of size, the Tucson is 4,475mm long, 1,850mm wide, and 1,660mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,670mm, and a ground clearance of 172mm.
Engine & Drivetrain
The Philippine-spec Hyundai Tucson has two engine options. The first one is a gasoline powered 2.0-liter inline-4 mill capable of making up to 155 horsepower and 192 Nm of torque. The said engine sends power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The second engine option for the locally available Tucson is a 2.0-liter inline-4 turbodiesel. This engine can produce up to 185 horsepower and 402 Nm of torque. Variants that use this engine are front-wheel-drive, and are only available with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
