We drove a $34,000 Hyundai Tucson to see if it's a legitimate rival for Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Here's the verdict.
Nearly 3.2 million compact SUVs left US showrooms in 2018. According to data compiled by Kelley Blue Book, that represents 18.2% of total US auto sales last year.
In spite of the sheer scale of the segment, competition for buyers is fierce. At the top of the sales chart, are the traditional industry stalwarts like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, and Jeep Cherokee. This top bracket sold between 239,000 units (Cherokee) and 427,000 units (RAV4) in 2018.
And then there's a group of capable performers that sell in slightly smaller, but still impressive quantities â between 100,000 and 200,000 cars.
These include the Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-5, Jeep Compass, and Volkswagen Tiguan.
Another member of this group is the Hyundai Tucson. The Korean compact SUV saw US sales jump 24% last to more than 142,000 units.
The current third-generation Tucson debuted in 2015 for the 2016 model year. This year, Hyundai gave the crossover a mid-life update that included a revised engine lineup, a brand new interior, new technology, and refreshed styling.
Recently, Business Insider had the chance to check out a new 2019 Hyundai Tucson Ultimate AWD in the roads in and around Atlanta, Georgia.
The base 2019 Tucson SE front-wheel-drive starts at $23,200 while the top-of-the-line Ultimate trim with front-wheel drive starts at $31,550. All-wheel-drive is a $1,400 option. With options and fees, our Tucson came to an as-tested price of $34,120.
Here's a closer look at the 2019 Hyundai Tucson:
