The verdict: Minor changes to the hybrid drivetrain and big changes to the interior make the 2025 Hyundai Tucson one of the smarter and more stylish entries in the hyper-competitive compact SUV class.
Versus the competition: While the Tucson’s base gas powertrain offers performance that’s par for the course in the segment, the hybrid model is noticeably less efficient than some of its competitors, though the Tucson’s traditional six-speed automatic transmission makes for a quieter and more traditional drive.
How does the 2025 Hyundai Tucson drive? You tell me — if you’ve driven almost any variant of a model-year 2022-24 Tucson, it’s going to be nearly identical in mechanical operation and sensation to the refreshed 2025 version. Other than some moderate changes to the popular hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, the chassis, base powertrain and all behind-the-curtain mechanicals are the same as they were in prior years. Hey, you won’t hear any of us at Cars.com complaining; we liked (most of) it before, so we’re bound to like it again.
Related: 2025 Hyundai Tucson Fixes the Biggest Problem in Its Interior
And … surprise! It’s still one of the best in the class. I drove the new Tucson Hybrid during an excursion into Southern California’s dusty, winey and very trendy Santa Ynez Valley, where Hyundai organized a circuitous on-road route punctuated by loops in the gas-only Tucson XRT over some cow-infested ranch roads. (Per our ethics policy, Cars.com pays for its own travel and lodging when attending such manufacturer-sponsored events.)
Hybrid Huddle
The core of the hybrid powertrain is unchanged, utilizing the same turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine as before. A juicier 47.7-kilowatt electric motor adds some extra zap to the mix, and total system output is up slightly to 231 horsepower and 271 pounds-feet of torque — 5 extra ponies and 13 additional pounds-feet over the prior model. So, not much additional “go,” but more motor output allows the SUV to operate on electric power longer and more often, and you’d think that would improve overall efficiency. Not so; the updated model’s EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined rating is 2 mpg lower than before for the SEL, N Line and Limited trim levels with the base Blue trim clocking the same 38 mpg combined as before.
Without a prior hybrid on hand for direct comparison, it’s tough to determine just how much the motor updates have improved the driving experience, but the Tucson Hybrid remains a quiet, easy-driving compact SUV in every respect. Unlike most continuously-variable-automatic-backed entries in the class, the Hyundai retains a traditional six-speed automatic transmission that goes a long, long way in reducing the rubber-band power delivery effect and the aural thrash ‘n’ gnash that often plagues CVT powertrains. The powertrain is so smooth and innocuous, in fact, both my drive partner and I had to double-check the gauge readout for the battery charge indicator to confirm that this was, indeed, the hybrid model. Power and acceleration is solid, too, offering more than enough motivation for on-ramps, careful passing and a car loaded up with friends and fam.
Smooth Sailing
Everything else is similarly dandy. Brake blend — the balance between purely regenerative resistance and the physical brakes — is well tuned, and the three levels of off-throttle resistance is a neat pseudo-EV function that is both genuinely useful and a nice bit of surprise-and-delight kit. Steering is segment-standard light and artificial, and it has well-tuned accelerator mapping and shift logic. All of this is to say it drives unremarkably nice. It will serve you exactly as you expect it to, and will (hopefully) be a reliable slab of thrifty daily transportation.
Soft-Road Hero
But wait! There’s (a little) more. You might notice the Tucson pictured in the very lovely photos (oh, stop it!) is fairly dusty and posed in a rustic environ. You’re looking at the updated XRT trim, which is aimed at attracting those elusive active lifestylers who ostensibly cram their Tucson full of tents, bikes, kayaks, rucksacks, firewood and freeze-dried trail food.
A Subaru Forester Wilderness competitor this is not. Other than a set of handsome trim-specific wheels, requisite XRT badging and tweaked cladding is most of the difference you’ll find when compared to other trims. I think it’s the best looking of the bunch (and I always love an all-terrain package regardless of platform). I also love unrestricted access to a dirt two-track, which was the only setting I got to pilot the XRT. This was a low-to-medium-speed affair, which confirmed the carryover naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder’s solid noise and vibration isolation, but little else.
The 2-ish-mile trail was hardly challenging, but featured enough elevation changes and tight turns that I certainly wouldn’t attempt it in something without at least all-wheel drive and normal crossover ride height. I never engaged the XRT’s differential toggle or descent control, but it’s genuinely capable enough for reaching remote campgrounds and trailheads.
As you might’ve guessed, much of the changes are relegated to exterior styling and interior packaging. I’m not going to delve into the exterior changes (that’s subjective and fairly obvious), but I admittedly dig the new trucky front end. The inside sees the biggest changes, incorporating a number of features already found in other new Hyundais.
More From Cars.com:
- 2025 Hyundai Tucson Up Close: Targeted Changes Add Up in a Big Way
- Toyota RAV4 Prime and Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid: Tested
- Improved 2025 Hyundai Tucson Pricing Starts at $29,750
- 2024 Hyundai Tucson Regains IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award
- Shop for a 2025 Hyundai Tucson
Excellent Ergonomics
On my Tucson Hybrid test vehicle, the curved dash display combo of a 12.3-inch driver and 12.3-inch center infotainment display was the centerpiece improvement. Highly configurable and reactive, it may serve as a strong selling point for cross-shoppers, and it’s just as usable and satisfying as it is in Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Sonata. The Tucson’s touchscreen infotainment system also incorporates standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, finally gaining wireless support for its large screen.
I’m also a fan of the new three-spoke steering-wheel design, which is satisfying to both grip and behold with the automaker’s trademark dot-dot-dot-dot motif on the horn button that’s “H” in morse code. A column-mounted gear selector is shared with Ioniq models and the new Santa Fe, and it cleans up the center console where you’ll find a large wireless charging pad on most trims and two sizable cupholders.
There’s a new climate-control panel below the center touchscreen that’s both striking to look at and easy to use. The floating center console allows for a significant amount of storage underneath, complemented by a shelf area inset above the glove box on the passenger’s side. Hyundai consistently creates tidy, ergonomic interiors with plenty of space, and the 2025 Tucson is one of the more interesting and engaging interiors in the class.
That’s all I got. If you liked it before, there’s only more to enjoy for the 2025 model-year refresh, and the combination of the available curved display and wireless phone projection should cinch the deal for many a buyer. And considering the pricing increase is modest — just $775 extra for the base gas-only SE, which starts at $29,750 (all prices include destination), and $560 extra for the entry-level hybrid Blue that starts at $34,510 — you won’t be priced out if the 2024 Tucson was in your sights.
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