The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is here and it’s even better than the 2021. What makes the 2022 Tucson so much better than the 2021, and why is it Consumer Reports-recommended? Let’s take a look at what makes the newest Tucson a great buy. 

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is better than the 2021 Hyundai Tucson

Consumer Reports tested the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, and it writes that “Hyundai’s redesigned Tucson leapfrogged the model it replaced.” Consumer Reports notes that it has a smooth ride and quiet cabin, and this is reflected in the 2022 Tucson’s road test ratings. 

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson gets a fantastic 4/5 for its ride, compared to the 2021 Tucson which only had a 3/5. Noise in the 2022 also gets a 4/5 for noise. Front-seat comfort is very good, at a 4/5. Rear seat comfort gets a perfect 5/5, which is also an upgrade from the 2021’s 4/5. Consumer Reports says that the Tucson is even more comfortable than the Santa Fe, which is larger and theoretically should be more comfortable than the Tucson. 

Interior fit and finish get a very good 4/5, an upgrade from the 2021’s 3/5. The trunk and cargo space is also better, though it still only gets a 3/5, with 38.5 cubic feet of storage space. However, the 2021 only had 29.5 cubic feet of storage space, so this is a significant increase.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson’s handling is excellent

Consumer Reports notes that the 187-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine Hyundai Tucson has “accurate, well-weighted steering and responsive, nimble handling.” Routine and emergency handling both get a 4/5, while the emergency handling in the 2021 Hyundai Tucson is just a 3/5. The Hyundai Tucson’s max avoidance speed is 53 mph.

Other factors in the road test rating are also very good. The Hyundai Tucson gets a perfect 5/5 for its braking. It can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 130 feet and 131 feet on wet pavement. The acceleration is just a 3/5. It takes 9.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60, which Consumer Reports notes is slower than most of the Tucson’s competitors. The Tucson’s headlights also score an okay 3/5.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson has almost all of the most important safety features

Consumer Reports prioritizes a variety of safety features which have been proven to be effective at preventing collisions, injuries, and deaths. These include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking at city and highway speeds, lane-keeping assistance, and lane departure warning. Pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning, anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, and daytime running lights are also important. Rearview cameras are standard in all new cars. 

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson comes standard with everything that Consumer Reports recommends – except for automatic emergency braking for the highway, which is optional. Blind spot warning and rear-cross traffic warning have been standard in the Hyundai Tucson since July 2021, so try to make sure that the Tucson you buy comes with those safety features. If you’d bought the 2021, many of these safety features would have been optional, like pedestrian detection and blind spot warning. Additionally, automatic emergency braking wasn’t even available on the 2021.