Hyundai TUCSON

For some time now, the established brands have been unable to ignore Hyundai - and back in 2020 they certainly couldn't ignore this, one of the Korean brand's most important models, the fourth generation version of its Tucson mid-sized SUV.

Makes quite a statement doesn't it? The bold look of this NX-4 series model was a bit of a shock after the blandness that had previously characterised a model line that dates all the way back to 2004.

The Tucson's always been an almost identically engineered but differently packaged version of its Hyundai Motor Group sister car, Kia's Sportage.

It hasn't always been called 'Tucson'; the second generation design of 2009 wore 'iX35' badging, but after research showing greater customer recognition for cars designated with place names, Hyundai reverted back to the 'Tucson' nameplate for this model's direct predecessor, the MK3 'TL'-series design, launched in 2015 and updated three years later. 2018 was a time when Hyundai was just starting to introduce electrified engine technology into its cars.

Well by 2020 it had come a lot further.

At launch, this MK4 model offered a token conventionally powered unit at the foot of the range, but otherwise everything on offer was in some way electrified: mild hybrid, full hybrid, plug-in hybrid.

Diesel was ditched and all the engines buyers could have used a 1.6 T-GDI petrol turbo unit as a starting point. The MK4 Tucson was sold in this form until late 2023, when the car received a significant mid-term update.

It's the earlier 2020-2023-erra versions of this model we look at here.

The MK4 version of this Hyundai mid-sized SUV is all about sharp angles, dynamic proportions and rich surfacing, the kind of thing you'll notice from a front end that really is guaranteed to get the neighbours taking a second glance over the fence.

When the lights are off, the nose section appears to be covered in dark, geometric patterns - Hyundai calls these 'parametric jewels'.

Some of them are made up of so-called 'parametric hidden lights', the daytime running lamps that cause parts of the grille to spring into life in jewel-like shapes with clever 'half-mirror' technology and twinkling LED illumination when the ignition is fired.

It's all rather effective.

More artful design features at the rear, where the brand badge arches into the tailgate glass and LED tail lamps feature an angled ribbed design with more parametric hidden lights.

The profile perspective, its cab forward stance and swept-back shaping with black roof rails disguising a 20mm increase in length for this 'NX4'-series model, isn't conventional either.

In fact, we're not sure we've ever seen a silhouette with quite as much of a riot of chiselled edging and conflicting creases as this one. With revolution prioritised over evolution outside, it would be a big disappointment to find a return to conventionality within.

Fortunately, that's not what you're served up behind the wheel, where Hyundai promised us what it called 'an advanced and fully customisable digital experience'.

In this case, what that gets you is a fully digital, configurable dual cockpit screen design that features a 10.25-inch instrument cluster display paired with a centre stack AVN touchscreen of the same size.

It's all a massive improvement from the drab interior of the previous generation model and is complemented by a high centre console flowing into a centre stack that for the first time on a Hyundai was fully touchscreen-orientated.

There's certainly lots to adjust to here.

The usual cowl over the instrument cluster's missing; and for those not wanting a stick shift, Hyundai dispensed with an auto gearstick, favouring big Fisher Price-style silver centre console buttons instead.

There's a curiously styled four-spoke steering wheel with unusual lower silver detailing.

And, providing you avoid entry-level trim, there's no ignition key either; just a rather hidden silver fascia start button.

Whether or not you really like all of this depends on how you feel about modern technology but whatever your perspective on that, you can't deny that the Tucson has much more of a premium feel in this form, quality materials and soft-touch surfacing everywhere you look.

All-round visibility is a little compromised, but the seats are comfortable and there's plenty of cabin storage. The back seat has a slightly more spacious, airier feel than before and that's backed up by a measurement suggesting that passengers back here will enjoy another 26mm of legroom, with lots of space to slide your feet beneath the front seats.

There's near-class-leading headroom too, with both attributes unaffected should you opt for either a full-Hybrid or a Plug-in drivetrain. We'll finish by considering the boot, which unless you've splashed out on a top trim level you'll have to raise yourself.

The space you'll get within will depend a lot on the powertrain you've chosen for your Tucson.

The Plug-in Hybrid variant offers only 558-litres of space - which is the sort of thing you might expect given the need for the under-floor battery system - but it's disappointing to find that the MHEV mild hybrid model most Tucson customers are likely to choose (which has a tiny battery) is almost as compromised, with 577-litres of space.

For some reason, the full-Hybrid HEV variant manages to be a lot better in this respect, offering 616-litres - nearly as much as the completely un-electrified conventionally-engined base derivative (where it's 620-litres). Handy levers positioned just inside the tailgate opening allow you to retract the rear bench completely, which folds almost flat and releases up to 1,737-litres of space in the Plug-in model; it's 1,756-litres in the mild hybrid version, 1,795-litres in the Hybrid and 1,799-litres with the conventionally-engined model.

Prices for this MK4 model start typically at around £17,900 (around £20,000 retail) which gets you a '21-plate 48V mild hybrid model with base 'SE Connect' trim.

Values for the same car with a late '23-plate rise to around £20,550 (around £22,750 retail).

If you want the full-Hybrid, then on a '21-plate with base 'SE Connect' trim, you're looking at prices from around £21,350 (around £23,750 retail).

Values for the same car with a late '23-plate rise to around £24,500 (around £26,750 retail).

For a Plug-in Hybrid 'Premium'-spec 4WD model on a '20 plate, budget around £23,300 (around £25,500 retail), with values rising to around £27,550 (around £30,250 retail) for the last of the pre-facelift NX4 models on a late '23 plate.

Budget around £2,000 more for plusher 'Ultimate; trim.

All quoted values are sourced through industry experts cap hpi.

Click here for a free valuation.

We've come across reports of glitches with the electrical system: check the powered windows, the reversing camera and look for potential problems with the infotainment system and possibly with some of the sensors.

Some owners have reported issues with the climate system too; and a few owners came across faults with the audio system speakers.

It's unlikely that the Tucson you're looking at will have been seriously used off road but check underneath just in case. There was just one manufacturing issue that came up.

46 MK4 Tucsons built during 2021 were involved in a recall relating to a potentially twisted airbag.

The drive battery in used Tucson PHEV models should have quite a bit of life in it, unless you happen to be looking at one of the very earliest '20-plate versions.

When the battery is on its way out, you'll obviously find that it won't go as far on each charge - and when it starts to run low on charge, you'll find that the car will particularly start to struggle going uphill.

When it gets old, the lithium-ion battery used here can suffer from the ionised liquid in the battery freezing certain cells; those cells are then unable to receive charge. Before going to all that trouble though, make sure the issue really is the battery.

If the car won't charge, it could be a problem with your home electrics (or those at the public charge point you're using).

Check the charge light to make sure that electricity really is going through the charge port.

And make sure there really is charge in the socket you're using to power from - plug something else into it to see - say, your 'phone.

If that charges OK, it could be that your charging cable is demanding too much power, so try another power source.

Another problem could be that the circuit may have tripped due to a circuit overload.

Or perhaps there could be a problem with the charge cable: this needs to be cared for properly.

Repeatedly driving over it (as previous owners may conceivably have done) will damage it eventually.

Make sure you do a charge-up before signing for the car you're looking at.

When you do this, make sure that when you plug in to start the charge cycle you hear the charge port and the cable locking and engaging as they should; that's all part of the charger basically confirming with the car's onboard computer that everything's good to go before releasing power.

But if the charging cable fails to lock as it should, then that won't happen.

If there is a failure to lock, the issue could be actuator failure, caused by a blown fuse. Otherwise, it's just the usual issues we tend to brief you on.

Check all the media tech on your test drive - and the workings of the navigation system to see if it's been kept up to date.

As we said, check the touchscreens and Bluetooth connectivity.

Check the leather upholstery for cuts and stains.

And inspect the alloy wheels for kerbing damage.

And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.

(approx based on a 2021 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid - Ex Vat - autopartspro.co.uk) Front brake pads sit in the £24-£65 bracket; rear pad sets are around £12-£41.

Front brake discs sit in the £41-£73 bracket; rear discs are around £31-£67.

An air filter is around £15-£28.

An oil filter is around £8-£16.

A cabin filter is around £18-£25.

Wanting to improve the drive demeanour of its volume models, Hyundai tried with this one to make a few small changes to ride and handling balance.

Steering feel (usually pretty lifeless with any mainstream Hyundai) actually now clues you in to what's happening beneath the front wheels, courtesy of a rack sourced from a European supplier.

And a lot of work was done to try and improve the MacPherson strut front and multi-link independent rear suspension set-up featured on the previous model.

The biggest changes though, were reserved for beneath the bonnet.

Diesel was completely ditched and the core engine line-up was based around one primary powerplant with multiple electrified variations.

Hyundai chose to use its 1.6 litre T-GDi petrol turbo direct injection 'Smartstream' unit as the base starting point here, which in the mainstream range was from launch offered either in conventional 150PS form or with the same output using the brand's MHEV mild hybrid tech.

Those who opted for the latter got the option of 7DCT auto transmission; or a more sophisticated 'iMT' intelligent Manual Transmission, which de-couples the engine from the gearbox after the driver releases the accelerator.

In auto form, the MHEV model could also be had with 4WD and a higher 180PS output. Ultimately though, for electrified engine technology that'll really make a difference to your Tucson, you'll need some sort of full-Hybrid powertrain, your options for that beginning with the 2WD-only HEV Hybrid model.

Here, a 'Prius'-style self-charging petrol/electric engine working with a 6-speed auto gearbox is mated to a 60PS electric motor powered by a 1.49kWh battery, which provides sufficient extra urge to up the combined power output to 230PS.

As for the WLTP efficiency figures, well the HEV variant manages up to 49.6mpg on the combined cycle and up to 127g/km of CO2.

If you've the budget to go further, then there's the top Plug-in Hybrid 4x4 model, which uses a somewhat gutsier 91PS electric motor powered by a considerably bigger 13.8kWh battery pack.

When that's fully charged (from a conventional 7kW garage wallbox, that'll take 1 hour and 42 minutes), this is supposed to be able to provide for up to 38 miles of all-electric driving.

Hyundai wasn't shy about charging for this fourth generation Tucson, but when you look at what you get, there still a lot being delivered for your not inconsiderable outlay - though you could also say that about the identically-engineered Kia Sportage, which can be slightly cheaper.

While we're raising potential issues, we'll also point out that if you habitually tow heavy loads, then this car's hybrid powertrains won't suit you at all.

And other rivals are slightly better in dealing with slippery surfaces - or they'll deliver 4WD for the kind of asking price that here, Hyundai no longer wanted to try and match. For all that, there's no doubt that this Korean maker turned quite a corner here - a switch from delivering the kind of mid-sized SUV you might need to providing one you might genuinely really want.

Which of course, as every modern brand knows, makes all the difference in the world in such an over-crowded segment.

The Tucson model line needed a bit of a spark to really ignite its appeal.

Well that's what was delivered here - in every sense.