2022 Hyundai Tucson XRT AWD

Angular, sharp and all new for 2022, the Hyundai Tucson XRT AWD is a look at one of the brand’s best sellers. American-built in Alabama, the new Tucson is available in gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. It’s an embarrassment of riches from the people who brought you the 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. Napleton News had a go behind the wheel recently. Here are our thoughts and a driving impression, too.

What about this Hyundai Tucson XRT AWD?

The Hyundai Tucson XRT is a five-passenger subcompact crossover SUV that makes its way from Montgomery, Alabama’s Hyundai factory. It’s powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder making 187 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque. It’s matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission and available in front- or all-wheel drive.

The Tucson is available in various trim levels, including front-drive SE, SEL, N-Line, XRT and Limited models. All-wheel drive will set you back an additional $1,500. It has a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

How does the Hyundai Tucson look?

Now more stretched and muscular than ever, the Hyundai Tucson XRT follows typical design style for SUVs. There’s a moderate wheelbase with short overhangs that will come in handy should you decide to do some hill climbing in the great off-roads. What’s the great off-roads, you ask? They’re like the great outdoors. Well, sort of.

The grille features a new look for the Tucson. A multi-faceted design dominates the front end and features symmetrical lighting from LED headlamps. Along the side are angular, even exaggerated looking folds that determine the Tucson’s profile. At the rear is a swoopy chrome strip that is actually blacked out on our XRT model for an added sense of aggressiveness. Dropdown triangular LED taillights continue the theme and finish the look off nicely. On the sides, black body cladding did its best to make the Tucson look as tough as you’d expect.

The one fall down, and in our book, it’s a big one, is the XRT package’s side steps. Let’s be honest here: The XRT is not running on 26-inch tires and raised an additional 6 inches, making entry and exit a trying proposition. It runs on standard 19-inch tires with normal ground clearance for an SUV. So instead of standing on the side steps before stepping onto terra firma, you will most likely find yourself stepping over the steps and, in the process, getting dirt on your pants. In other words, the Tucson rides too low to need side steps to get in and out.

A look inside the XRT

The Interior of the Tucson is just as new as the outside sheetmetal. Start with a standard (for XRT) 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that is programmable according to your drive mode. It is customizable to show you various screens depending on your needs. Pair that with an 8-inch display that offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Seating is comfortable thanks to the power driver’s seat with lumbar support. A standard bench seat is in the second row. It has a 60:40 split for expanded cargo hauling space. The entire cabin is sized right and occupants can have conversations with each other using their indoor voices. The Tucson’s stretched wheelbase includes an additional 3 inches of legroom, which helps rear seat passengers feel more comfortable during the long haul.

There’s a bunch of safeties here, too. These include Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist and Safe Exit Warning. There’s more, but see for yourself.

Behind the wheel of the Hyundai Tucson XRT

The new Hyundai Tucson has a sporty driving vibe that helps it stand apart from other more bland CUVs. Its tuned suspension helps to corner flatter than before without becoming bone-jarringly hard. That’s taking the experience learned from the first two generations and applying all that you learned in this new third-generation model.

Power is fine for most jobs, but we found ourselves wanting an extra 25 horsepower, for added oomph. Despite that, the Tucson was very quiet inside thanks to added insulation around the cabin. Step hard on the gas, though, and you’ll hear the engine squawk a bit until it finds its rev-range sweet spot.

The drivetrain in our tester is of the AWD variety. In this configuration, it sends up to 50 percent of the torque automatically to the rear wheels as necessary. The drivetrain can be locked in a 50:50 setting, sending torque to all four wheels. Rather than enter it in the Baja 1000 Off-Road Race, we think it is more suitable for some mild off-roading close to home (or at least within Cell tower range).

After spending a week in the Hyundai Tucson XRT AWD, we came away impressed with what the company has achieved. The Tucson is a comfortable, well-sorted smart looking SUV. It may be just the ticket for where your life takes you.

Hyundai Tucson XRT Specifications