What is it?
The first go in a diesel-powered version of the new Tucson, Hyundai’s impressive follow-up to the already popular ix35.
Alongside the 1.6-litre T-GDi we’ve already sampled, the higher-powered 2.0-litre CRDi is the only engine not carried over wholesale from its predecessor. Hyundai did in fact previously sell an earlier variant of the 182bhp four-cylinder unit,but ended up ditching it during the ix35’s life cycle.
Tweaked to comply with Euro 6 emissions obligations, the punchier motor now returns to fill out the top of the Tucson range.
Clearly it offers a bit more grunt, being about a second quicker to 62mph than its 134bhp sibling, although really this is as much about Hyundai’s ambitions for the Tucson as anything else: there’s no equivalent to the engine in the Nissan Qashqai, but there is one in the larger Ford Kuga, and the firm plainly sees this model’s customers as fodder for the Tucson, too.
No surprise, then, that just as the Kuga tops out at beyond £30k in 2.0-litre TDCi Titanium X Sport trim, so does the 182bhp, AWD version of the Tucson’s Premium SE spec - albeit by not quite so much at £30,845 with a six-speed manual gearbox.
For that you get plenty, including the premium niceties such as cooling-fan front seats, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, powered tailgate and the keyless start with which Hyundai likes to festoon its high-priced mainstream offerings.
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Like the car, looks good.
Surprised no mention was made
When the Tucson comes up on company car lists that high tax liability on either the 134 or 182bhp models is going to get it overlooked. Hyundai will then be left having to do what they did with the IX35 to fleets, huge discounts. Car deserves better engine development. Shame as I think they could do if they wanted to.
Bad design, don't they test them