When they say the Hyundai Tucson Premium model comes fully loaded they’re not kidding.
The company, which a few years ago was geared to producing budget priced family cars is no longer content to concentrate on lower spec vehicles.
The Tucson Premium is an SUV which cossets driver and passengers like few other models in the same price bracket.
Sit in the front seats and you have the choice of both heated and cooled seats – not to mention a heated steering wheel – while rear seat passengers also get heated seats.
But that’s just the start of a long list of features which make this such an appealing car.
It’s a vehicle which boasts keyless door locking and unlocking as well as keyless ignition. And if you happen to approach it with an armful of parcels it recognises you and automatically opens the rear tailgate ready for you to load up..
Some German cars also open their tailgate for you without you having to reach for the keys, but you have to stand on one leg and move the other from side to side under the bumper to activate the system. The Tucson requires no such unseemly behaviour.
The cabin features full leather upholstery and a huge panoramic double glass sunroof as well as a chiller glove box and a large central touch screen for the satellite navigation and on-board functions.
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When it comes to safety features the Tucson is up there with the best. There’s a blind spot indicator built into the side mirrors to warn of overtaking cars, a Rear Cross Traffic Alert system to warn you of cars approaching your rear as you back out of parking bays and a system to ensure you stay in the centre of the lane markings.
I found that the Lane Keeping Assist System, however, was not something for me and had to turn it off.
At motorway speeds in particular the car’s attempt to steer itself directly towards the centre of the lane made the vehicle feel less stable. With it off the ride changed completely, ensuring the Tucson was one of the nicest handling cars I have driven for some time.
This model also offers owners the choice of driving in normal mode or – for more spirited performance – sport mode, which changes the car’s set up and holds onto each gear for longer.
And if you’re not the best at parking your car this one will do it for you, leaving you to just control the brakes and accelerator.
If you opt to park the car yourself it’s simplified thanks to front and rear parking sensors as well as one of the best and clearest reversing cameras in the business.
On the road the Tucson – one of the sleekest of the multitude of SUVS around today – is quick off the mark and boasts good pulling power. It skips quickly through the gears so the revs remain low helping with fuel consumption. At 60 miles per hour it’s doing just 1,500 revs ensuring that the cabin is quiet and relaxed.
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There’s plenty of headroom and rear seat passengers can have no complaints about the amount of leg room they have, although the roof anchored middle seatbelt was a bit obtrusive when not in use.
If you buy a Tucson Premium SE you won’t need to look for any optional extras. This car already has everything most people would ever want - including a five year/ 100,000 mile warranty.
Fast Facts
Model: Hyundai Tucson Premium SE Blue Drive
Price: £30,100
Mechanical: 1,685cc, 141 bhp four cylinder diesel engine front wheels via 7-speed automatic gearbox.
Max speed: 116 mph
0-62mph: 11.5 secs
Combined mpg: 57.6
CO2 emissions: 129 g/km
Insurance group: 20
BiK: 25 %
Warranty: 5 years/100,000 miles