The new Hyundai Tucson has been out for a few years and is one of the most popular and successful SUVs in its segment. Hyundai has made the new Tucson more desirable, better-equipped, much better-looking, and really reliable, all of which propelled it to become the segment leader in many different regards.
However, the compact SUV/crossover segment is filled with loads of enticing options that are able to compete with the Tucson and often beat it in some regards. As such, we are going to list cars similar to Hyundai Tucson in this article and tell you how they stack up against the Tucson and which one you should go for.
For starters, the Chevrolet Equinox and the Ford Escape are the two fiercest US-made rivals while the Kia Sportage and the Honda CR-V are the two most serious Asian-made rivals. Out of all these, the Sportage is the cheapest while the CR-V has the best fuel economy.
No matter which one you decide to go for, you are not going to make a wrong decision as all five of these SUVs are at the top of their segments for a good reason.
Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson starts at $26,245 and it gets a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine with 187hp and 175lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to a smooth and seamless 6-speed automatic transmission while power is being sent to either the front or all four wheels depending on what you go for. You can expect the Tucson to return around 25MPG combined.
The Tucson offers the biggest cargo space out of all SUVs here while seating space is also better than most. Design-wise, the Tucson looks really authentic inside and out, especially the latest generation which shares no parts with its predecessors. Reliability is excellent, likely the best out of all cars in this segment.
Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevy Equinox starts at $27,695 which is about a grand more than the Tucson and is generally pricier than most cars here. The Equinox is designed to be spacious, comfortable, and fairly entertaining to drive, much more so than the Tucson. It is not as reliable as the Tucson while MPG is rated at 26MPG combined.
The entry-level engine is the 1.5L 4-cylinder 170hp/203lb-ft torque engine which is more than decent as far as power is concerned. Where the Chevrolet Equinox falls short is cargo space as it offers one of the least spacious trunk spaces on this list while its interior build quality and design are a bit dated and not on par quality-wise.
Ford Escape
For a starting price of around $28,660, you can also get the Ford Escape which is one of the most popular compact SUVs with the blue oval badge. You can choose between turbocharged 3-cylinder EcoBoost and 4-cylinder EcoBoost engines which push upwards of 170hp and are able to return around 28MPG on average which is a really good number.
Where the Escape manages to beat its competitors is engine power, hybrid availability, and lots of standard equipment, but it falls short when it comes to interior refinement and build quality. Moreover, it is a decently reliable SUV, but nothing compared to the Tucson, the Sportage, and the RAV4.
Kia Sportage
For an entry price of $25,503, the Sportage is the cheapest car here and most people believe that the Sportage is the fiercest rival to the Tucson. The Sportage uses a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that pushes out 187hp and is mated to an 8-speed transmission that fits the Sportage really well. This setup will return around 23MPG which is far from the best here, but good enough.
Design-wise, I’d say that the new Sportage is the coolest-looking car here, but its interior design is not. Reliability and interior space are great across the board while the driving experience is slightly sportier than the Tucson, but nothing special as a whole.
Honda CR-V
At a starting price of around $28,000, the CR-V is one of the most expensive cars here, but high-end models aren’t as expensive. The CR-V comes with a 190hp 1.6L turbocharged engine which can return 29MPG combined and is likely the best entry-level engine on this list. The driving experience is not as fun as some cars here but is adamantly comfortable and quiet.
Where the CR-V beats its competitors is space as there is a lot of it in both the seating and the cargo department. Reliability is excellent, it gets lots of standard features, and is also one of the best-selling compact SUVs here.
FAQ Section
Which of these SUVs is the best?
All of these SUVs are excellent, but I’d say that the Tucson is the best one here. The reason why is that it is priced really competitively, it gets a good engine, it has the biggest cargo space, and is the most reliable car here. Design-wise, it falls short of the Kia Sportage but is better than all the other cars here.
Running costs are really affordable while desirability is off the charts with the latest model. All in all, the Tucson is a great SUV.
Which of these SUVs offers the best towing capacity?
Being able to tow stuff is an important thing to many SUV owners which is why you should go with Chevrolet Equinox as it offers a maximum 3,500lbs towing capacity. The Tucson and the Ford Escape are rated at 2,000lbs, while the Kia Sportage and the Honda CR-V can tow a maximum of 1,500lbs which is far from the best.
Is the Hyundai Tucson a luxury SUV?
The Hyundai Tucson is not a luxury SUV and that is rather obvious the moment you look at its price and when you compare it to actual luxury SUVs from this segment such as the Audi Q5, the Mercedes GLC, the Volvo XC60, and the BMW X3.
These luxury SUVs all come with more technology, more powerful engines, higher-end build materials, and a far more desirable badge at the front. Even though the Tucson is a really good SUV with great features, it is not a luxury SUV.
