The compact crossover segment is now the most popular car segment on the market. The past decade or so signalized the era of SUVs and crossovers and it seems like compact crossovers are the best-selling cars in general. The reasons for that are rather simple, these cars are practical, stylish, safe, easy to live with, and perfectly sized for both highway and city driving.
In today’s article, we are going to compare the Hyundai Tucson and the Honda HR-V and tell you why you should go for one over the other. We are going to compare them in a range of different segments such as the powertrain, the design, reliability, value, practicality, and many specific aspects such as efficiency, safety, and technology.
So, Hyundai Tucson vs Honda HR-V – Which is better? In the powertrain department, these two are really similar as both brands offer either gasoline or hybrid variants. Automatic transmissions and FWD are standard for both, but you can upgrade to AWD if you so desire. Design is rather subjective, but both look modern and in keeping with the rest of the segment.
Reliability-wise, the Honda HR-V and the Hyundai Tucson are both at the very top of the reliability game which means that there are no issues here. Value-wise, you can expect to pay slightly less for the HR-V, but the price difference can be noticed. Practicality is also similar, but the Tucson is slightly better in this regard as well.
Hyundai Tucson
With a starting price of around $27,000, the Tucson is not the cheapest compact crossover, but it still manages to sell in large amounts. If you want a thoroughly specified model, you are looking at around $37,000 at the very least. For this price, you can choose between two engines, a gasoline 1.6L 4-cylinder with 150hp or a hybrid HEV/PHEV version that offers the 1.6L engine and an electric motor for a combined output of 230hp/265hp.
Design-wise, the Tucson is a huge upgrade over the previous model as it now looks really authentic and attractive. Interior design is also a huge upgrade thanks to two large screens, ambient lighting, and a swooping dashboard design. The Tucson drives in a fairly normal fashion which means that it isn’t a dynamic SUV by any means.
Reliability-wise, the Tucson gets 88/100 from J.D. Power which puts it right at the top of the segment, only trailing behind the most reliable compact crossovers on the market. With around 29MPG combined for the regular gasoline model and around 40MPG for the hybrid, the Tucson is also really efficient. Practicality is also great thanks to the large trunk and sizeable rear seats.
Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V starts at around $25,000 while well-equipped models go for around $30,000 which is a substantial saving over the Hyundai Tucson. When it comes to engines, the HR-V can be had with either a 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 158hp or a 1.5L inline 4-cylinder hybrid with 107hp. Even though these hybrid numbers aren’t overly exciting, they are enough for the HR-V hybrid to return up to 56MPG.
The regular 1.5L inline 4-cylinder HR-V can return up to 30MPG which also beats the Tucson. When it comes to design, the Honda HR-V looks a bit undecided in my opinion. The side profile looks really sleek and modern while both the front and the rear lights aren’t anything special for a 2023 model. The interior looks good but is nothing special.
Reliability is capped at 75/100 which is a slightly worse result when compared to the Tucson. The driving experience is rather similar, but the Honda HR-V is slightly more dynamic. Where the HR-V makes the most sense is value as these can be had for significant discounts right now. Interior space is more than enough for most people, and so is the rear trunk space.
Verdict – The Hyundai Tucson is better
The Hyundai HR-V is a true heavy hitter in this division when it comes to sales, but the Tucson is just better in almost every way. Tucson hybrid models are much more powerful yet still adequately efficient. The Tucson also looks more attractive inside and out thanks to higher quality materials and a more authentic design language.
When it comes to space, the Tucson has 8 cubic feet of space more than the HR-V while also more headroom and legroom in all seats. The Tucson is also more reliable, has better technology, and is the more desirable crossover overall.
That is not to say that the HR-V is bad, because it is also a good car. However, there are levels to this game and it makes perfect sense that the Tucson costs more than the HR-V.
FAQ Section
Is the Hyundai Tucson safer than the Honda HR-V?
The Hyundai Tucson is also a considerably safer car than the Honda HR-V because IIHS awarded the Tucson with its most prestigious “Top Safety Pick Plus” award while the HR-V failed to deliver when it comes to side crash protection. As such, the HR-V isn’t even close to the Tucson as it also fails in regards to headlight technology.
Is the Hyundai Tucson a better family car than the Honda HR-V?
The Hyundai Tucson is a larger car overall which means that it offers considerably more space than the HR-V. It is also a lot easier to mount a child seat into the Tucson as the doors open wider and there is simply more space to maneuver a child seat in the Tucson. The HR-V is also a really good car, but its crash protection results are a dealbreaker to many.
Is the Hyundai Tucson more comfortable than the Honda HR-V?
According to credible automotive journalists who spent a lot of time in both of these, we can easily state that the HR-V is equally as comfortable as the Tucson. They are not the most comfortable crossovers on the market, but they are more than comfortable enough for most people.
Be that is as it may, if you want these to be as pleasant as they can be, you ought to go for higher-equipped models as lower-end trims are a bit sparse.