2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid N Line review

Yesterday at 08:00 AM

2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid N Line

Hyundai is the latest car brand looking to replicate the runaway success of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

The 2025 Tucson has gained hybrid power as part of a comprehensive midlife update, adding revised exterior styling, an almost all-new interior, new technology, and higher prices.

It is arguably the RAV4 Hybrid's closest rival yet, as the only car in its class from an established brand with a conventional hybrid system – rather than using the petrol engine solely to charge the batteries – a broad range of variants that cover all price points, and plentiful stock.

Should the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid be checking its mirrors?

How much is a Hyundai Tucson?

The Hyundai Tucson range starts from $39,100 plus on-road costs, and includes 17 variants – across three trim grades (base, Elite and Premium), an N Line pack, three engines including a hybrid, and front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) depending on the model.

On test in this review is the Hybrid N Line, which adds hybrid technology and the N Line package to the cheapest front-wheel-drive model in the range – priced from $49,100 plus on-road costs, or $53,931 drive-away in Sydney according to the Hyundai website.

Before on-road costs, it is $4000 dearer than the base Tucson Hybrid without the N Line pack, but Hyundai is currently offering the entry-level hybrid with a $46,990 drive-away offer, so the price difference in the traffic in NSW is currently $6941.

Rivals on price include the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE FWD ($48,910 plus on-roads), Kia Sportage SX Hybrid FWD ($45,950 plus on-roads), Nissan X-Trail ST-L e-Power hybrid AWD ($50,490 plus on-roads), and even a plug-in hybrid like the BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic FWD ($48,990 plus on-roads).

The N Line package is a worthwhile addition if it's within your budget, as it adds features from more expensive grades that make it less obvious to friends and family that you've bought the cheapest model.

It adds 19-inch wheels, a sports body kit, adaptive LED headlights (rather than reflector-beam LEDs), 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, leather and suede upholstery with red highlights, and N Line interior details.

It is on top of already-standard features such as 18-inch alloys, 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless/wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, keyless entry and start, six speakers, and front and rear parking sensors.

A full suite of the latest safety technology is also standard fitment, including adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, and traffic sign recognition.

How big is a Hyundai Tucson?

The Tucson sold in Australia is larger than models sold in Europe and New Zealand to unlock more space in the rear passenger area.

It measures 4650mm long, 1865mm wide, 1665mm tall, and 2755mm in wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) – similar to a Toyota RAV4 or other popular SUVs.

The 2025 Tucson's cabin has had an overhaul, with dual 12.3-inch screens, hard keys for many functions, and a more open centre console – replacing two 10.25-inch displays in the old model and a 'waterfall' centre console loaded with touch-sensitive buttons and gloss black trim that attracted vast amounts of dust.

The driving position is high for a commanding view of the road ahead, with good visibility out the side and rear, aided by its various cameras and sensors.

The N Line pack replaces the basic cloth seats with suede and leather-look sports front seats, which are comfortable for larger frames, very supportive, and do a brilliant job of hiding the fact this is the base model.

The steering wheel is leather trimmed and adjusts for tilt (height) and reach. As with many new Hyundai cars, the gear shifter is a 'wand' on the right side of the steering column; it is unusual and a bit fiddly at first, but we find you can get used to it over time.

There are hard buttons for key infotainment functions, and dials for volume and air temperature, but some of the climate controls – including fan speed – run through a 6.6-inch touch panel under the main touchscreen.

Soft, leather-like materials have been used on the armrests, centre console, and door panels, plus some fabric trim on the dashboard, and red stitching around the cabin. Perceived build quality in our test car was good with no annoying rattles.

Amenities include two USB-C ports, one 12-volt socket, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, wireless phone charging, four auto 'one-touch' up/down windows, and sunvisors with an extending panel to block sun glare hitting the side of your head.

There is plenty of storage, with an open centre area for larger items, big centre console and glovebox compartments, and two cupholders – though the door pockets aren't huge, and while there's a shelf on the dash, it's not rubberised so items will fly off under acceleration.

Space for passengers in the rear is excellent, with plenty of head room, knee room and toe room for six-foot-tall (183cm) adults sitting behind similarly sized adults, even in the middle seat.

The floor is nearly flat, the cabin is wide, and while the rear seats don't slide like some rivals, they do recline as part of their 60:40 split-folding mechanism for expanding the cargo hold.

Rear passengers in the base Hybrid N Line are given access to air vents, two USB-C ports, map pockets, bottle holders in the doors (which are quite small), a fold-down armrest with cupholders, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether child-seat anchors.

The soft trim on the tops of the front door panels doesn't extend to the rear, where there is a hard plastic material with embossing designed to look like stitching – but it just feels cheap and nasty to the touch.

Boot space is rated at 582 litres behind the seats, which is competitive with other spacious options in the class – with a two-position boot floor to eliminate a big load lip, and loads of room for suitcases and big items.

The rear seats can be lowered from the boot with manual latches, while LED lights, a 12-volt socket, bag hooks, tie-down points and pockets on the side are also on offer for stashing or securing smaller items.

Hyundai deserves kudos for including a space-saver spare wheel in the hybrid – down from the petrol Tucson's full-sized spare, but better than the puncture repair kit in most hybrids.

Does the Hyundai Tucson have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Standard in the Tucson is a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen running Hyundai's latest software, with wireless and wired versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as AM, FM, and digital DAB radio.

There is no embedded satellite navigation in this specification – it's only on Elite and Premium grades – but every Tucson gets support for Hyundai's Bluelink phone app, with functions such as vehicle tracking, remote control of the lights and locks, a valet mode, and pre-heating or cooling of the cabin before stepping in.

Wireless Apple CarPlay worked almost faultlessly on test – a stark change from older Hyundais with this tech, which were plagued by dropouts – but we noticed the wireless connection slowed the infotainment system down, whereas wired CarPlay did not.

Included in the N Line package is a widescreen 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which isn't the most customisable in terms of layout, but can be switched between colour schemes and dial patterns, and looks contemporary.

The six-speaker sound system delivers average audio quality, without blowing us away. Premium grades add an eight-speaker Bose stereo.

Is the Hyundai Tucson a safe car?

The Hyundai Tucson earned a five-star safety rating from ANCAP in 2021, which was recently expanded to cover the new hybrid variants.

It earned category scores of 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 66 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 70 per cent for safety assist technology.

What safety technology does the Hyundai Tucson have?

All versions of the Hyundai Tucson offer a long list of advanced safety features, though the base grade misses out on some of Hyundai's latest tech, including blind-spot cameras, a surround-view camera, and low-speed rear autonomous emergency braking.

On test we found the adaptive cruise control to be well calibrated, and had no false positives of the autonomous emergency braking system, and one of the best lane-centring systems for highway driving in the business.

Front parking sensors are now standard across the 2025 Tucson range – previously exclusive to more expensive model grades – in a welcome change.

The lane-support systems weren't quite as polished as we'd like – especially compared to other recent Hyundais we've driven. The lane-keep assist was a little too pushy and intrusive for our tastes, and the lane-centring assist, while excellent on clearly marked roads, would struggle to smoothly hold the centre of the lane when the markings are less clear.

As with many other new cars, the traffic sign recognition technology is programmed to beep when the vehicle exceeds the speed limit it has detected, even if it has misread the sign.

The Tucson is the first Hyundai where you can hold down the mute button on the steering wheel to silence the audible chime, without disabling the visual speed limit display on the instrument display – or digging into the infotainment menus to turn the system off.

How much does the Hyundai Tucson cost to run?

The Tucson Hybrid is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers – or five years/130,000km, whichever comes first, for customers using the vehicle for ridesharing or deliveries – as well as eight years/160,000km of coverage on the high-voltage battery.

However, as with most turbocharged petrol Hyundai cars, the servicing book says the Tucson Hybrid should visit a dealer every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first – down on the industry benchmark of 12 months/15,000km.

Five years/50,000km of servicing amounts to $1990 – compared to $1839 for a turbo-petrol non-hybrid Tucson, and $1840 for a non-turbo model that has longer 12-month/15,000km intervals.

For context, five years/75,000km of servicing costs $1300 for a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, while five years/50,000km costs $2930 for a Kia Sportage Hybrid, $2244 for a Nissan X-Trail e-Power and $995 for a Honda CR-V e:HEV.

A year of comprehensive insurance coverage from a leading provider is quoted as $1694, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

The same parameters and quote calculator return $1646 for a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid GXL 2WD.

Is the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid fuel-efficient?

The Tucson Hybrid claims fuel consumption in mixed conditions of 5.3 litres per 100 kilometres – split between 3.6L/100km in urban areas, and 6.5L/100km in extra-urban and highway driving.

Over a mix of environments, we observed consumption of 5.6L/100km according to the trip computer – with indicated fuel use at times dipping below Hyundai's claim and around the 5.0L/100km mark.

On paper the Tucson is slightly less frugal than a RAV4 Hybrid, but in the real world the two are effectively aligned on fuel consumption.

Unlike many petrol-electric cars, Hyundai's new Tucson Hybrid can run on 91-octane regular unleaded, rather than premium petrol, as well as E10.

What is the Hyundai Tucson like to drive?

This may be the first Tucson Hybrid to be sold in Australia, but it certainly doesn't feel like the brand's first attempt at cooking up a petrol-electric SUV recipe.

The Tucson accelerates from rest on electric power with reasonable urgency, and with its battery charged up, resists turning on its petrol engine until suburban speeds – an action that, when it does occur, is subtle and doesn't send many vibrations into the cabin.

Performance is more dependent on the charge in the battery than a Toyota hybrid, as when it's left to deplete close to 50 per cent charge, the Tucson will fire its petrol engine almost immediately when accelerating from a standstill to get some energy into the battery.

With petrol and electric power working together, the Tucson Hybrid is capable of brisk straight-line performance – 7.2 seconds from zero to 100km/h as tested, which is comparable to a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

The six-speed auto shifts smoothly, and it feels more 'normal' – as well as quieter under hard acceleration – than a Toyota's continuously variable transmission, which has one constantly changing gear ratio rather than a set of defined gears to swap between.

There is a choice of three levels of regenerative braking intensity – how quickly the car slows when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal, as the electric motor recuperates energy to charge the battery – plus a 'coasting' mode, all controlled with the paddles behind the steering wheel.

The brake pedal can be grabby and over-sensitive at low speeds – though the transition from regenerative to the 'friction' disc brakes is reasonably well managed, without too much of a jolt.

Despite its sporty looks, the N Line package doesn't change the Tucson's suspension, so it is supple around town, if not quite as soft and cosseting over bumps as a Toyota RAV4 or Subaru Forester.

At higher speeds on country roads, it remains composed over undulations and broken tarmac – a benefit of the slightly tauter city ride.

It is no corner-carver, with plenty of body roll, but the Tucson offers reasonable roadholding on a winding road, with accurate steering and a confident feel, though on occasion it can skip over particularly big mid-corner bumps.

The steering could be improved at lower speeds – it may be a touch too heavy for some tastes just off-centre, but as the wheel approaches full lock, it loses much of its weight and it becomes much easier to turn the wheel. It's far from disconcerting, but it could be a little more natural.

Also offering room for improvement are the Nexen Roadian GTX tyres which, while they offer agreeable grip when driven gently, are prone to wheel spin when accelerating briskly from a standstill or in the wet.

Emergency braking performance is also below average for a family SUV, pulling up from 100km/h to zero in just under 41 metres – not far off what a two-tonne dual-cab ute requires – and it is not as stable under brakes as you may expect.

Noise from the outside world is also well suppressed, aside from some tyre roar on coarse-chip surfaces.

Can a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid tow?

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid can tow up to 1900kg braked and 750kg unbraked.

The braked rating is 250kg higher than the rest of the petrol range, and a match for the now-defunct diesel Tucson – a welcome change, given most hybrid variants of new cars can typically tow less than their non-hybrid equivalents.

A payload of 495kg is quoted – calculated from the 1745kg kerb weight and 2240kg gross vehicle mass – as the maximum weight of passengers, cargo and accessories the car is allowed to carry before it is deemed overloaded.

Should I buy a Hyundai Tucson?

The updates to the latest Hyundai Tucson have made it one of the best, most well-rounded family SUVs on sale.

Hyundai is among the first car makers to create a hybrid system for a mid-size SUV that can truly rival Toyota on smoothness, performance and efficiency, matched with a spacious interior, slick technology, the latest safety aids, and a refined drive.

Compared to prices of new cars a few years ago, $55,000 drive-away is not cheap for a mid-size SUV, but there is plenty of equipment for the money – and the N Line package is worthwhile (if it fits within your budget) and hides that this is the base model.

There is room for improvement in the running costs – it is easy on fuel but servicing could be cheaper, with longer intervals – and while there is now an easy shortcut to mute it, the overspeed warning is still annoying.

But on balance, the Tucson Hybrid is an excellent family car that should be at the top of your mid-size SUV consideration list.

How do I buy a Hyundai Tucson? The next steps.

Hyundai has previously indicated it has good stock of the Tucson Hybrid, as evidenced by its ability to run drive-away deals on multiple models in the range.

The Tucson Hybrid N Line is one of the best-value models in the range, offering plenty of useful features – and design elements that don't make it feel like the base model – but with a price tag below $50,000 before on-road costs.

The next step on the purchase journey is to contact your nearest Hyundai dealer to check stock levels near you. You can also find Hyundais for sale at Drive Marketplace.

We recommend taking the Tucson Hybrid for a test drive as personal needs and tastes can differ. It is also worth test-driving the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid and Nissan X-Trail e-Power as they are close rivals and good benchmarks.

To stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review, you’ll find all the latest news here.

The post 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid N Line review appeared first on Drive.