Introduction
Spend five minutes on any British road in 2025 and you’ll understand why the Hyundai Tucson matters. It’s everywhere: outside schools in Surrey, parked at Tesco in Leeds, cruising the M62, or loaded with surfboards on the A30 to Cornwall. For the past three years it has been Britain’s bestselling mid-size SUV, regularly beating the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga, and even some premium German models. The 2025 version has just arrived with a major refresh, and we spent a full week living with three different variants (mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid) on everything from narrow Welsh mountain lanes to the stop-start misery of the M25. This is the real-world, no-nonsense UK review you need before you sign on the dotted line.
Key Highlights – 6 Reasons It Stays Britain’s No.1 Family SUV
- Price & Value: Starts at just £33,005 OTR – cheaper than most rivals yet better equipped
- Real-World Economy: Full-hybrid averages 48–52 mpg; PHEV gives 35–40 miles pure-electric range
- Massive Boot: 620 litres in hybrid models (bigger than BMW X3, Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC)
- Warranty: 5 years unlimited mileage + 8 years/100,000 miles on hybrid battery
- Tech Upgrade: Twin curved 12.3-inch screens, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, over-the-air updates
- Safety: Euro NCAP 5-star with new junction-assist braking and blind-spot view cameras
Why the Tucson Wins Hearts in Britain
British families have very clear demands: space for kids and Labradors, low running costs, easy parking in tight supermarket spaces, the ability to tow a caravan or horsebox occasionally, and technology that doesn’t require a PhD to operate. The Tucson has been ticking every box since 2021, and the 2025 model raises the game again without losing what made it popular in the first place. It still looks like bold and expensive, still offers a choice of sensible engines, and still comes with Hyundai’s unbeatable five-year unlimited-mileage warranty. In the country where reliability and value matter as a much as badge prestige, that combination is gold.
Exterior – Sharper, Bolder, More Grown-Up
The old Tucson was already handsome, but the 2025 refresh makes it look properly premium. The front end is dominated by a new parametric grille with hidden LED daytime running lights that only reveal themselves when switched on – a trick straight out of the luxury playbook. The headlights are slimmer and now use the matrix LED technology on higher trims, meaning they dip individual segments around oncoming traffic without you touching the stalk. Along the sides, sharper creases and new 19-inch alloy designs (standard on Ultimate and N-Line) give it a wider, lower stance. At the back, the full-width light bar has a been redesigned with the cleaner, more sophisticated pattern. Choose the new N-Line version and you get a gloss-black mirrors, a body kit, red brake calipers, and a subtle rear spoiler – enough to make it stand out without there looking boy-racer. Our favourite colour? The new Sailing Blue metallic with a contrasting black roof – it photographs beautifully in a British drizzle.
Interior – A Huge Leap Forward
Open the door and transformation is even more obvious. Hyundai has a finally ditched the old piano-black plastic desert and replaced it with soft-touch materials, brushed aluminium, and textured panels that feel expensive to touch. The biggest change is the in dashboard: two 12.3-inch screens now sit under one seamless curved glass panel, just like a baby Mercedes. The driver display is crisp and configurable, while the central touchscreen is bright, quick, and mercifully free of the lag that plagued the old car. Crucially, Hyundai listened to owners and brought back proper physical buttons and knobs for the climate control – no more prodding a touchscreen to turn the heating up of while wearing gloves on a January morning. The steering wheel is the new, thicker and wrapped in perforated leather, and every switchgear click feels solid. Ambient lighting now offers 64 colours, and on Ultimate trim you get the grate panoramic sunroof so large that even rear passengers feel like they’re in a conservatory.
Space and Practicality – Still One of the Roomiest
The Tucson has always been a packaging masterclass, and nothing has changed here. Five six-foot adults fit comfortably, and the rear bench slides and reclines to prioritise legroom or luggage as needed. Boot space in the regular hybrid is a massive 620 litres – bigger than a BMW X3 or Audi Q5 – and the load floor is perfectly flat when the seats are folded. The plug-in hybrid loses a little depth because of the battery (558 litres), but it’s still cavernous by class standards. Little British-life touches abound: door bins swallow one-litre bottles, there’s hidden under-floor storage for muddy wellies or charging cables, and a proper 230V three-pin socket in the boot for picnics or camping. The electric tailgate is hands-free – just stand behind with the key in your pocket and it opens automatically when you’re juggling shopping bags and toddlers.
Engines – There’s a Perfect One for Every British Driver
Hyundai offers four powertrains in the UK, and each makes perfect sense for our roads and tax system. The entry 1.6 T-GDi in mild-hybrid petrol (148 hp) is a smooth and refined enough for most, returning a genuine 42 – 45 mpg if driven gently. Step up to the full-hybrid (212 hp) and the difference is night and day : it glides silently on the electric power in town, then uses the petrol engine only when needed. On our mixed test route of urban crawl, A-roads, and motorway we are averaged 52 mpg without trying hard. The star for company-car drivers and anyone inside the ULEZ or Clean Air Zones is the plug-in hybrid (261 hp). With a charged battery you’ll cover the average British daily commute (under 40 miles) on pure electricity, and still have serious performance when the petrol engine joins in. Real-world electric range was 36–38 miles in cold, wet December weather – enough to make most school runs and commutes virtually free.
Driving Experience – Relaxed Yet Enjoyable
The 2025 Tucson is not for trying to be a sports SUV, but it’s the far more enjoyable than its size suggests. The steering is light in town yet weights up nicely on faster roads, and the suspension strikes and excellent balance between the comfort and control. Potholes and speed bumps are dismissed with a soft thud, yet the body stays flat through corners. The N-Line version gets a slightly firmer dampers and 19-inch wheels, but even that remains comfortable enough for British B-roads. Road noise has been noticeably reduced – extra sound-deadening and acoustic glass, a make motorway cruising genuinely relaxing. Wind and tyre noise are among the lowest in the class and the hybrid powertrain is almost silent when running on electric power.
Technology That Works in Real British Life
The new infotainment system is fast and intuitive, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto filling the entire 12.3-inch screen. Built-in navigation is excellent and now shows what3words locations – perfect for meeting friends in the middle of nowhere. The Bluelink app lets you preheat the cabin on a frosty morning, flash the lights to find the car in a multi-storey, or send a destination to the sat-nav before you leave the house. Safety tech is comprehensive without being annoying. The blind-spot cameras that appear in the driver display when you indicate are genuinely useful, and the Highway Driving Assist II keeps you perfectly centred in lane and adjusts speed to limits automatically. It even slows gently for sharp bends on smart motorways.
Running Costs and Ownership
This is where Hyundai destroys most rivals. The five-year unlimited-mileage warranty is still the best in the business, and the hybrid battery is covered for eight years/100,000 miles. Fixed-price servicing is reasonable, and intervals are every two years or 20,000 miles on the hybrids. Insurance groups are low-to-mid (18–24), and resale values remain strong because everyone knows Hyundai builds cars that last. Company-car drivers in the PHEV pay just 5 % Benefit-in-Kind tax, and private buyers doing typical British mileage will see fuel bills drop dramatically compared with older pure-petrol SUVs.
Final Verdict
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson is not just Britain’s bestselling mid-size SUV because it’s cheap – it’s the bestseller because it’s genuinely brilliant at everything a British family needs. It looks sharper and more expensive than its price tag suggests, drives with genuine comfort and refinement, offers clever hybrid powertrains that make real-world financial sense, and wraps the whole package in the best warranty on sale. If you’re shopping for a family SUV in 2025, do yourself a favour: test-drive a Tucson before you sign for anything else. Nine times out of ten, you’ll drive away in one – and you’ll wonder why you ever considered anything else.