Hyundai has done a marvelous job styling the 2010 Tucson. The car looks like it just walked out of a fashion shoot from a New York glamour magazine. The lines are crisp and modern, the design is new and relevant. The overall impression is youthful fitness and movie star good looks.It’s hard (make that impossible) to find a profile angle that doesn’t work when photographing the Tucson, especially when the car is dressed in what I now consider Apple Computer’s (i)…conic all white.
But just like many of the most fashionable shoes in the world, you have to sacrifice comfort to look so good.
Don’t get me wrong. My tester had all of the latest toy and technology you’d expect from a small, modern crossover including:
All-wheel drive, Navigation (6.5 inch screen0, Enormous/Panoramic duel sunroofs, Satellite radio, Premium Audio (with external amp and Sub-woofer) . . . and the list goes on.
In fact, my tester’s grand total of goodies came to a segment-topping sticker price of $29,590.00. That’s a lot of money and a lot goodies for a small CUV.
But that wasn’t why I struggled with the Tucson. The biggest issue: I could not get comfortable in the car. I’m 6’2 and 225 pounds and this car just does not fit my body type.
The seats adjust in every possible way as does the steering wheel. But just like the princess with the pea under her mattress, I could never find a comfortable driving position.
It was sort of like buying a pair of really sharp designer shoes, but never being able to get comfortable in them. You know you look good, but you can’t get past the nagging feeling that you’d be happier in your old work loafers.
The other small issue I had with the Tuscon is that the designers choose to place the round rear defroster button in the exact location many new cars have the stop/start button.
Not only did they put it next to the steering wheel but they also made it the exact same size and shape as the newest ignition buttons. So I spent a lot of time getting into the car and trying to start it by turning on the rear defroster.
FYI: The Tuscon comes with a more traditional and classic key.
Article Last Updated: April 22, 2010.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
