2022 Hyundai Tucson: A serious contender for your new Bear car

Starting at a smidge under $25K US, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson consistently ranks as one of the top compact SUVs all the way around, and for good reason: it really does everything well.

There are all kinds of snazzy words I could use given my pay scale. But when it comes to just getting in the driver’s seat, backing out of my parking space, heading to the meat department (always a round of sticker shock anymore) and then off to a day of constant gay-fab-u-lous-ness. The Tucson keeps up, never lets anyone down, and comes in with some great gas at 26 city / 33 highway.

(I tested the hybrid, which gets and even better average mpg of 37.)

The Tucson is fully redesigned this year and, yeah, I’m kinda hard-pressed to see it, but it does look great inside and out. 

Cargo-wise, you get almost 40 cubic feet with the backseats up, and 80 cubic feet when those seats are down, which is great for the class.

New cars are looking more and more upscale these days, as you can clearly see here. What I really liked, even though it was a bit disconcerting, was the cabin, once all the windows were up, is quiet.  Too quiet.  You really could hear every cello, second string, timpani, as if you were right there, front row, center. So, just a word of warning: that ‘too quiet inside’ excuse never works with the cops. 

And the tech, for all your needs while driving, is getting too easy. I don’t have to think anymore, and I like that.  Just get in, decide if I am in a rodeo, trash brunch or A-Bear mood – and away we go with my preferred soundtrack. 

My concern for our Bear audience, as always, is to make sure that you guys can fit in the Tucson.  I am not casting aspersions or asparagus here.

I am just saying that we, as Bears, love our food and our chef-prepared specials, and that often means that getting in and out of these ‘compact’ vehicles meant for your skinny cousins named Mallory and Madison who watch The Hallmark Channel (full disclosure: I watch that channel, mostly for Golden Girls reruns) can be a challenge for men of ‘heft’. Which is why I am not a big fan of Bears going shopping for cars completely online.

But I would still do some shopping.  The Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Santa Fe are, for all intents and purposes, in the same league (Hyundai does not want me saying that, I know).  I would test drive them all, see how you fit in (not that we Bears ever really want to do that, societally, anyway) and then go for lunch – and the decide. 

Shopping should never be done on an empty stomach.  Too many Girl Scout cookies and Apple products are bought that way.