The 2013 Hyundai Tucson is expected to be carryover from the previous year as the vehicle has not been shown at any of the major trade shows. The small Korean crossover or ‘tall wagon’ based on the Elantra platform will apparently need to wait another year for its mid-cycle refresh, but that might not be a bad thing as the current Hyundai Tucson that was released in 2009 received a small equipment upgrade in 2011 to make it a very competitive vehicle in its segment.
Being that the changes from year to year are likely to be minor, the 2013 Hyundai Tucson will most certainly reach showrooms and dealership lots in late 2012.
Performance Features
Being based on the Elantra and using the latest generation R-Line direct injection engines, the 2013 Tucson has a very solid foundation that makes it attractive not only externally, but inside as well. As with most Hyundai vehicles, expect many features to be standard that the competition has in their option packages.
In particular, the 6-speed automatic transmission, push button start, and long list of safety features make the Tucson a great pick for the value oriented. Safety features include: Vehicle dynamic control, downhill brake control, hill start assist, emergency stop signal, and advanced anti-lock breaks make the second generation Hyundai Tucson a ‘Top Safety Pick’ according to the IIHS.
Competition to the 2013 Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson primarily competes with small SUVs such as the sporty but aging Nissan Rogue, the svelte Toyota RAV4, and the gorgeous Honda CRV and its ugly duckling sibling known as the Element (which will no longer be available as of the 2012 model year), and its own sibling the Kia Sportage. The 2013 Hyundai Tucson will continue to present a very strong value equation for those looking for near-luxury features at a down to earth price, which will edge out most of the competition with the exception of the more value-oriented Kia Sportage and the aging Nissan Rogue.
A Good Value?
The 2013 Hyundai Tucson will most likely not hold its value as well as the Toyota RAV4 or the Honda CRV, but it will probably fair well against the Element or the Rogue given the fact that the Rogue is due for a major refresh and the Element has sold poorly and is due to be discontinued, a true rarity in the realm of Honda.
Hyundai has also been making major improvements in quality and investing large sums of money in changing the perception of their brand. The efficacy of these ventures will certainly be seen in resell value, but this remains a big question when considering any Hyundai vehicle.
