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The 2023 Hyundai Tucson XRT is for shoppers who know they will never take their stylish two-row compact crossover any further than the dirt trail to Grandma’s house in the forest. The XRT treatment provides them peace of mind that it will at least look like they can do the same things as a more hard-core off-road SUV. Beyond that reality, this is a competent and comfortable choice in a crowded segment, with one of the largest cargo areas you can find in the segment.
The XRT treatment takes the chrome bits of the regular Tucson, such as the accent that runs the length of the vehicle at the top of the greenhouse, and blacks them out. If you were to get one in a lighter color, that would give it the floating-roof look that is all the rage in crossovers, SUVs and minivans today. The bumpers, rocker moldings and and wheel designs have a tougher motif than the regular models. The running boards seem a little unnecessary considering this is not a high-riding vehicle. I found myself bumping into them more often then actually using them.
The tires are Michelin Primacy 235/55 all-seasons, so not exactly major upgrades. Ground clearance remains the same, too, at 8.3 inches. Luckily, there are still full-LED headlights and taillights, with only the rear turn signals down in the bumpers remaining incandescent. As a whole package, the Tucson XRT is an attractive and, perhaps, more masculine looking crossover than its standard counterpart. If you want to go to the sporty side, there’s an N-Line version for you. Unfortunately, that model also sticks with the naturally-aspirated 2.5L 4-cylinder.
Inside is where the Tucson really shines in this segment, though the XRT does prove to be a mixed bag in terms of content. No sunroof of any size is available, but the full-LCD instrument cluster is here. The infotainment screen is the smaller one, but it gives you wireless phone integration. The front seats are heated, but not offered in leather, a different color other than black, or the accompaniment of a heated steering wheel. Despite all of that, the driver’s seats is super comfortable and proved to be ideally shaped for my figure and height (5’9″).
The biggest reason to choose the Tucson over its competitors is its cargo area. With the second row folded, you’ll have access to 80.3 cubic feet of space. This makes it the most capacious in the segment and makes it a little more difficult to justify paying more for the “larger” Santa Fe, which has slightly less room inside. Hyundai graciously gives you levers in the trunk for collapsing the second row so you don’t have to walk around to do it, and they even throw in the smart access tailgate so you can open the trunk without having to pull out the keys or wave your foot around. The cargo load floor has two different levels, one that makes it essentially flush with the threshold, one that is about 5 inches or so lower. There is a spare tire down there, too.
The XRT is powered by the Tucson’s standard naturally-aspirated 2.5L 4-cylinder engine. It produces 187 horsepower and 178 lb.-ft. of torque via an 8-speed automatic and your choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Fuel economy is rated at 28 combined for the former and 25 combined for the latter, which my tester was equipped with. You can tow up to 2,000 pounds if your trailer is equipped with a trailer brake. 0-60 mph took me 8.7 seconds with AWD-lock engaged and Sport mode active. There are no paddle shifters for changing gears manually, but the transmission does a good job at doing that itself. Fuel economy from my 40-mile test loop around Atlanta came in right at the AWD EPA rating – 25 mpg.
On the road, the XRT trim drives pretty much the exact same as other ICE Tucsons since it doesn’t ride on wider or grippier tires, nor is the ground clearance any higher. The all-seasons will simply get you through a wider range of road surfaces as well as the products of inclement weather. If you get one of these with the roof rail crossbars, you may hear a little bit more wind noise than what I noticed during my week with the car (since it didn’t have them). The XRT will already be a little quieter than Tucsons with the panoramic glass roof since you cannot get that on this trim and the metal roof will provide more sound insulation. In regards to the aforementioned 0-60 time I achieved, it’s not the fastest thing in the world, but Hyundai offers more powerful hybrid and PHEV versions of the Tucson. The problem is that neither of those offer an XRT trim. Nevertheless, the 8-speed automatic here does a good job of being in the right gear at the right time, though there isn’t an urgency to downshift on initial throttle input as a dual-clutch transmission might exude.
Honestly, for the average shopper, the power is perfectly acceptable for around town driving. There’s a bit of perkiness to the throttle, but not to the point that the experience is jerky. When going back from 60 to 0 mph, the Tucson takes 120 feet to get the job done. That’s actually near the top of the class. The pedal is not too firm, not too soft, right there in the middle – Goldilocks style. In regards to its handling, you can actually have a good bit of fun with the Tucson as its limits aren’t as low as you might initially expect. It doesn’t feel as heavy as the hybrid and PHEV, though those models will have a lower center of gravity to make up for that due to the batteries. Ride quality is also an area that I was super surprised by. The experience is a little bit smoother than something like a RAV4 or Rogue, and the all-season tires do a really good job at soaking up the larger bumps in the road.
At 50 mph, I measured 65 decibels in the cabin, which is both impressive and tangible. Passengers frequently commented on how quiet it was. When it comes to the sound of the engine, this 4-cylinder has a less-than-ideal groan when up at higher RPMs. Though not as gritty as the RAV4’s 4-cylinder, it is generally muted when left at a more relaxed pace. That, too, is where fuel economy is maximized. Keep the car out of AWD-lock and in the Smart drive mode while also taming your right foot, and you should be able to hit the EPA estimate like I did on my 40-mile test loop.
The Tucson is already a fantastic choice in the compact crossover segment. Its design stands out in the crown and its value proposition is strong. When you want to go the rugged route, you do have to make some compromises, though. The XRT trim misses out on features like a sunroof or a heated steering wheel, but benefits from the Hyundai infotainment conundrum and gets wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay as a result. Want lighter interior colors, leather upholstery, or and upgraded audio system? You’ll just have to skip the XRT. If none of that matters and you are content with the performance and efficiency of the 2.5L 4-cylinder, then the Tucson XRT remains a strong option.
The XRT trim starts at $34,570 with destination, with the only upgrades being the $400 Serenity White Pearl paint or all-wheel drive for $1,500. Otherwise, they all come one way with a black Hi-Tex interior. Again, if you’re smitten with the rugged appearance of this trim, you aren’t making a bad decision by pulling the trigger on one. Just understand that you could pay about $2,000 more and get a Limited trim with nearly all of the available features that make the Tucson such a tech-forward and modern option. Otherwise, the XRT is a more back-to-basics Tucson experience that drives well and has plenty of perky around-town power. Oh, and a class-leading cargo area.
