Hyundai Tucson vs Porsche Macan

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson rode on a new platform and was offered in the U.S. as a long-wheelbase model with two rows of seating and an expanded cargo area. Up front, it featured Hyundai's new vehicle face, with a parametric grille hiding standard LED daytime running lights, Bi-LED headlights, and LED front turn signals. The illuminated lights formed a unique shape resembling the wings of the Aztec Spirit Bird. The side profile mirrored the Hyundai Elantra's design, with a silver D-pillar creating a floating roof effect. The rear showcased toothy taillights illuminated by LEDs in all but the base model, helping the Tucson stand out among compact SUVs.

The Tucson rode on either 17- or 19-inch wheels, depending on the trim level, with four different wheel designs available. High-end trims featured premium fascias, front and rear skid plates, gloss black pillars, and a panoramic sunroof. Standard features included roof rails (except on the SE trim), body-color side-mirror housing, solar glass, and acoustic laminated glass. Upgrading beyond the base model added heated outside mirrors with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic avoidance assist indicators, turn signals, front aero wipers, and an optional sunroof. The cabin was well-appointed, with standard stain- and odor-resistant cloth seats, and available sport combination and leather-trimmed seats on higher trims. Horizontal lines across the dashboard and an uncluttered aesthetic gave the interior a sense of spaciousness.

Porsche introduced the Macan for the 2015 model year, and by 2022, it had undergone several updates while retaining its original essence. The 2022 Macan received a styling refresh, larger standard wheels, seven new wheel designs, and a new center console with haptic touch controls and increased storage space. The model lineup included the base Macan, Macan S, and Macan GTS, with the Macan Turbo's high-output powertrain now in the GTS. The Macan S adopted the previous GTS model's twin-turbo V6.

Our test vehicle, a Macan S, featured Volcano Gray paint and 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, showcasing Porsche's tradition of aging gracefully. The Macan's design, with its sloping clamshell hood, swollen haunches, and rakish roofline, conveyed a taut, athletic look. Inside, the Macan drew inspiration from other Porsches, with an ignition switch to the left of the steering wheel, a large tachometer centered within the gauge cluster, a flat and wide dashboard, and a center console housing most secondary controls. The cabin, with red leather, gloss black interior trim, and silver metallic accents, had an upscale, sporty, and purposeful appearance.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came in two powertrain variants: a 2.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. The ICE engine delivered 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid powertrain offered 226 combined horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed transmission. The hybrid powertrain made the Tucson more powerful than the Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The Tucson Hybrid achieved 37 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 37 mpg combined, with the most efficient model getting 38 mpg city/highway/combined.

Hyundai offered all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option for the Tucson, standard on the hybrid model. The AWD system performed well in off-road testing, similar to Subaru's reactive AWD system. Front-wheel drive Tucsons with the ICE engine achieved an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 26 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined. Adding AWD reduced these figures to 24 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. The forthcoming Tucson plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was expected to deliver 261 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque, with an estimated 25 miles of all-electric range.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a range of powerful engines. The base Macan had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The Macan GTS inherited the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 from the old Macan Turbo, delivering 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The Macan S featured a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6, producing 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, accelerating to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package and launch control.

All Macans had a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and a fully variable AWD system. Porsche re-tuned the 2022 Macan's steering and suspension for improved ride and handling. The Macan S came with standard 20-inch wheels and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive damping suspension. Our test vehicle also had optional Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+) and Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB). The Macan S offered a thrilling driving experience, with responsive steering, unyielding grip, and fantastic brake performance. The as-tested fuel economy was 18.1 mpg, close to the official EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The Hyundai Tucson was a budget-friendly compact SUV with a well-appointed interior. It featured a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat, with an eight-way version available on all but the base model. Drivers also got lumbar support, and higher trims offered three-stage heated front seats, ventilated front seats, memory for the driver's seat, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel was standard, with leather-wrapped and heated options on higher trims.

The new Tucson platform provided more space for passengers and cargo. The rear seats offered two inches more legroom than the RAV4, and the cabin had more passenger volume than the CR-V, RAV4, and Escape. The 74.8 cubic-foot cargo area was comparable to the Forester, RAV4, and CR-V, and bested the Escape. The rear featured a 60-40 split-folding bench seat and a dual-level cargo floor on ICE models. A hands-free liftgate was available on mid-grade models and up.

The Porsche Macan offered a comfortable experience for the driver and front-seat passenger. Our Macan S test vehicle had the optional Premium Package with 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation. The rear seats were cramped, especially for taller passengers, but getting in and out was easy, and the seats were comfortable. The 2022 Macan had new steering wheels modeled after the 911 sports car, though the wheel felt a bit thin and uncomfortable after extended driving.

The redesigned center console featured haptic touch controls under a gloss black surface, offering a clean and advanced look but requiring the driver to look away from the road to use the controls. The console provided more storage space, but it was still limited. Cargo space measured 17.2 cubic feet behind the back seat, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came with a strong set of standard tech features, including an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and two USB ports. A 4.2-inch multi-information display was in front of the driver. Moving up to the SEL/Blue trim added satellite radio, Blue Link mobile app compatibility, two additional USB outlets, rear air conditioning vents, and dual-zone automatic climate control with ionizer functionality. A 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen was available, but required plugging in devices for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The larger screen was embedded within a larger black plastic head unit, including climate control and radio/media functionality. The flat surface with touchpoints made it difficult to find the right button while keeping eyes on the road, relying more on steering wheel controls and voice commands. The touchpoints were responsive, but the narrow steering wheel controls were less user-friendly.

Porsche equipped every 2022 Macan with a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system called Porsche Communication Management (PCM). It included wireless Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, and connected services, including available WiFi hotspot access. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with optional upgrades to a Bose premium surround-sound system or a high-end Burmester audio system.

The PCM system had touch-sensing virtual buttons and proximity sensing, making the user experience intuitive for smartphone users. However, the voice recognition system was less reliable than those in BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, or Volvo. Apple CarPlay could resolve this issue, but Android users were out of luck. Once configured, the Macan's infotainment system required minimal interaction, with stereo volume and tuning controls below the screen and a separate climate control system.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson had not been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA. It featured the Hyundai SmartSense Safety Feature suite, including forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, rear occupant alert, speed limit assist, and leading vehicle departure alert. Additional safety features included blind-spot warning with collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic alert with collision avoidance assist, safe exit warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitoring, forward and reverse park distance warning, parking collision avoidance assist (rear), ultrasonic rear occupant alert, and remote parking assist. Hyundai backed the Tucson with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, and 7-year anti-perforation warranty, along with 3 years/36,000 miles of complimentary normal oil changes and tire rotations.

Every 2022 Porsche Macan had adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and a reversing camera. Blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist were optional, with blind-spot monitoring included in the Premium Package of our test vehicle. The safety technologies performed as expected, with no issues in accuracy or refinement. The Macan offered advanced parking assistance with front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and an optional Park Assist system that could steer into parallel or perpendicular spaces. For more advanced driving assistance tech, the larger Porsche Cayenne with Porsche InnoDrive was a better option. The Macan had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS.