Hyundai Tucson vs Subaru Crosstrek

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek retained much of its predecessor’s aesthetic charm. Though it greatly resembled the 2023 Crosstrek, it featured new sheet metal, a refined chassis, and additional colors such as Sun Blaze, Offshore Blue, and Sapphire Blue, as well as an exclusive Geyser Blue for the Wilderness trim. Its dimensions remained similar, including its wheelbase and overall length, but with a steeper departure angle.

Shoppers noted that the model boasted 17-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires in the Base trim, along with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it adventure-ready. Roof rails were an option on the Base, but standard on Premium, Sport, and Limited trims, augmenting its practicality for outdoor activities. The exterior design sports a unique wing bar that intersects with the grille, creating a visually appealing front fascia reminiscent of a smiling Cheshire cat. Substantial black plastic cladding added an off-road flair while also improving aerodynamics with smartly integrated air inlets and outlets.

At the rear, it showcased a split taillight design from its second generation, enhancing trunk accessibility while embodying Subaru’s “Kaizen” philosophy. The Wilderness trim displayed unique exterior appointments such as a hexagonal grille, larger cladding pieces, refreshed bumpers, and a hexagonal LED design for the fog lights. With its increased ground clearance to 9.3 inches and a ladder-style roof rack rated for substantial dynamic and static loads, it catered to serious adventurers.

Comparatively, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson maintained its fourth-generation design introduced in 2022. This model was a handsome package of contemporary aesthetics, marked by aggressive yet harmonious touches like headlights that blend seamlessly into the grille. The Tucson's angles created an athletic presence, especially noted for its visual appeal even in the traditionally mundane white color.

Trim levels like SE, SEL, XRT, and Limited offered distinct stylistic choices. SE presented 17-inch alloy wheels and roof rails, while SEL added 19-inch alloys in its convenience package. XRT’s dark trims, unique black 19-inch alloy wheels, side steps, and roof racks further elevated its rugged look. Limited's dark chrome grille and upgraded headlights were standout features.

Inside, the Tucson excelled with modern, refined aesthetics, indicative of high technology accessibility packed neatly within a user-friendly layout. The absence of a volume dial in our test model was a minor inconvenience, mitigated by thoughtful control placement.

Under the hood, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek brought back its 2.5-liter flat four-cylinder engine, offering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque to the Sport and Limited trims, and newly, to the Wilderness trim. Despite the potential in its upgraded engine, with its 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque generated by the 2.0-liter engine, delivered through a CVT, it was not considered particularly swift. The absence of a manual transmission was lamented by some enthusiasts, yet the optimized CVT provided smooth power delivery with simulated shift points.

The Wilderness trim’s shorter final-drive ratio and increased towing capacity (3,500 pounds) enhanced uphill acceleration and off-road ability, albeit at the cost of increased road noise and decreased fuel economy. Subaru's AWD system with X-Mode traction management, dirt/snow, and hill-descent control further underscored its off-roading credentials.

By contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson adhered to a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, mustering 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque via an eight-speed automatic transmission, directed to front or optional AWD. Though adequate for urban commutes, the engine's noise under strain and less impressive acceleration were downers. The Tucson Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid variants, with significantly more power, were preferable for those craving better performance.

Despite Hyundai’s proprietary button-style shifter on higher trims presenting a learning curve, its intuitive placement added a layer of functionality. The Tucson also shone with balanced handling, comfort on long drives, and adept cornering, though it fell short of the athletic prowess of its Mazda counterparts.

Dimensions-wise, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, built on the Impreza platform, measured smaller than a Forester but still boasted competitive cargo capacity among subcompact SUVs. It delivered 19.9 cubic feet of trunk space, expanding to 54.7 cubic feet with rear seats folded. This setup was practical, though it lagged behind rivals like the Honda CR-V. Subaru’s thoughtful design included rugged, easy-to-clean materials, copious cupholders, and provisions for carrying large Nalgene bottles, tailoring to outdoor enthusiasts. The Wilderness trim added all-weather floor mats and additional rear cupholders for added functionality.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Hyundai Tucson commanded a substantial lead with up to 74.8 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats folded (38.7 cubic feet with seats in use). Its space efficiency outperformed nearly every competitor save the Honda CR-V’s marginally larger volume. The smart hands-free liftgate system across all trims except the base SE simplified loading significantly. Seating for five adults was spacious and accommodating in both rows, making it a compelling choice for longer trips.

Subaru introduced an 11.6-inch touchscreen in the 2024 Crosstrek, marking a leap from the previous display. Crisp graphics and physical controls for critical functions like climate adjustments made it user-friendly. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard except on the Base trim, with a wireless charging pad in higher trims. However, the system could be cumbersome under glare and suffered from overly nested menus. Importantly, Subaru excluded remote start via the app in states with Right to Repair laws, frustrating some buyers.

Conversely, the Hyundai Tucson featured an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, offering user-friendly interfaces with side home buttons for ease of access, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims boasted a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a fully digital instrument panel, though they sacrificed wireless connectivity for mobile devices and introduced less intuitive touch-sensitive volume controls. Hyundai’s evolved remote start system avoided the hassle of pressing additional buttons upon entry.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek consistently garnered top safety scores from IIHS and NHTSA. The EyeSight safety suite, standard across trims, brought advanced driver-assistance features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. New enhancements in 2024, which included a wider-angle lens and automatic emergency steering, fortified its safety reputation.

The 2024 Hyundai Tucson also excelled in safety, with comprehensive driver-assistance technologies such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and more. The Limited trim's parking sensors, 360-degree camera system, and Smart Park feature added advanced layers of convenience and safety. In IIHS testing, the Tucson scored highly, reinforcing its status as a Top Safety Pick+.