Tucson: the real 5-year cost
The Hyundai Tucson is the comfortable cruiser of the family SUV class, but its petrol engine is thirsty by modern standards: 40.9 mpg combined pushes annual fuel to £1,289 at 8,000 miles a year. Add the £32,995 purchase price and the five-year true cost lands at £33,912 — about £565 a month — with insurance at £664, maintenance at £482 and road tax at £190. That makes it one of the pricier cars on this list to run, and the fuel bill is the main culprit.
The Tucson compensates with generous space, a calm ride and Hyundai's five-year warranty, but buyers should go in with eyes wide open about the pump costs. Below we break down the five-year total line by line, plus how the hybrid compares.
| Purchase price | £32,995 |
| Fuel (5 yrs) | £6,447 |
| Insurance (5 yrs) | £3,320 |
| Maintenance (5 yrs) | £2,410 |
| Road tax (5 yrs) | £950 |
| Minus estimated resale value | −£12,208 |
Tucson depreciation is moderate — the warranty helps, but thirsty petrol SUVs are not the market's darlings right now. The hybrid Tucson holds value better and would slash the fuel bill; if you are set on petrol, buy nearly new and let someone else take the first-year hit. To economise: keep to the speed limit on motorways, where a big petrol SUV's mpg penalty is brutal; service at an independent Hyundai specialist once the warranty allows; and choose the smallest wheels available to keep tyre costs down.
Our verdict: the petrol Tucson is a lovely car with an old-fashioned appetite. If you love everything else about it, the hybrid version fixes the maths — otherwise, budget honestly for the fuel.