Does the hybrid’s fuel economy advantage make up for its price premium?
In an era where most folks are watching every single penny exiting their bank accounts, more than a few car shoppers are considering vehicles with a hybrid powertrain. The tag team of a reliable (and quick-to-fuel) gasoline engine plus an electric motor is a killer app for many Canadians – especially since many rightly feel the spectre of EV ownership isn’t ready for prime time, at least not with the state of public charging facilities and vast distances many of us must travel in this country for basics like picking up a litre of milk.
First, let’s tackle what should already be blindingly obvious to anyone blessed with the gift of sight. While their powertrains are very different, these machines share a great deal in terms of exterior design choices and cabin features. We’ll cover some of the pros and cons which apply to both vehicles – though there is one huge difference we will make sure to highlight since it may be a deal breaker for some families.
The entire Tucson line was facelifted for this model year, with slightly different lighting signatures (eight instead of 10 lights up front, for example) and massaged styling at both ends. Items which don’t require wholesale changes to the car’s structure, such as the grille and other surface detailing, are also new for the 2025 model year. We do wish Hyundai had moved the handle for this rear hatch up above the license plate instead of right down by the rear bumper where road grime collects and makes for dirty hands. Best pop it with the key fob.
What powers the 2025 Hyundai Tucson?
All internal combustion 2025 Tucson models are powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine making 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. This is mated to a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission and it all runs just fine on regular unleaded. To be frank, this isn’t enough grunt, especially whilst climbing steep grades, with the mill making noise instead of power the further its tachometer reaches to its maximum.
As for the hybrid, it pairs a turbocharged 1.6L four-banger with an electric motor and 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery to produce 231 ponies and 271 lb-ft of twist, again mated to a traditional automatic but with six gears instead of the gasser’s set of eight cogs. The addition of nearly a hundred torques does wonders for the Tucson, turning the powertrain into a butler which invisibly goes about his business instead of one which complains bitterly about the task at hand.
Gas vs Hybrid Fuel Consumption
Fuel economy is often cited as the reason for getting a hybrid and, in this area, Hyundai delivers. According to the feds at NRCan, the non-hybrid Tucson should return 9.7/7.7 L/100 km in city/highway driving or about 8.8 L/100 km combined. Meanwhile, the hybrid rates 6.7 across the board. This is significant in all environs but especially for drivers who spend most of their time in the city. Using the combined measure, the hybrid saves approximately 2.0 L/100 km over the gasoline-powered trim; at an annual average driving of 20,000 kilometres and price of $1.50 for regular fuel, that’s an approximate savings of $600 per year or 50 bucks a month.
Interior features in the Hyundai Tucson
Inside is where Hyundai stylists made the most changes for 2025, almost all of which are shared between hybrid and non-hybrid trims. The glow-up incorporates redesigned digital real estate which integrates an available 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an enlarged 12.3-inch infotainment display. A redesigned centre stack includes the addition of supplementary dials for frequently used controls such as audio volume and tuning plus some of the ventilation controls. All of us who wear gloves in the winter or simply like to adjust such things by feel without taking our eyes off the road and onto a screen are thankful. A new dashboard tray located above the glovebox is notably slick and adds handy storage space for front-seat passengers.
Both our testers had a gear selector sprouting from the steering column, one of the same design as introduced on EVs like the Ioniq range. In this driver’s opinion, it is the best solution for shift-by-wire gear selection currently available in mass production. Why? Instead of confusing buttons or levers which force a person to push forward to go backward, the Hyundai selector simply asks one to twist it in the desired direction of travel. Want to reverse? Twist it backward. Want to drive ahead? Twist it forward. Park is a simple button tap. This is how all electronic gear selectors should be designed.
What’s the main caveat mentioned earlier? Headroom in the back seat. Whilst it doesn’t look like it in photos – or even in person, really, unless comparing these two machines side-by-each – the hybrid’s battery caused the back seat’s cushion in that model to be much higher than the gasser. This, combined with the presence of a headroom-robbing panoramic moonroof in the hybrid, conspired to create a far tighter environ in the hybrid than the gasoline-powered variant. Legroom wasn’t an issue, just headroom. For customers like young couples or empty nesters, this won’t be a problem but for those schlepping the fam jam to soccer and hockey, please make absolutely certain all hands are comfortable on the rear perch of a Tucson Hybrid before signing on the dotted line.
But the choice to sling that hybrid battery under the rear seat instead of beneath the cargo area pays dividends in that measure, at least. Both the gasser and hybrid have a large and well-shaped storage space behind the second row of seats, a metric important to all buyers in this segment at a maximum of 41.2 cubic feet (1,166 litres).
How much is the 2025 Hyundai Tucson in Canada?
Pricing for our two testers, a 2025 Tucson XRT gasser and 2025 Tucson N-Line Hybrid, were within a shout of each other. The non-hybrid was $42,129 while the hybrid stickered exactly three grand more at $45,149 (both include destination but not sundry fees which vary by province). Both trims are close enough in terms of included content and value-for-money, though the XRT wears rugged tires while the N-Line has a sharper front fascia. Think of them as rural vs urban and you’ve got the general idea.
Does that price difference make good math? Recall our calculations which show the hybrid will save about $600 per year on fuel, making a breakeven point around the five-year mark. Given the length of time most Canadians keep a new car (and its loan) these days, that’s well within the first ownership period for many. Driving more or less per annum will change that mark.
Final thoughts on the Hyundai Tucson models
Ceteris paribus, this author (whose youngsters are shipping off to post-secondary, leaving my car’s back seats empty) would go for the hybrid simply for the extra power. Gearhead math dictates the increased sticker price will be paid for in five years by fuel savings, meaning it amounts to free horsepower. Free horsepower! Few would argue with that calculation. However, as advised, make sure the peanut gallery fits astern prior to buying the hybrid.
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