Only 1 Compact SUV Makes Consumer Reports’ Shortlist of Best Road Trip Cars of 2022

Taking a road trip with friends or family can be a great way to vacation this summer, and having the right car can be crucial to a good road trip. As far as compact SUVs go, only one car makes the shortlist, and it’s a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. Here’s why Consumer Reports said the 2022 Hyundai Tucson is a great compact SUV for road trips.

An overview of the list of the best compact SUV for road trips

2022 Hyundai Tucson | Hyundai Motor Company

According to Consumer Reports, the best cars for road trips are also the best for everyday driving. This is because both types of driving require similar things from the car. For example, one attribute customers should be shopping for is fuel economy. Regarding road trips, fuel economy matters a lot, as it can mean some significant savings in terms of gas money.

It’s a similar story for ride comfort, seat comfort, and cargo capacity, which car shoppers should look for. Few people want to drive a car that has uncomfortable seats every day. Similarly, since road trips tend to last for a few days, few people want to go on a road trip with a car that has some uncomfortable seats. 

This is precisely why cars like the Honda Accord and Toyota Sienna are on Consumer Reports’ list of the best cars for road trips. Those cars have great fuel economies, good cargo capacity, and are overall good cars for daily driving. It’s also why the Tucson is on the list. 

Here’s why the 2022 Hyundai Tucson is great compact SUV for road trips

Like Consumer Reports wrote, the Tucson is the only compact SUV to make the list, and it’s the best option for folks going on a road trip with three people. The Tucson has seats for five and is an excellent car in every area. Its seats are comfortable and spacious, its interior has an upscale feel, and it has some neat tech. It also has a starting price tag of $25,000, and that’s an affordable price to pay since Hyundai put a lot of features in the car.

Hyundai also offers a hybrid option, and this is the option Consumer Reports prefers. Not only is the hybrid version more powerful and faster than the standard Tucson, but it’s more fuel-efficient too. The Tucson hybrid gets about 35 mpg overall and gets that fuel economy while still being very spacious. On top of that, Hyundai offers a lot of smart safety features as standard, and this is another good thing to have on a road trip.

An overview of the 2022 Hyundai Tucson

In Consumer Reports’ review of the Tucson, it only has one flaw, and that has to do with the base engine’s acceleration. The Hyundai’s standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 187 hp. It takes a whole 9.6 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. That said, it has a decent fuel economy of about 26 mpg combined. The hybrid option even shaves two seconds off of that acceleration time.

However, no matter which engine option customers choose, the Tucson will remain a great car. It handles well, its brakes are good, and its controls are easy-to-use too. Since it’s a Hyundai, it’s also very reliable, and overall, customers who bought the 2022 Tucson seem very satisfied with their choice.