Comparison: Ground clearance Hyundai Tucson vs. competitors 2025

Like a fine wine, some things change with age, and the Tucson's ground clearance isn’t an exception. Starting off with a robust 195 mm in the first generation (2004-2010), it could laugh in the face of speed bumps. As the years rolled by, the clearance has subtly shrunk, much like the hairline of a middle-aged man. The second-generation model (2015-2018) and its facelift (2018-2020) dropped a few millimeters down to a demure 172 mm. And now, the current third-generation (2020-now) bears its 170 mm ground clearance with a dignified nod to aerodynamic efficiency and urban versatility.

Within the Hyundai fleet, the Tucson pitches its tent firmly in the crossover camp. Its grander siblings like the Hyundai Santa Fe Santa Fe at 176 mm and the van-like Hyundai Staria Staria at 186 mm look down from a slightly loftier height. In the hot N corner, the Hyundai Kona N Kona N just edges out the Tucson with 173 mm. Compare this to the more urban-minded siblings, like the Hyundai i20 i20 at a scant 140 mm, and the Tucson is the one in wellies, ready for a splash.

But how does our Tucson fare when it sets tyre against the motoring horde? It's a middle-of-the-pack player, content with its 170 mm that matches the Renault Captur Captur and the urban Hyundai Kona Kona. However, in the big leagues, it doesn’t come close to the towering Subaru XV XV with its 220 mm clearance that scoffs at curbs. The Tucson looks upwards to the likes of the Mazda CX-5 CX-5, Nissan Qashqai Qashqai, and Renault Kadjar Kadjar, each sitting comfortably around 200 mm. And let’s not even start on the Volvo XC40 XC40 with its skyscraping 211 mm. Yes, our Tucson isn’t the tallest drink of water in the saloon, but it offers a sweet spot of SUV agility and sedan-like handling, without the nosebleed height.