The compact SUV/Crossover segment is sizzling right now with just too many choices and Malaysians are getting confused between value, sales gimmicks and sexy designs at showroom level.

Too bad since they’re forgetting to look more closely at reliability, cost of ownership, after-sales network, manufacturer’s warranty, interior quality and cabin refinement.

Yes, crossover manufacturers are coming up with creative marketing plans to prevent buyers from looking elsewhere.

Here, we have the 2018 redesigned Tucson that’s sitting in Hyundai showrooms nationwide. Unveiled with a snazzy new exterior and interior design, this face-lifted 1.6L Turbo Tucson is priced at RM143,888.

1. The Tucson nose now features the Cascading Grille, the company’s NEW family identity.

The lines of the grille are echoed by the new full LED headlamps and the updated shapes of the daytime running lights, which strengthen the sporty character of the Tucson.

Redesigned front bumpers as well as the reworked position of the skid plate give the new Tucson a wider look and dynamic stance.

2. The cockpit is redesigned featuring Hyundai’s latest 7-inch floating display that comes with Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™.

3. The 1.6L Turbo comes with more advanced features – Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), Electro-Chromic Mirror (ECM), 8-way power seat for the driver with 2-Way Lumbar Support, and a 4.2-inch TFT LCD Super Vision.

4. The 1.6L T-GDI engine produces 177PS of horsepower and delivers a maximum torque of 265Nm from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm.

5. The fuel consumption combined in an impressive NEDC conversion: 6.9 – 7.9 l/100km and its CO2 emissions combined in NEDC conversion: 159 – 180 g/km

6. Safety features such as the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill-Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC), Brake Assist System (BAS) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) come as standard.

7. The 1.6L Turbo-driven Tucson comes with six airbags, a handsfree smart tailgate system, as well as Front and Rear Parking Distance Warning.

8. The Tucson is entitled to 50,000km free service with three years’ validity and an industry leading five-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) warranty.

9. Hyundai’s new-vehicle quality is among the best in the industry as the company ranked second-highest non-premium brand in J D Power’s 2018 US Initial Quality Study (IQS).

Hyundai was one of the most improved brands, moving from sixth to third placing overall and reducing problems per 100 vehicles by 14.

In the model segments, the Hyundai Tucson was the highest-ranked small SUV and the fourth best model overall.

10. Hyundai’s Tucson received the distinct honour of most dependable Small SUV by J D Power in their 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).

This study shows Tucson ranked highest in its class, beating out leading competitors.

The Tucson offers sporty styling, outstanding efficiency and cutting-edge safety technologies. Overall, Hyundai finished an impressive sixth place in the entire industry and third-best in the non-premium category, lowering its PP100 by nine problems.

Now that you have the facts – the audited global rankings in reliability and quality ratings – it’s time to look past gimmicks and sales pitches and take this crossover for a test drive to decide if it suits your needs.

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