Sector: Crossover Price: €22,400–39,850 Fuel: 4.6–6.7l/100km CO2: 119–177g/km

Although the locally-focused i30 and cee’d hatchbacks have had a large-volume role in changing the image of their respective brands in Europe, it’s aspirational crossovers which have really driven the Korean duo upmarket. A quarter of Hyundai’s sales are the ix35 or Santa Fe, weighted towards the former, which the Tucson replaces.

Recognising the importance of aesthetic appeal, the biggest advance between this and its predecessor is the design, penned by a team headed by Peter Schreyer, the man behind Kia’s recent style renaissance. This is a car with big shoes to fill, but its scaled-down Santa Fe styling ought to stand it in good stead – arguably it’s easier to love than the new Kia Sportage, which is a role reversal.

There’s as much of a step change inside. The Tucson’s interior is neatly designed, logically laid out and feels very well built, despite a few shiny plastics still dotted around out of the commonly-touched areas of the dashboard. It looks particularly classy in lighter colours and, with leather-trimmed seats, feels almost premium.

That’s helped by a luxuriously long list of equipment, including a powered tailgate, heated and cooled eight-way adjustable front seats and automated parking assist. The panoramic roof’s central support bar is slimmer than before, which makes a big difference to the light getting into the cabin, and there’s a comprehensive package of active safety systems too.

Hyundai’s familiar navigation interface is updated to include a seven-year subscription to TomTom’s real-time traffic information services, with speed camera warnings, live weather updates and a place search, shown on a clear and responsive eight-inch touchscreen, and top trim levels have twin USB charging sockets for back-seat passengers.

All occupants get generous head and leg room and the boot is around 10% larger than in the ix35 with the seats up. The rear bench folds flat with the floor, and a pair of indents just inside the tailgate hold the tonneau cover in place when it’s not in use.

Hyundai reckons the 116hp 1.7-litre diesel engine will be the big-seller in Europe, particularly in fleet, and a reduction in CO2 emissions from 135g/km to 119g/km, with fuel consumption of 4.6l/100km, will help. However, it’s starting to feel like an old engine – noisy under load and slightly underpowered in a car of this size.

The 2.0-litre diesel is much more appealing; quieter and offering a useful increase in mid-range torque which stops the car feeling like it’s working hard when accelerating. There are now two to choose from, producing 136hp and 185hp, both of which are offered with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox. A new 127g/km two-wheel drive 136hp 2.0-litre diesel, caters for those who want more performance than the 1.7-litre, but don’t need additional traction.

There’s also an unlikely star performer in the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, similar to the unit used in the Veloster Turbo. It’s incredibly quiet, offers an eager 177hp from low revs and is the only drivetrain with the dual-clutch gearbox, but it’s also only available with four-wheel drive and CO2 emissions are high.

Regardless of engine choice, ride quality is impressive even on large wheels and body control is excellent, though there’s no reassuring feedback from the steering wheel. The stiffer bodyshell and extra sound deadening offer a noticeable reduction in NVH, and it’s quiet while cruising.

Distilling the Santa Fe’s luxury into a smaller package, the Tucson is as much of a step forward as the ix35 was when it launched. This looks and feels as good as the best-sellers in this segment, and can only continue the Koreans’ march forward.

Verdict:

The Tucson has the style, build quality and equipment levels to compete with the best crossovers on the market, but wider availability of the dual-clutch gearbox and CO2 emissions closer to 100g/km would help compete with the newcomers.