Hyundai Tucson (NX4) review: the compact crossover that doesn't apologise for its styling
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The base 2.0 MPI with the 6-speed automatic is the trim to buy in Bahrain: it is simpler, cheaper to maintain and avoids the dual-clutch transmission fitted to some turbo variants elsewhere. Steer clear of early 2021 cars if the infotainment software hasn't been updated — later units fixed several early glitches. For most Bahrain buyers cross-shopping a CR-V or RAV4, the Tucson wins on space and warranty and only loses on resale.
Pros
- Best-in-class 620-litre boot
- Longer standard warranty than Japanese rivals
- Distinctive styling that has aged well
- Simple, reliable 6-speed automatic on the base engine
- Generous rear seat space for the causeway run
Cons
- Resale value still trails the RAV4 and CR-V
- 2.0 MPI feels unhurried with AC and full load
- Early 2021 infotainment software had bugs since fixed
- Split headlight styling remains polarising
- Ground clearance modest for serious sand use
Hyundai took a real risk with the NX4 Tucson's exterior — the split headlight graphic and parametric grille pattern split opinion in a segment that usually plays it safe — and three model years on, the risk has paid off in showroom traffic even from buyers who don't love the look on sight.
The 2.0-litre MPI engine paired with a conventional six-speed automatic is the Bahrain-market default, and it is the right one to want: it is simpler and cheaper to maintain than the turbo-plus-DCT combination Hyundai sells elsewhere, at the cost of feeling unhurried once the air conditioning and a full load of passengers are working against it.
Space that actually shows up
The 620-litre boot is genuinely best-in-class, and it is the kind of number that matters on a weekly Manama supermarket run, not just on a spec sheet. Rear seat space is generous enough for two adults on the causeway run to Saudi without complaint, which is not true of every compact crossover in this price bracket.
Ownership in Bahrain
Hyundai's Bahrain distributor has historically backed the Tucson with a longer warranty than the Japanese default, and that has done real work closing the trust gap with the CR-V and RAV4. Fuel consumption around 8 L/100 km in mixed driving is unremarkable but not punishing for the segment.
The honest weak point is resale: the Tucson still loses a bit more value over three years than a RAV4 does, largely on brand momentum rather than anything mechanical. If you plan to keep the car for the length of the warranty and beyond, that gap barely matters; if you flip cars every two years, budget for it.