Used 2023 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid

Some people may be thinking about buying an electric vehicle, but perhaps aren’t willing or able to bid farewell to gasoline completely. So something like the 2023 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid SUV could make a great toe-in-the-water choice.

Compared with a regular hybrid (like the regular Prius, which we’ve all come to know and been stuck behind), a plug-in hybrid has a bigger battery and usually a stronger electric motor as well. Like a fully electric vehicle, this battery can be recharged not just by on-board systems, but also at a charging station.

That extra energy can then enable a plug-in hybrid to cover an appreciable distance on electric power alone. Which is exactly what the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid can do — up to 33 miles.

This fuel-efficient compact SUV is also the most powerful Tucson variant. And the top Limited trim approaches premium-level equipment.

The combustion-only 2023 Tucson models are reviewed separately. And the 2023 Tucson Hybrid (with no plug-in function) has its own review as well.

In the trade-off between economy and energy, the 2023 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid is a win-win option.

Once an owner gets into the habit of recharging the hybrid battery pack, driving the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid is easy enough. For short commutes or around-town errands, there might be no need for the gasoline side of the drivetrain to participate. An electric-only range of 33 miles is definitely useful.

The battery can be replenished from an outside source by plugging into a charger, but also harvests energy from braking and the engine. A long downhill stretch will see the engine turn off automatically and the battery gaining some juice.

It isn’t all about being frugal, though. The 261-horsepower Tucson Plug-in Hybrid has a turbocharged gasoline engine, plus a gutsier electric motor than its regular hybrid stablemate. Given that electric motors are renowned for their enthusiastic torque delivery, this compact SUV can be lively all the way from when the lights turn green to overtaking on the freeway.

The standard all-wheel-drive system brings an extra dimension of reassurance in tricky conditions, to go with the standard driver assistance features. And the comfortable suspension setup makes the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid SUV a fine candidate for road trips.

Although the 2023 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid SUV could be seen as a vehicle connecting the combustion-fueled past with an increasingly electric future, we would still prefer to see a few more old-style knobs to control things like the audio system, instead of touch-sensitive screen icons.

The extra hardware involved with this gasoline/electric drivetrain has resulted in less space for passengers and cargo, compared with the regular Tucson and its non-plug-in hybrid counterpart. That’s also the case with rival vehicles, however.

Rear legroom here is 39.5 inches (as opposed to 41.4), but that’s still better than the Toyota RAV4 Prime’s 37.8. And both are roomy enough for real-world use.

Cargo space tells a similar story, with 31.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats, or 71.8 cubic feet when they’re folded down (the rest of the Tucsons enjoy 41.2/80.3). The RAV4 Prime goes from 33.5 to 63.2 cubic feet. Either way, that’s still a lot of room for luggage or whatever else someone might need to transport.

For those sitting up front, the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid provides a pleasant environment with great outward vision and heated front seats, plus cabin materials of good quality. The top Limited trim brings leather seating surfaces, heated/ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Hyundai has kept the fuel filler and charging port flaps nice and tidy, putting the gas tank access on the driver’s-side rear fender and the plug socket cover on the other rear fender.

The rest of the Tucson makes a fine attempt at being less predictable. Especially the lighting at both ends, where the possibilities of LED technology are explored and applied in imaginative ways.

Sitting at the top of the wider Tucson range — in terms of price as well as power — the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid SUV comes with 19-inch alloy wheels in SEL trim, or 20-inch alloys as a Limited version. A choice of premium paint finishes is offered, each costing $400.

1. Hands-free tailgate operation
With a standard proximity key and auto-open function, this is a more dignified way of accessing the cargo bay while holding armfuls of shopping than dancing on one leg to try and trigger a sensor.

2. Wireless charging
This feature is often found on the options lists of most vehicles. It’s standard in both trim levels of the 2023 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid SUV.

3. Smart Cruise Control
Otherwise known as adaptive cruise control, it’s able to adjust speed automatically to suit traffic conditions — right down to a complete stop if necessary. This is also standard across the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid lineup, while the Limited trim has an extra function, slowing down for a curve and then resuming speed when the road straightens.

4. Hyundai Digital Key
A 2023 Tucson Plug-in Hybrid owner can allow several people to drive it, by using a smartphone app and making authorization as simple as sending a text. This standard feature only works with Android-based smartphones at the moment. The rest of us with Apple iPhones can use an electronic key card.

5. Digital instrument cluster
A 10.25-inch display comes in the Limited trim, with the ability to show various types of information, including how the hybrid drivetrain is working in real time.

6. Remote Smart Park Assist
Drivers can use this feature to ease their Tucson Plug-in Hybrid into or out of a parking space while staying outside and using buttons on the key fob. This comes solely in the Limited trim, though.

As the most powerful version of the 2023 Tucson compact SUV lineup, this plug-in hybrid model deploys a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine (running on regular gasoline) paired with an electric motor fed by a lithium-ion polymer battery.

Total output is 261 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, which goes to a standard all-wheel drive system through a 6-speed automatic transmission.

A full recharge for the battery takes about two hours on a 240-volt supply. When the 33 miles of electric-only travel is factored in, the 2023 Tucson Plug-In Hybrid has a combined (55/45 percent city/highway driving) fuel economy that’s the equivalent of 80 mpg. When operating as a regular hybrid, it achieves 35 combined mpg.

For a little comparison, the Tucson Hybrid in Blue trim returns 38 mpg. Against the plug-in hybrid competition, the Toyota RAV4 Prime has 42 miles of electric range, with combined fuel economy estimated at 94 MPGe/38 mpg.

The new-for-2023 Kia Sportage PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) has essentially the same drivetrain as its Tucson counterpart.

The Ford Escape PHEV runs for 37 miles in electric vehicle mode, achieving 105 MPGe/40 mpg. Unlike its rivals, though, the Escape PHEV is front-wheel-drive only.

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4/permanent magnet synchronous motor
261 total horsepower
258 lb-ft total torque
EPA combined fuel economy: 80 MPGe/35 mpg
EPA electric-only range: 33 miles