Ford Transit vs Hyundai Tucson

What's the difference?

Meet Ford’s electric pioneer for Australia - the E-Transit.

It may not be as exciting as a Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan or Audi e-tron, but this electric version of the Blue Oval’s large van will help create a new market for zero-emissions commercial vehicles. 

This is seen as a major opportunity by Ford to provide an electric alternative to typically diesel-powered vans, which will no doubt prove popular with fleet operators looking to cut fuel costs and corporate emissions. While unlikely to suit all van buyers, thanks to its limited range and recharging restrictions, for those companies with shorter delivery routes it will certainly have appeal.

Ford’s research (performed by YouGov) suggests up to 58 per cent of business “can see EVs becoming part of their vehicle fleet in the future".

But it’s just Ford’s first step into the larger world of electric vehicles. We’ve already had confirmation the smaller E-Transit Custom is headed our way and there are good odds the Mustang Mach-E will eventually find its way to Australian showrooms, so there’s plenty of exciting models in store for Ford.

In the meantime, though, the E-Transit isn’t due in Australia until sometime in the first half of 2023, but CarsGuide was able to take one for a test drive near Ford’s Detroit headquarters recently to get a taste of what’s to come. 

For the first time in Australia, the mid-sized Hyundai Tucson is being offered with a hybrid powertrain – which combines its spritely turbo-powered engine with a fuel efficiency-improving electric motor. And it might be enough to swing you to becoming a hybrid fan.

The new powertrain makes the Tucson a proper competitor against Australia’s darling, the Toyota RAV4 but the Nissan X-Trail e-Power and Kia Sportage remain strong rivals.

This week I’m family-testing the mid-spec Elite Hybrid with the N Line option pack to see how the newly updated Tucson handles family life.