Skoda Karoq vs Hyundai Tucson

What's the difference?

Typically appealing to those seeking quality engineering and tech without feeling the need to make a boastful badge statement, Skoda is a low-key, ultra-confident brand.

On sale here since 2018, the Skoda Karoq is a comparatively small fish in one of the most hotly contested segments in the Australian new-car market, namely medium SUVs, the leading trio consisting of the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Outlander.

To increase its appeal against these and other high-profile contenders Skoda Australia has introduced a new entry-level Karoq designed to hit the Goldilocks zone between attractive standard specification and sharp pricing. CarsGuide was invited to its local launch.

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.