Can a Hyundai Tucson tow a pop-up camper?

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Can a Hyundai Tucson tow a pop-up camper? We will review the towing capacity and features of the Hyundai Tucson and discuss engine, performance and behaviour on the road while pulling a camper. 

Can a Hyundai Tucson tow a pop-up camper?

Yes, a Hyundai Tucson can tow a pop-up camper, as long as you do not exceed the vehicle’s towing capacity. In the table below you can find more details on the towing capacity of your Tucson version.

Hyundai Tucson Towing Capacity

Hyundai Tucson Towing CapacityUnbraked Camper Braked Camper
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CDX 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 Comfort 2WD 5d1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRDi Premium 2WD 5d Auto1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRDi Premium 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRDi Style 2WD 5d1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRDi Style 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD CDX 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD CDX 5d (138ps)1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD CDX 5d Auto1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD CDX 5d Auto 2WD1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD GSI 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD GSI 5d (138ps)1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD GSI 5d Auto1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD GSI 5d Auto 2WD1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD Limited 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 CRTD Xenith 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 GSI 5d1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.0 GSI 5d 2WD1100 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2004 – 2009) 2.7 V6 CDX 5d Auto1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 GDi Blue Drive S 2WD 5d650kg3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 GDi Blue Drive SE 2WD 5d650kg3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 GDi Blue Drive SE Nav 2WD 5d650kg3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 T-GDi Premium 5d1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 T-GDi Premium 5d DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.6 T-GDi Premium SE 5d1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive Premium 2WD 5d DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive Premium SE 2WD 5d DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive S 2WD 5d1650 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE 2WD 5d1650 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE 2WD 5d DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 2WD 5d1650 lbs3085 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 2WD 5d DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi (185bhp) Premium 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi (185bhp) Premium 5d Auto1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi (185bhp) Premium SE 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi (185bhp) SE Nav 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi (185bhp) SE Nav 5d Auto1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive Premium 2WD 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive Premium SE 2WD 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 2WD 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Premium 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Premium 5d Auto1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Premium SE 5d1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi Premium SE 5d Auto1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson (2015 onwards) 2.0 CRDi SE Nav 5d Auto1650 lbs4190 lbs
Hyundai Tucson 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE 5dr 2WD diesel estate1650 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive Premium 5dr 2WD1650 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive Premium 5dr 2WD DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive Premium SE 5dr 2WD DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive S 5dr 2WD1650 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE 5dr 2WD1650 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE 5dr 2WD DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 5dr 2WD1650 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 5dr 2WD DCT1650 lbs3530 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 Premium 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 Premium 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 Premium SE 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 Premium SE 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 SE Nav 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi 185 SE Nav 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive Premium 5dr 2WD1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive Premium SE 5dr 2WD1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Blue Drive SE Nav 5dr 2WD1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Premium 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Premium 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Premium SE 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi Premium SE 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi SE Nav 5dr1650 lbs4850 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON DIESEL ESTATE 2.0 CRDi SE Nav 5dr Auto1650 lbs4180 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON ESTATE 1.6 GDi Blue Drive S 5dr 2WD1430 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON ESTATE 1.6 GDi Blue Drive SE 5dr 2WD1430 lbs3080 lbs
Hyundai TUCSON ESTATE 1.6 GDi Blue Drive SE Nav 5dr 2WD1430 lbs3080 lbs

Towing with a Hyundai Tucson: Engine performance 

The list of engines for the new Tucson has something for everyone. Diesel, gasoline, light hybrid diesel, light hybrid gasoline and conventional hybrids will be available at launch. 

The gasoline engine of the new Tucson is a 1.6 TGDi turbo four-cylinder that is available in two power levels: 150 and 180 hp. The least powerful can be purchased with or without micro hybridization, while the 180 hp is always associated with a 48 V electrical network. The latter, in turn, can be chosen in a manual or automatic version and with front or all-wheel drive.

 The 150 hp Mild-Hybrid also allows a manual or automatic transmission to be coupled, but it will always send the force to the front axle. On the contrary, gasoline without micro hybridization can be front or full, but in both cases, a manual box will always be attached.

The diesel engine is a 1.6 CRDI four-cylinder that without micro hybridization delivers 115 hp (manual and front) and with it declares 136 hp. The latter can be purchased with a manual transmission (in that case, front-wheel drive) or with an automatic transmission (front or total.)

The conventional hybrid version is based on the same 1.6 TGDI to which is added a 44.2 kW (60 hp) electric motor. The combined figure amounts to 230 hp and the six-speed automatic transmission can send them to the front end or distribute them between the two, as desired by the customer.

 Of course, it goes without saying that all electrified alternatives wear the DGT Eco environmental label on their windshield. The future PHEV will change this to the Zero Emissions blue.

Towing with a Hyundai Tucson: Behavior on the road

If there’s one thing the Tucson pays special attention to when it comes to towing a camper, it’s offering a very high level of comfort, at least the Tucson Style with electronically controlled suspension that we tested. In addition to being an extremely silent car (in the case of the hybrid), it manages to filter out the irregularities of the asphalt, whatever they may be. 

And we are not only referring to the broken ones that we can find in any urban area, but also to the marked unevenness of a mountainous road or even too large raised steps and speed bumps. The sensation is totally pleasant in any of these cases and, of course, it is even more so when we are driving on stable ground. In this sense, it is very close to the C5 Aircross with hydraulic progressive dampers.

In any case, it must be clear that the main purpose of Tucson is comfort and, in this regard, it is a benchmark in its class.

The steering, of course, in either of the two driving modes adapts to the needs in an exquisite way. In the Eco mode, which is activated by default, it has a correct degree of assistance and precision, while in the Sport mode we find much more resistance without this entailing obtaining unnatural feedback.

Conclusions 

Hyundai Tucson is a car that stands out for its good equipment, good habitability and very balanced behaviour on the road, which makes it a highly recommended alternative, within the busy segment of compact SUVs.

Please let us know what your thoughts and questions are!

FAQ on Can a Hyundai Tucson tow a pop-up camper?

How Much Can a Hyundai Tucson pull?

According to Hyundai, it can be coupled to a trailer to tow from 1300 to 3500 lbs of weight, depending on the version chosen

Which motor is better to tow a camper?

We recommend that you tow the camper with a car with a power greater than 100 HP. Regarding the use of the engine, diesel or gasoline, diesel engines have a great traction force and great performance.

Is the Hyundai Tucson good for towing?

Yes, the Hyundai Tucson is good for towing. It is in fact a thoroughly capable tow car, offering stability and confidence even when pulling a 3500 lbs load. 

References

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!