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Used test: Hyundai Tucson vs Peugeot 3008 vs Skoda Karoq interiors
You can save around £10,000 on these stylish and practical SUVs by buying them at four years old, but which of our trio should you choose?...
Interiors
Driving position, visibility, build quality, practicality
From a purely aesthetic point of view, many will find the interior of the Peugeot 3008 the most alluring of the three family SUVs here. Its metal highlights and cloth dashboard inserts make it look really posh inside, and the materials feel classy and expensive.
The Skoda Karoq is more understated, but it feels most suited to the rigours of family life because it has an even better fit and finish. The Hyundai Tucson interior feels the cheapest despite the updates, with too many hard plastics that are easily marked.
All three cars have a height-adjustable driver’s seat, adjustable lumbar support and a reach and rake-adjustable steering wheel, so finding your ideal driving position shouldn’t be too taxing. Only the Tucson and 3008 have electric seat adjustment as standard, although it was an option when you ordered a Karoq. That said, the Karoq’s seat is the most comfortable and supportive, while our testers found the 3008’s to be the least comfy because its base and seatback are curiously curved.
In terms of visibility, the Karoq is leagues ahead, with big front, side and rear windows. There’s even an unencumbered over-the-shoulder view because of the narrow rear pillars. The Tucson and 3008 both have relatively high window lines and narrow rear windows. Thankfully, all three come with front and rear parking sensors as standard, as well as reversing cameras.
The screen in the Tucson doesn’t have the highest definition, but it’s packed with features (sat-nav, smartphone mirroring, live weather and traffic reports), and is simple to use, with physical shortcut buttons and large on-screen icons. The 'floating' screen was new for 2018 and puts crucial information closer to your line of sight. A premium Krell stereo is standard and sounds better than the version in entry-level models.
The 3008's infotainment screen graphics are better than the Tucson’s and it also has virtual dials behind the steering wheel. However, the system can be slow to respond, like an old computer trying to run too many programs. The fact that the touchscreen also controls the air-con doesn’t help matters. If you’re into music, you might want to find an example with the Focal hi-fi, which is better than the standard system.
In SE L trim, the Karoq has a sharp 8.0in touchscreen that responds promptly to touches. The system is intuitive to use with logical menus. A larger 9.2in screen was available, but we wouldn't suggest you actively search for it because the standard version is just fine. The optional Canton sound system makes an appreciable difference to the sound quality and would be worth seeking out.
SUVs ought to be spacious, so it might be a surprise to learn that the 3008 feels rather cramped for head room. Why? Well, our 3008 test car has an optional panoramic sunroof that cuts head room – especially in the back, where taller passengers have to tilt their heads or slouch to keep their hair away from the ceiling. Without the sunroof, the 3008's head room is roughly on a par with the Tucson, but neither car comes close to the Karoq. There’s decent shoulder room and knee room in all three cars.
The Tucson has the most rear leg room. The Karoq and 3008 offer rear-seat passengers a similar amount of leg room, which is plenty for six-footers, while the Tucson gives them even more. However, the Karoq has a clever trick up its sleeve: its Varioflex rear seats can slide back and forth, recline or be removed altogether. You can adjust the angle of the Tucson’s rear seatbacks but the 3008’s rear seats are fixed.
The three rivals are quite closely matched for boot space, but the Karoq and 3008 just have the edge over the Tucson. They have taller and squarer load bays, and the 3008 has a height-adjustable boot floor, which creates a space underneath for delicate items and, in its highest setting, means there’s no lip at the boot entrance. The Karoq’s big lip makes loading and unloading heavy objects awkward.
The Tucson’s boot capacity is roughly on a par with the 3008’s, but its load area is the shallowest. Both can take eight carry-on suitcases below their load covers, while the Karoq’s boot manages nine.
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