The 2017 Hyundai Tucson marked a significant year for this compact SUV, building upon the redesign introduced in 2016. Sharing a platform with the Kia Sportage, the Tucson aimed to deliver not only style and functionality but also robust safety. To understand how well the 2017 Hyundai Tucson protects its occupants, we delve into the crash test ratings and safety evaluations conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This comprehensive analysis will explore the Tucson’s performance in various demanding crash scenarios, providing potential buyers with a clear picture of its safety capabilities.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test is designed to simulate what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or a narrow object like a tree or pole. For the driver-side assessment of the 2017 Hyundai Tucson (models 2016-2021), the results are encouraging.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/Thigh | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | Good (G) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good (G) |
The “Good” rating across all categories indicates a high level of protection for the driver in this challenging crash scenario. The structural integrity of the Tucson held up well, maintaining the driver’s survival space.
Action shot showing the 2017 Hyundai Tucson driver-side small overlap frontal crash test, demonstrating vehicle impact and deformation.
Post-crash dummy position inside the 2017 Hyundai Tucson after the driver-side small overlap test, illustrating maintained survival space.
Frontal and side curtain airbags deployed effectively in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson during the driver-side small overlap crash, protecting the head.
Driver’s space remains intact with low injury risk in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson driver-side small overlap crash test, highlighting structural safety.
Technical measurements from the test further support the “Good” ratings, showing minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment and low injury measures for the driver dummy.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side Evaluation
The passenger-side small overlap test replicates the driver-side test but assesses protection for the front passenger. The 2017-2021 Hyundai Tucson also received a “Good” overall rating for passenger-side protection, though with a slightly lower rating for structure and safety cage.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Acceptable (A) |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | Good (G) |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/Thigh | Good (G) |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | Good (G) |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | Good (G) |
While the structure was rated “Acceptable,” all passenger injury measures remained at “Good,” indicating that despite some structural compromise, the passenger is still well-protected.
Image capturing the 2017 Hyundai Tucson passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test, showing vehicle deformation upon impact.
Dummy’s position after the passenger-side small overlap crash in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson, demonstrating reasonably maintained survival space.
Airbags effectively deployed in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson passenger-side small overlap crash, shielding the passenger’s head from injury.
Low risk of leg and foot injuries for the dummy in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson passenger-side small overlap crash test, despite door sill intrusion.
Technical data reveals more intrusion on the passenger side compared to the driver side in this test, explaining the “Acceptable” structural rating, but injury measures remained low.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end hitting a deformable barrier, simulating a head-on collision with another vehicle. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson, based on tests of the 2016 model, achieved a “Good” rating in this category.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, Left | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, Right | Good (G) |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good (G) |
This “Good” rating across the board signifies excellent protection for the driver in a common type of frontal collision.
Technical measurements indicate minimal occupant compartment intrusion and low risk of injuries in this moderate overlap scenario.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original and Updated Tests
Side impact crashes are particularly dangerous, and the IIHS conducts both original and updated side impact tests. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson initially received a “Good” rating in the original side test, but the updated, more stringent test revealed some weaknesses.
Side: Original Test
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
| Structure and safety cage | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | Good (G) |
| Driver head protection | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good (G) |
In the original side impact test, the 2017 Hyundai Tucson demonstrated “Good” performance across all metrics for both driver and rear passenger protection.
Side: Updated Test
However, in the updated side impact test, which uses a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better represent modern SUVs and trucks, the 2017-2021 Hyundai Tucson’s rating decreased to “Marginal.”
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Marginal (M) |
| Structure and safety cage | Marginal (M) |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | Acceptable (A) |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis | Poor (P) |
| Driver head protection | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | Marginal (M) |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis | Good (G) |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good (G) |
Post-crash view of the 2017 Hyundai Tucson following the updated side impact test, showing structural damage.
Side airbags deployed and occupant compartment damage visible in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson after the updated side crash test.
Greasepaint on the side airbag of the 2017 Hyundai Tucson indicates driver dummy’s head protection during the updated side crash test.
Greasepaint showing rear passenger head protection by the side airbag in the 2017 Hyundai Tucson updated side crash test.
The updated test revealed “Poor” protection for the driver’s pelvis and “Marginal” protection for the driver’s torso and rear passenger’s torso, indicating a need for improvement in side impact protection for this model.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is crucial in rollover accidents. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson earned a “Good” rating in the roof strength test.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,449 lbs |
| Peak force | 18,531 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.37 |
A “Good” rating signifies that the roof of the 2017 Tucson can withstand forces more than five times its weight, offering robust protection in rollover scenarios.
Head Restraints and Seats
Whiplash protection is assessed through head restraint and seat evaluations. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson’s manual cloth seats received a “Good” rating for dynamic performance and seat/head restraint geometry.
| Overall evaluation | Good (G) |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | Good (G) |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | Good (G) |
This “Good” rating suggests effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions for the standard seats.
Headlight Performance
Headlight effectiveness is critical for nighttime safety. The IIHS tested four headlight variations on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson. Ratings varied from “Poor” to “Acceptable” depending on the trim level and headlight type.
- Limited trim (LED projector headlights): Acceptable (A)
- Limited trim with Ultimate package (HID projector, built after May 2017): Acceptable (A)
- SE, Eco, Sport, SE Plus, Value Edition, Night trims (Halogen projector): Poor (P)
- Limited trim with Ultimate package (HID projector, built before June 2017): Poor (P)
The “Acceptable” rated headlights on higher trims offered adequate visibility in most scenarios, while the halogen projector headlights on lower trims received a “Poor” rating due to inadequate illumination, particularly on curves.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems can significantly reduce or prevent frontal collisions. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson, when equipped with the optional Automatic Emergency Braking system (available with the Ultimate Package for 2016-2018 models), earned a “Superior” rating.
| Overall evaluation | Superior |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Warning | Meets requirements |
| 12 mph test | Collision Avoided |
| 25 mph test | Collision Avoided |
The “Superior” rating indicates that the optional automatic emergency braking system is highly effective at preventing collisions in both low and higher-speed vehicle-to-vehicle scenarios.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Ease of use for child seat anchors is important for child passenger safety. The 2017 Hyundai Tucson received varying ratings for LATCH depending on the seat material.
- Cloth seats (SE trim): Acceptable (A)
- Leather seats (Limited trim): Marginal (M)
The “Acceptable” rating for cloth seats indicates they are reasonably easy to use, while the “Marginal” rating for leather seats suggests they are less convenient, potentially due to deeper anchor placement or requiring more force to attach child seats.
Conclusion: 2017 Hyundai Tucson Safety Assessment
The 2017 Hyundai Tucson demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, achieving mostly “Good” ratings in key crash tests. It excels in driver and passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, roof strength, and head restraint tests. However, the “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test is an area for potential improvement. Headlight performance is trim-dependent, with higher trims offering “Acceptable” headlights while lower trims have “Poor” rated headlights. The availability of a “Superior” rated front crash prevention system is a significant safety feature.
Overall, the 2017 Hyundai Tucson offers a solid level of safety for a compact SUV, particularly when equipped with optional safety features and on higher trim levels with better-performing headlights. Potential buyers should consider the updated side impact test results and headlight ratings based on their chosen trim level to make an informed decision about safety.
