The 2009 Hyundai Tucson has seating for five and a seriously impressive 60 month/60,000 mile standard warranty. MSRPs fall between $18,070 and $25,620. There's plenty of comfortable seating for five in this compact SUV that demonstrates nice lines and a ready, tough look. The front and rear overhangs are snubbed and present an air of ruggedness that make the Tucson a contender for the belt in its class.

Everyone is concerned about fuel economy these days and the Hyundai Tucson delivers fairly well. Although it is rated lowest in its class, you still will get to drive 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highways on a single gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. Not bad for a vehicle with a (roughly) 4550 pound gross weight (front wheel drive trims). Overall dimensions measure 170.3 x 70.7 x 66.1 inches (l x w x h) and the wheelbase spans 103.5 inches. It sits above the ground level at 7.7 inches.

There are six trims available: 3 FWD and 3 4WD. They are the GLS, SE and Limited. The GLS and the Limited FWD trims come with a 2.0L 140hp I4 and the others come with a 2.7L 173hp V6 - a more impressive choice. The 2.0L engine is mated with a choice between a 5-speed manual and a Shiftronic 4-speed automatic transmission while the 2.7L comes with a standard 4-speed automatic.

Standard safety features on all trims include front, side and side curtain airbags; ABS and electronic driveline traction control; height-adjustable safety belts with pretensioners; electronic stability control; active front head restraints; occupancy sensors and tire pressure monitors to name a few. There are plenty more safety features available optionally as well.

The Hyundai Tucson for 2009 has been redesigned with new rear and frontal garnishes. There has also been a fresh wheel design incorporated as well as newly-patterned cloth seating. The 2009 Tucson sees competition from the Ford Escape, Chevrolet HHR, Honda CR-V and the Mazda Tribute. It costs less than all of them and offers the best warranty as well. It also has less power for the base engine as well - ranging from 15 to 31hp less than the rest.

With rear seating folded down, it offers you 65.5 cubic feet of cargo space, enabling you to haul generous amounts of luggage and gear. It's also quite spacious inside the relatively-quiet cabin. Headroom, shoulder room and leg room for front passengers measure 40, 57 and 42.1 inches respectively. With slightly less fuel efficiency than its competitors and the need to upgrade to the available V6 for optimal power levels, the 2009 Hyundai Tucson is still a serious competitor. Safe, stylish, comfortable and with a fantastic warranty, it offers you another fine choice in SUV driving from Hyundai.