Hi, I’m getting my 2025 Tucson Ultimate (in Canada) Hybrid on Monday. This is my first Hyundai and a Hybrid car. How has your experience been with a Tucson Hybrid? Anything I should watch out for? Please share tips, tricks or any suggestions in general.
Thank you.
While you’re driving in ECO mode, you can use the paddles on the steering wheel to adjust the intensity of your regenerative braking. When you let off the accelerator, the car will automatically start to slow down and recharge the battery. I recommend setting it to Level 1 unless you find that your battery is very low and you want a quick charge for it.
@Flippa
Great tip, thank you.
@Flippa
I’ve had my 2024 hybrid ultimate and I had no idea. Does this even work - every time I click the downshifts it just reduces the gear.
merrickzede said:
@Flippa
I’ve had my 2024 hybrid ultimate and I had no idea. Does this even work - every time I click the downshifts it just reduces the gear.
It may be different on the '24s, or it may depend what drive mode you’re in. It definitely works on my '25 in ECO.
@Flippa
Yeah, they did this strange thing where in eco mode you control regeneration and in sport mode you control the manual shift. That is to say, there is no regeneration in sport mode.
Charge it, use it, maintain it!
When you’re parked, just hit engine off, the electronic transmission will automatically go into park.
Donna said:
When you’re parked, just hit engine off, the electronic transmission will automatically go into park.
Thank you for the tip.
Also, the Smart Cruise Control system doesn’t like when you wear sunglasses with large, very dark or reflective lenses. I’m not sure if polarized lenses make a difference, but I can’t wear my unpolarized Ray Ban aviators, but I’m fine with polarized sport-style sunglasses. I prefer the unpolarized lenses because it’s difficult to see the HUD with polarized lenses.
@Flippa
I’m not a big sunglasses fan myself. So I should be good there. 
thanks for another great tip though.
@Flippa
Noticed during our test drive that my polarized sunglasses block the HUD. 
Picked up a 2025 Ultimate HEV from Whitby ON. So far loving the vehicle, try out the smart tailgate feature. I also installed a dash camera in my car, very easy to tap into the fuse box as there are a ton of spare fuses you can tap. Running the camera in the rear is a breeze as well almost nothing had to be removed except for the fuse box panel and weather stripping.
@Rowland
Will definitely try it out. I’m planning to install a dashcam too. Where did you get yours?
ElantraLOVEr said:
@Rowland
Will definitely try it out. I’m planning to install a dashcam too. Where did you get yours?
Amazon bought the Viofo A229 Plus. Easy install, buy the hardwire kit as well.
@Rowland
Awesome. Will keep that in mind.
I’ve driven a Hyundai hybrid for 12 years now, first 2013 Sonata Hybrid and now a 2022 Tucson Hybrid. I live in FL. I use smart cruise control all the time. Auto dimming high beams are good on the Tucson also. I use ECO mode all the time. On my 2022, it defaults to ECO mode when you start the car, not sure about later models. I get around 37 mpg in the hotter weather here and between 40 to 42 in the winter. YMMV if you live up north. I’m sure you will use the heater more than me as I never use it here and the heater needs the engine to run AFAIK. Try www.tucson-forum.com for lots of good advice.
Figure out how to drive it to maximize the EV portion of your drive.
If you decide to activate the digital key make sure to turn off your Bluetooth setting in your phone each night or you will end up with an immobilized 12v battery in the morning (need to hit the 12v battery reset switch to fix it). We had this issue for the first two weeks of ownership and then we just totally deactivated and deleted the digital key completely from our iPhones, and problem solved. What a stupid idea from Hyundai 
@Braint
What a great suggestion. I was most definitely going to set up the digital key. May I ask which model year do you have?