While competent hardware under the sheet metal is always important, what can make or break a vehicle is the interior, where the owner and passengers spend all their time. Here, Hyundai once again proves itself competitive, thanks to plenty of space for four adults, quality materials, and first-rate construction.

If only the seat foam had a little more long-distance spring to it. Over time, the seats get hard like those square cushions people use on bleachers at high school football games, making the Tucson less comfortable than it seemed at first. Despite this, we cannot quibble with the fact that the front seats offer manual height and tilt adjustment, which combines with plenty of seat track travel and a tilt steering column to help create a proper driving position. Folks who like to rest an elbow on the upper door panel will want to know that these are hard plastic in the Tucson, but the leather covering the steering wheel is soft and nice to grip, and the center console is height adjustable to help maximize comfort.

Four tall people can ride in the 2005 Hyundai Tucson. In back, the seat cushion was mounted too low to provide good thigh support, and there is adequate legroom and plenty of foot room under the front seats. The seat backs recline, and there’s a handy fold down center armrest with cupholders molded right in. Here again, as with the front seats, the biggest obstacle to comfort was mushy seat padding that felt firm and supportive at first but degenerated over time.