Any trip should be planned out and organized – or at least that’s what they say. For me, part of the joy of the road is having an adventure and discovering new places as we go. On my yearly trips to Chicago for business or fun, my car is always on autopilot. From our front door to downtown Chicago is just over four hours, and most of it the same road. It’s an easy drive, and after all of these years, I know Chicago like the back of my own hand. But traveling for me means exploring and finding new adventures on the way.
Earlier this month, I took to the road again for IHHS 2016 and Hyundai dropped off their 2016 Tucson Limited AWD for the trip. If you’re going to be in the car for around 9 hours, you want comfort, music options and space to bring everything you need for your trip inside. And inside the Hyundai Tucson I found it all. Because of the distance I’d be driving I couldn’t rely on my regular radio station to get me to Chicago and back, instead I found a similar satellite radio station and had non-stop music the whole way. And let’s not forget the hands free calling – it gave me the option to catch up with friends and family no matter where I was, while still focusing on the road.
Since my trip was only going to be for a few days, I packed everything I needed in a small bag. But coming back, I knew that I would need more space for things I purchased (there are great wineries on the way there and back) or would be bringing back several of the much loved Chicago Style Pizzas that family had requested. The spacious back seat and trunk space was large enough that everything had plenty of space on the way there and back. Overall, the Tucson can seat 5 comfortably and offers hook ups for up to three car seats if you need it. But for my trip, it worked great for three very delicious smelling pizzas, some gluten free cupcakes and a few goodies.
There isn’t much you can’t find packed inside the Hyundai Tucson Limited, from comfortable space, loads of digital features and connectivity. You don’t have to find new ways to plug your phone in to charge it, instead just use the USB connectors built in and play your own music on the go.
While the road to Chicago is a regular trip and and easy for me to navigate, I was glad for the built in GPS in the Tucson. This year’s trip took me to neighborhoods and areas that I hadn’t been to in the past, and the on screen guidance made it extremely easy to find the locations. But there was an added bonus to the system as well. Even when I wasn’t using the navigation function in the city, I kept the map screen going – it allowed me to see what was nearby and even seen some new places to check out. We all know the Magnificent Mile and the museum campus area – but what about the other historical buildings? The map actually called out a lot of the major tourist stops and points of interest by image, not just name and allowed me to find new places to adventure to while I’m in town. It’s a fun feature and if you’re like me, and don’t always need a plan for your trip – this is a great way to explore and get out there!
The 2016 Hyundai Tucson starts at $22,700 and gets 26 mph city and 33 highway, and it’s ready to take you anywhere.