In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tucson Limited has standard Reverse Collision-Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the Eclipse Cross’ Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.
The Tucson’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Tucson and the Eclipse Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:
|
Tucson |
Eclipse Cross |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
24% |
38.7% |
Neck Stress |
164 lbs. |
424 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
14 lbs. |
33 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
27/60 lbs. |
184/324 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
35% |
39.7% |
Neck Stress |
125 lbs. |
182 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
51/13 lbs. |
331/198 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Tucson is much safer than the Eclipse Cross:
|
Tucson |
Eclipse Cross |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Injury Chance |
18% |
27% |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh/hip Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Leg/foot Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Rear Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:
|
Tucson |
Eclipse Cross |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
71 |
145 |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
37 |
162 |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
332 |
358 |
Hip Force |
614 lbs. |
622 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Tucson is much safer than the Eclipse Cross:
|
Tucson |
Eclipse Cross |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
121 |
155 |
Neck Tension |
223 lbs. |
268 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
-45 lbs. |
67 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.34 in |
2.28 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
9 MPH |
10 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Pelvis Force |
759 lbs. |
1294 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
116 |
166 |
Neck Compression |
-134 lbs. |
134 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.1 in |
1.73 in |
Shoulder Force |
245 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.38 in |
2.01 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
11 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Tucson is 1.1% to 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Eclipse Cross.
The Hyundai Tucson has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Eclipse Cross is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.