The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid nearly beat everyone — then stumbled at the last moment. The crossover emerged as one of the top finishers in Cars.com's annual car seat evaluation, earning four A grades out of five. It fell just short of a perfect score: the sole B came from an awkward buckle position when installing a booster seat.
The Tucson earned top marks for LATCH anchor access, infant seat installation, and both forward- and rear-facing convertible seats. Testers noted ample space throughout: even with a large seat installed, the front passenger didn't have to noticeably sacrifice legroom.
The booster seat is where things got tricky. Once the head restraint was removed, it sat correctly on the seat — but the factory seat belt buckle sits low and doesn't rise high enough. A child may struggle to buckle up on their own. There's another catch too: the Tucson's second row can't fit three car seats side by side. So this result is really a win for families with one or two kids, not those who need three full seating positions.
Cars.com's Car Seat Check doesn't test crash protection — it evaluates how easily and correctly different seat types install. The test uses an infant seat, a convertible seat, and a booster, with lower anchors and top tethers scored separately. This year's report covered 56 vehicles from the 2025 and 2026 model years — and only two of them, the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Volkswagen Tiguan, earned straight A's across every single category.
This marks the fourth time the Tucson has made Cars.com's list — it was previously recognized in 2021, 2022, and 2025. The result applies specifically to the 2026 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Limited trim with all-wheel drive, and doesn't guarantee identical compatibility with every car seat on the market.
Hyundai previously announced plans to expand its crossover and hybrid lineup in the Brazilian market.
