There's good reason why soft roaders are among the most popular new cars for modern Australian families – they can do just about anything, go just about anywhere and suit just about anyone.

Trust us, we know from experience having just spent six months with one of Australia's best-selling SUVs, the Hyundai Tucson.

In that time, we've used it as an everyday commuter car, a family wagon and a work vehicle. We've driven it in peak hour traffic, through the suburbs and along the freeways, we've taken it on a few meandering weekend getaways into the countryside, we've carted the kids to footy practice, we've loaded it up with camping gear and mates to attend a music festival, stacked it full of shopping and… plenty more.

We've used it just like anyone else would. And it has done it all without any fuss or major issues.

Our Tucson isn't the flashiest of models, nor is it the most powerful or most efficient. It's the simple base-model Active that costs $28,590 (plus on-roads) with an old-school multi-point fuel-injected, naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder that drives the front wheels only through a conventional six-speed automatic.

But, having clocked-up almost 10,000km over the last six months, none of the Drive team have any serious complaints about it. In fact, it has answered the question on why you'd need to spend any more on a number of occasions.

Our journey with the Tucson actually started well before it arrived in the Drive garage. In fact, it was well before it even arrived in the country, as News Editor David McCowen helped put a few finishing touches on it while it was being built in the Czech Republic.

In spite of Dave's inexperience at the frontline of vehicle manufacturing, the Tucson feels as solid now as it did the day it arrived with no squeaks or rattles in the cabin and no mechanical issues either – which shouldn't be a surprise for a brand-new car anyway. Dave, in particular, thought the Tucson's build quality was exemplary, but there might be a hint of personal bias in there.

Honestly, the Tucson feels better now with a few more kays on its odo, as the engine is a little peppier in the mid-range, the automatic gearbox shifts smoother (it was a bit clunky early on, particularly after start-up when it was cold) and the locally-tuned suspension has settled more on its springs to offer a really comfortable ride across a wide variety of conditions, including a trip off the beaten path where it impressed Dave with its composure on gravel roads despite its two-wheel drive configuration.

Drive's Road Test Editor, Stephen Ottley, primarily drove it as a family car, carting his young kids around the suburbs. He - and his young-uns - was impressed by the Tucson's spacious rear bench seat, the durable cloth trim, its connectivity and the huge array of storage spaces in the cabin, not to mention the boot's ability to carry school bags, shopping and sports gear all at the same time.

The only gripe he had was the middle seat belt, which obstructs rear vision when not in use as it hangs from the roof and is clumsy to use when required.

The Tucson was also driven numerous times as a support vehicle for our video team, which were impressed by its high-riding stance, comfortable ride and the spaciousness of its cabin.

Personally, I commuted from Newcastle to Sydney in the Tucson many times over the last six months, and I think it is a great car that is not only affordable among its peers but also one that sets the benchmark for on-road comfort in the compact SUV segment.

It's not all a bed of roses though. The engine is a bit coarse and noisy when you rev it past 3000rpm and it doesn't have the same kind of effortless character as a modern turbo motor, meaning it needs to be worked a little harder to charge through the urban jungle and constantly shifts among the top gears on the highway to maintain speed up hilly sections.

That said, it's also proved to be not as efficient as Hyundai's claimed fuel consumption either. While it's 7.9L/100km figure already makes it thirstier than some of its rivals, we ended up with an average readout of just under 10L/100km over the six-month period.

I also experienced a few gremlins with its Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay connections at times, but at least the smartphone mirroring brings the sat nav it is missing as standard equipment.

Speaking of stuff it's missing, the Tucson doesn't have any of the latest semi-autonomous driver aids that assist in lessening the chance of having an accident, but it does have a five-star safety rating with six airbags provided protection for all outboard occupants. You can get functions like automated emergency braking and lane departure warning in a top-line Tucson, but it would be good to see Hyundai follow the lead of Mazda and bring the technology to the masses by offering it across its entire passenger car range.

All in all, the Hyundai Tucson has proven why SUVs continue to be among the most popular cars on the road today. As we say farewell, even at the bottom of the range, the Active model is spacious, comfortable, affordable and easy to live with, no matter where you are in Australia - or life.

2017 Hyundai Tucson Active Price and Specification

Price: $28,590 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol

Power: 114kW at 6200rpm

Torque: 192Nm at 4000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic, FWD

Fuel use: 7.9L/100km (recorded average: 9.8L/100km)

- For more information visit our Hyundai showroom