Hyundai Tucson detailing in Houston

What we watch for

Paint and interior on the Tucson

Paint and exterior

The current Tucson hides its running lights inside the grille and has sharp triangular cuts in the doors that hold drying water, so it is dried by hand or it spots. Grey and white are common; black and deep blue show swirls first.

Interior

Cloth on lower trims, synthetic or leather-trimmed seats higher up, and a push-button shifter in a glossy console on many recent cars. The rear floor and the seatback pockets are where cereal, sand and dog hair settle.

Living in Houston

Tucsons in new Katy and Richmond subdivisions pick up construction dust that turns to a grey film once the sprinklers hit it. In spring, oak and pine pollen sits in the cowl and in the grille slats.

• Soft clear coat: it marks from a dirty towel or an automatic wash, so every wash is two-bucket with clean mitts, and polishing finishes down with a fine pad.
• Family hauler: car-seat areas, cupholders and seat rails hold the most crumbs; pet hair is an add-on quoted on the call.
• Cloth seats on many trims: spot-treated in every interior detail, with shampoo extraction as an add-on when they need it.
• Unpainted textured trim: it fades grey in the sun, so it is cleaned and dressed with a matte UV protectant.
• Piano-black trim: it scratches if you look at it, so it gets plush microfiber only and can be polished and coated.