2005 Hyundai Tucson Review

Specifications

The Koreans Surprise Again

As much as I try not to hold preconceptions, its hard not to rely on what might be outdated thinking. Im just so conditioned after 40 plus years, I have my beliefs about the way things are and its difficult to get my mind around something altogether new. I dont think that Im all that different than most of the people I meet, some are more entrenched and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, others earlier adaptors, so to speak, but most of us define our opinions and stick to them religiously.

This is true for most things in life, as it is in the automotive sector. For instance, consider Hyundai for a moment. While its Sonata sedan is ranked first over every competitor in the 2004 J. D. Powers and Associates Initial Quality Studys (IQS) entry midsize category, the Accent is rated in second place in the compact class, making it first in its actual subcompact segment, and the Hyundai brand on the whole is rated 7th out of 37 rivals in the nameplate ranking, beating 9th place Toyota by the way, plus Hyundai is tied for second place with Honda at 102 problems per 100 vehicles in the corporate rankings, bested only by Toyota with a mere 1 point advantage, and adding to that second position overall in Strategic Visions Total Value Index, why do most people still consider Hyundai an alternative brand. Rather, we should all bow down and pay our respects. The Korean automakers status just comes down to perceptions. Hyundais offer excellent value and one of the nations best warranties, so they must be overcompensating for something right? Wrong.

This point became clearly evident yet again when I test drove the new Tucson compact sport utility at its press introduction in Portland, Oregon recently. Expecting a good little SUV, nothing extraordinary but rather a vehicle that would rely on its low price point to garner interest and inevitably sales, I was blown away with what Hyundai showed up with. This isnt just a good little SUV, no not at all. The Tucson is a segment leader in many respects. Let me explain.

First of all thats a pretty bold claim, dont you think? And Im not talking about leading a category in a third party analytical companys quality survey, something based on owners responses to given questions, but rather a direct comparison to leaders in the compact SUV market, such as the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, in build quality tolerances, interior fit and finish and quality of materials, ride quality, handling, acceleration, features, and the list goes on. The Tucson is not only on par with such competitors, its better than most.

Most will find its styling an improvement over the Santa Fe, which works for some but not all. Tucson is more conservatively penned, and therefore should find a larger audience despite the Santa Fes enviable sales success. Rather than talking about the new SUVs design, which is pretty subjective really, I find the attention Hyundai paid in putting all the panels together more interesting. Panel gap tolerances are among the best in the industry, so close actually that luxury car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus would be proud of the accomplishment. This is most evident in the door seams, but is true for the spaces between the hood and front fenders, and those around the rear liftgate too.

Move into the cockpit and the tight fit and finish theme continues. Most impressive are its buttons, knobs and switches that surround the driver. I dont believe Lexus executes switchgear any better, and the gorgeous chrome-metal and rubberized plastic heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls are Audi-grade. Very impressive.

The audio head integrates into the attractive metal-look center stack nicely, much more so than in many rival compact SUVs. The system features an AM/FM stereo and single-disc CD player, what youd expect in any new car, but the addition of MP3 compatibility is a nice touch, especially considering the youth market Hyundai is targeting. I have to admit though, Im a bit put off that an in-dash multi-disc CD changer isnt even offered as an option. I suppose Hyundai figured the MP3 player was enough, but most competitors offer the convenience of a dash-mounted CD changer, and I think Hyundai is making a mistake by not making it available. After all, theres going to be plenty of empty-nesters eyeing the Tucson longingly, as well as young families, both demographics that wont necessarily be up on MP3 technology.

Now that Im griping I was also a bit disappointed in the Tucsons dash and door panel plastics quality. It is right on target for this market segment, mind you, but not as good as it could be. Adding a rubberized treatment to soften its tactility, not a particularly expensive addition, would move it up a notch or two in my minds eye at least, and I think its also essential for Hyundai to come across as better than the best when attempting to overcome a perception deficit, a problem the automaker faces despite its high quality ratings.

I spent a fair bit of time in every seating position on my way from Portland to Cannon Beach, a stunningly beautiful drive by the way. Leg, shoulder and headroom in back is surprisingly good, although I noticed a marked improvement in seat comfort when up front. And thats not because the rear seats are uncomfortable, but rather due to just how supportive the front buckets are. The seat fabric is extremely nice too, and leather is an option if you want the luxury treatment.

That last point brings to light another Tucson surprise, just how smooth its ride is. The fully independent setup, with MacPherson struts and coil springs up front and a trailing arm with multi-link and coil springs in the rear, is easily best in class for ride quality, eliminating the bumps and dips that make up the majority of urban road surfaces. Most SUVs are overly firm in this respect, but the Tucson got me to my destination feeling no worse for wear. No doubt this has something to do with its hydraulic shock absorbers and anti-roll bar at both ends.

Youd think a comfortable suspension setup would mean less than athletic driving dynamics, but the opposite is true once again. Id even be willing to take on any of its top-selling competitors in the slalom. I drove up, down, around and over some wonderfully winding roads, and the little Hyundai felt glued to the pavement, completely stable no matter what I threw at it. Its power-assisted rack and pinion steering turns in predictably and quickly, making light work of heavy cornering loads.

The suspension is actually a good match for its top-line 2.7-liter V6 engine. With 173 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, getting on the throttle results in an enthusiastic burst of acceleration. Its not exhilarating, which would probably be overkill in this class, but power comes on smooth and linear, while the 4-speed automatic is well suited to the job at hand. Normally at this point Id complain that the Tucson should be equipped with a modern 5-speed automatic, but I didnt notice any drama shifting from gear to gear nor any cog hunting throughout my drive. The addition of Hyundais Sportronic manual-mode is a major bonus in this class too, as only Mitsubishi offers hands-on automatic operation with its Outlander.

Hyundai had no base 4-cylinder Tucson GLs available for the test drive, which was a shame. Due to its $17,499 price point and top-tier standard equipment, such as antilock brakes, electronic stability program (ESP), traction control, power windows and door locks, a rear window wiper/washer, and air conditioning, the 140 horsepower entry model should sell well. It makes 136 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, which isnt stellar for a 3,240 pound SUV nor when compared to its 4-cylinder competitors. To be fair to Hyundai though, the Tucson comes with a powerful V6 for a similar price to most rivals 4-cylinder models. I should also mention, the base car gets a standard 5-speed manual transmission, and if ordered with the 4-speed automatic receives Shiftronic manual-mode as part of the package.

I found little fade from the standard 4-wheel disc brakes. Four discs is unusual for this segment, and offering a sophisticated 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS setup as standard equipment is even more unusual, but much appreciated. Also standard is electronic traction control, making the best use of standard 16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels on 215/65R-16 tires helping out in the grip department. Optional 6-spoke alloys with 235/60R-16 BF Goodrich tires are available.

Other than its initial price, however, you may want to spring for non-standard 6-cylinder Tucson, as there isnt a great advantage in fuel efficiency to endure the 4-cylinders power discrepancy. In base form with an automatic transmission, the Tucson is rated at 22 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. The V6, only available with an automatic, gets 19 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. When all-wheel drive is added to the V6, its also available with the 4-cylinder by the way, consumption rises nominally.

Now that Im talking about practicalities, I mentioned earlier that the Tucson doesnt deliver as much cargo room as the
longer Santa Fe. The elder Hyundai offers 30.5 cubic feet of volume with the split/folding rear seats in their upright positions, and 78.0 cubic feet when the seatbacks are folded forward. In comparison the Tucson delivers a total of 11.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seatbacks upright, and 39.9 when laying flat. How does this compare with the RAV4 and CR-V? Well, the little Toyota is indeed little, with only 14.1 cubic feet available for stowage when all seats are in use and 23.9 when the back seats are dropped down. At the other end of the spectrum, the CR-V seems gargantuan, offering 33.5 cubic feet for odds and ends when the seats are upright and 72.0 when lowered. Of course the CR-V feels more minivan-like than any of its peers, which no doubt is seen as a good thing by some and a negative by others. The Tucson sits in the middle, not as large, which makes it more maneuverable in traffic, and then again not too small, so that it can still live up to the utility part of its SUV image.

Speaking about an SUV image, as previously mentioned the Tucson offers optional all-wheel drive, but unlike most of its peers its a Borg-Warner Electronic InterActive Torque Management all-wheel drive system, previously only available in the top-line Santa Fe 3.5, saves fuel over traditional AWD by running up to 99 percent of the engines power through the front wheels when traction is good. When road surfaces are slippery, the system automatically monitors throttle position, front wheel angle and slippage before sending up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels. Whats more, a dash-mounted 4WD lock button allows the driver to manually lock the driveline into 50 percent front, 50 percent rear four-wheel drive for greater traction when needed. It only works at speeds under 25 mph, so when exceeding these speeds it disengages and reverts to regular AWD. Likewise, as soon as the SUV slows to the 25 mph it automatically locks again, providing the manual lock button is still engaged.

Hyundai put us through a light to medium duty off-road course that would have been ideal for showing off the manual lock system, that is if my test vehicle at the time hadnt have been a front-wheel drive V6 model. Still, I had no trouble negotiating the trail, especially with the traction control working overtime to make up for slippery surfaces. I think Hyundai is very realistic about just how many people will ever engage its manual lock system, understanding that most will merely use the little Tucson for day to day urban activities. Still, customers will have the comfort of knowing their SUV can tackle more difficult terrain if necessary.

So how does the Tucson fit into the existing Hyundai lineup? While slightly smaller than the Santa Fe, passenger space is as good or a bit better. It loses ground behind the second row of seats, when loading in cargo. Ive heard reports that the new model will simply cannibalize Santa Fe sales, but Hyundai doesnt seem too worried about offering a second choice in the compact SUV segment. After all, it wont be long until a larger Santa Fe hits the road, with a 7-seat variant in the works, or so Ive been told by a reliable source.

What about prices? Well, you already know the 4-cylinder GL comes well-equipped at $17,499. If you want to add the V6 to the mix, a dual exhaust system that looks especially nice from behind is added, as is tasteful bodyside cladding, color-keyed door handles and mirrors, and a chrome license plate garnish at the rear, it will cost $19,999. Do you want all four-wheels to spin at take-off? Youll need to step up to the plate with $21,499. And finally, if you want to add a power glass sunroof and heated leather seats the final tally is $23,499. And thats a lot of SUV for the money.

Thats why I think the new Tucson represents one of the best values in the sport utility camp, period. I need to stress again, however, that when I say value I dont just mean that its priced well. Im talking about one of the best made SUVs in its segment, with top-notch interior quality, an enviable list of standard and optional features, outstanding performance, a great price and one of the nations best warranties.

In summation, if youre in the market for a compact SUV you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didnt put the Tucson on your shopping list.