Hyundai Tucson; Review

 

A reader emailed me recently. He asked why I only referred to the Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4 in my introduction to January's CRV evaluation. He also said he thought Hyundai's Tucson was a worthy mention.

Indeed, he is right, the Tucson, amongst several others fit well into the lightweight recreational vehicle category, or soft off-roaders as they have become known, but the simple answer is that the Tucson, Nissan's X-Trail and Subaru's Forester are relatively new additions; the Honda CRV defined that part of the market, closely followed by the RAV4, and they are often seen to be the benchmark for the category.

Therein lies a marketing dilemma for the others who view that very important market, yet in Hyundai's case they are making good ground in the game of catch-up, the Santa Fe and the Tucson are competing well, especially so the Tucson which is now well on stream in both V6 and four-cylinder forms.

When I evaluated the V6 variant in these columns late last year, I said how I was eagerly awaiting a four-cylinder drive and I was not to be disappointed, it is an honest, user-friendly model which lists at an amazing price of just $29,990. And even at that price it is not short on fitment, standard equipment includes air conditioning, fully electric operating systems, cruise control, central locking with remote, leather-wrapped steering wheel on tilt-adjustable column, variable intermittent wipers, single-CD audio and trip computer.

The latter provided some interesting statistical information. At 100kmh in top gear the fuel usage readout was recording 10.1 litres per 100km while a test average of 11.2l/100km is highly respectable, they equate to 28mpg and 23mpg respectively and compare to 10.3l/100km and 11.8l/100km (average) for the V6 version.

This means that even though the four-cylinder variant works a little harder it is still capable of reasonable thrift.

Bear in mind that the test car was showing just 32km on the odometer when I picked it up, it was tight and not operating within the parameters of maximum fuel efficiency.

Even though automatic transmission is a $1500 option, the test car was a manual five-speeder and would certainly be my pick. It has a easy gliding shift motion, the lever sits high on a central console and, together with fluid, progressive clutch action the shifting process is about as good as it gets. Also, if the Tucson is aimed at cross-country travel then the command the driver has over a manual gearbox makes conquering challenges that much easier.

The gearbox ratios are low enough to provide reasonably lively acceleration, there is a bit of a gap between second and third gears, but engine power is sufficient to fill that without a drop of momentum. At highway speed the engine is turning over at 3000rpm at 100kmh in fifth, busy for a 2-litre but operating quietly nonetheless.

Hyundai rate their twin-camshaft, 16-valve engine at 104kW. It is an engine used in many of their models and is a state-of-the-art unit with variable valve timing and good bottom end reserves. Torque is listed at 186Nm with its maximum available at 4500rpm. Peak power arrives at 6000rpm which, together, produces good flexibility even though power outputs are produced high in the rev band.

For the record, the redline is marked at 6500rpm. Given that it was fresh, I didn't work the engine hard so the acceleration figures are really just a rough guide. Against the clock the Tucson would ordinarily make 100kmh from a standstill in around 11sec and make 120kmh from 80kmh in 6.8sec, not bad times for a model which weighs in far from light at 1622kg.

Response to accelerator request seems urgent, the engine has solid low down power, Hyundai's engineers have worked on the electronic management system to provide good urgency off the mark and lively engine operating speed thereafter. For fear of getting a brand new car too dirty, I only took it up some easy dirt roads, culminating at a shallow river ford. Given that the tyres are essentially street-treaded, the Tucson gets good drive in the slippery stuff, but it is fair to say that if the tracks were hilly it might have been a different story, but with second gear selected the Tucson powered through without difficulty.

The four-wheel-drive system is pretty typical of models of this ilk, there is no low range option. Ordinarily, drive is sent to the front wheels, when wheelspin is detected 50% of power is then transferred rearwards. However, a four-wheel-drive lock button is mounted on the facia, when difficult terrain is about to be encountered, it would be my suggestion to have that activated.

Riding on a four-wheel fully independent MacPherson strut suspension, the Tucson has spring and damper rates set relatively firm. That creates a buoyant motion off-road, yet with plenty of suspension travel and good ground clearance (195mm), pushing along cross-country can be accomplished with cautious speed.

On road the ride is sublime, and when it comes to a few tricky corners then Tucson handles with a generous amount of understeer (at the limit) yet with good body control and reasonable steering accuracy. Traction control moderates the level of understeer by reducing engine power if grip is jeopardised.

The Tucson is a happy traveller at both highway and city speeds, it is smooth, comfortable, and is relaxing to spend some time in either as a passenger or a driver. It is also a safe model in which to travel with passenger and driver air bags, (side air bags on V6) five full overshoulder seat belts, comprehensive first aid kit and fire extinguisher, and ABS which works on a powerful four-disc brake set up.

The latter provides solid retardation with strong pedal feel. The ABS sensors also provide information to the power proportioning system.

Much like its competition, the Tucson isn't a large recreational model but it does make good use of its internal space, five occupants can be accommodated comfortably with plenty of leg and shoulder room. There is also generous cargo carrying capacity, Hyundai claim up to 644 litres of storage space, 1856 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

The entire interior is modern and fashionable, as it should be given that it is such a new model, the completely two-tone finish creates an airy, open feeling of spaciousness. I particularly like the oval speedometer ring which is finished in alloy garnish, much the same as that which surrounds the gearshift console and facia.

It is also a remarkably quiet car in which to travel, there is a bit of a hum of the Kumho Solus tyres (215/65 x 16in) at highway speed, but that is only exacerbated by the lack of wind noise.

All factors considered, the Tucson is a pretty smart car well capable of tackling the opposition. And with an entry point below $30,000 for the manual model how could you go wrong?

Specifications:

Price: Hyundai Tucson, $29,990.

Dimensions: Length, 4325mm; width, 1830mm; height, 1730mm.

Configuration: Four-cylinder transverse, four-wheel-drive, 1975cc, 104kW/6000rpm, 186Nm/4500rpm, five-speed manual; 1622kg.

Performance: 0-100kmh, 11sec.