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THERE’S
no doubt about it. SUVs are here to stay. These
versatile vehicles have truly caught the imagination of
a sizable number of car buyers and, in response,
carmakers have been busy churning them out of their
factories over the last decade or so.
Now, the
SUV segment is a veritable market within a market, with
manufacturers offering not only one but several models
in their stables in the hope of hitting pay dirt.
By this
time, anyone who has ever taken a liking to sport-utes
(as they are fondly called in the
US)
is aware that Hyundai is one company that is in the
thick of the fight for SUV sales.
The
Korean automotive giant made significant headway in
recent years when it introduced its Santa Fe, which received a very warm welcome in
North
America. Two years ago, Hyundai took another stab at the
US
market with the introduction of a smaller SUV based on
the Elantra chassis, which it calls the Tucson.
The
Tucson is in the same class such as the Ford Escape,
Mazda Tribute, Nissan X-Trail, Kia Sportage and Honda
CR-V.
Hyundai
has come a long way since it threw its hat into the
automotive arena. In the old days, buyers were wary of
buying Korean vehicles because of questionable build
quality. Today Hyundai turns out cars and SUVs that can
stand up to close scrutiny even alongside its Japanese,
American or European rivals—a fact that was validated in
2004 by J.D. Power and Associates’ “Initial Quality
Study,” which pronounced Hyundai as the “Most Improved
Brand.”
Examination of the
Tucson makes it easy to understand why.
The
vehicle’s body shell is meticulously assembled, evidence
of which are the consistent spaces in between panels and
the perfect fit and alignment of the doors, hood and
rear hatch when they are shut. The exterior design lies
somewhere between simple and sporty, which might be a
turn-off for those who want SUVs that look like they’ve
been sprayed down with testosterone but a definite hit
with those who steer away from “loud and clear.” The
test unit, a 2.0 CRDi (common rail diesel-injected) GL
AT 4WD, was painted in a metallic monotone. (The 2.0
CVVT GL 2WD AT and MT variants come with a two-tone
paint scheme.)
The
interior is clean and straightforward. The materials
used—plastic and upholstery—do not pretend to be
anything else yet, when put together, are visually
pleasing. A three-spoke steering wheel sits squarely in
front of the instrument cluster fitted with an analog
tachometer, speedometer, fuel level indicator and
temperature gauge. A LED that provides information from
the trip meter and odometer sit underneath the
speedometer. All switches, levers and dials are within
easy reach of the driver and a few minutes in the
driver’s seat is all one will need to become acquainted
with them, as well as where they are located.
 Space
is adequate for five adults and the seats provide ample
support, which is a boon during long periods in the
saddle. Another good thing about the interior is that no
matter how hard you may huff and puff on the wheel or if
you should have the misfortune of getting caught in
gridlock, the air conditioning provides more than
adequate cooling even under the midday sun.
It’s
hard to believe that the Tucson shares the same platform
with a sedan as the cargo area seems much bigger and can
accommodate items such as luggage, boxes, golf bags and
various sizes of what-have-you, thanks to the 60:40
split of the rear seat.
An
additional advantage of having an Elantra platform is
that it lends the same handling and ride characteristics
to the Tucson. Sure enough, the Tucson is smooth and
refined on the road. Although the damping action is
kind on the back and coccyx, the Tucson possesses enough
rigidity to provide a lively drive and marked
responsiveness at the steering wheel. Again, the
sedan’s low center of gravity minimizes body roll on the
Tucson
during hard cornering. At turn-in, the vehicle is
agile and obedient, which inspires a lot of confidence.
Feedback, however, is almost imperceptible and, because
of this, it is quite easy to overdrive the vehicle.
Luckily, ABS and traction control come standard with the
Tucson.
As far
as motive force is concerned, the Tucson’s 2.0-liter,
inline four-cylinder, turbocharged CRDi engine cranks
out maximum power of 112 ps at 4,000 rpm and maximum
torque of 25 kg-m at 1,800 to 2,500 rpm. The numbers are
impressive on paper, but on the road, the vehicle seems
restrained. This is probably because of the automatic
transmission, which only has four speeds. Using the H-matic
sport mode, which functions like a sequential gearbox,
helps but not much. Perhaps, Hyundai should consider a
five-speed transmission in the next upgrade. That being
the case, it must be mentioned that the current unit
provides smooth and seamless shifts, that is, with no
perceptible thrust shock.
Although
the Tucson may not have the fastest powertrain in its
class, it is certainly one of the most fuel-efficient.
During the test, the vehicle was loaded with a full tank
of diesel (58 liters), driven around Makati and then to
Las Piñas City before embarking on a long trip to Morong,
Bataan, where it was parked with its engine and aircon
running for four hours before being driven back to Las
Piñas. At the end of the journey, the needle on the fuel
gauge was still pointing to just a shade below
one-fourth.
Practical, reliable, comfortable and easy to drive, the
Hyundai Tucson is a must-try for anyone who is in the
market for a compact SUV. |
