Hyundai Tucson

[DocRxGLS]

What does everyone think about this little SUV based on our cars platform? I am anxiously awaiting to see / drive one for my wife. My dealership said the sales people brought one by and that everyone really liked it. They said that it even had more passenger room (leg room, etc) than the Santa Fe for the driver, but at the expense of cargo room. I duno, the wife was wanting a Santa Fe, but no matter how the seat was adusted, my knees kept bumping the steering wheel. When my legs got far enough away, it was a stretch to reach the steering wheel. So this new ride has me excited as does the price.

Here is a webboard that deals with the Tucson if anyone is curious:

http://b50.ezboard.com/fhyundaisuvforumfrm10.showMessage?topicID=2.topic

This is not the main page, but has the best pics to date on it that are not car show / corporate. Some people over seas are already getting them. Last I heard from my dealer, they were hoping for Sept, but more than likely, Oct. (we are last to get just about anything here in E. TN).

I had a thought when I heard the beta 2 and five speed were standard, and you could even get that setup in AWD. How fun would it be to slap an Alpine / Gude turbo on that thing. Maybe not a WRX, but a Forrester competitor. :cool:

[hyunelan2]

I was really looking into getting one of these, unfortunately they weren't ready when I was, so I ended up with a Santa Fe. C&D reports that there is more passenger room than the Santa Fe, with cargo room being the expense - like you said. They also stated that the 4 cyl. was grossly underpowered for a vehicle of this magnitude. I'd love to drive one and see for myself though. My dealer told me they'd be around in August, which only leaves him 5 days until that doesn't come true.

Like always, reliability on first model year will be below the subsequent years, possibly making the SF a better choice for you.

I'm 6'4" and agree about the seat height on the SF, I just am used to not fitting in cars, but the Elantra is def. a better fit for me.

[GTSpeedRacer]

If they re-styled the SF closer to this, I'd like the SF a lot more.

[hyunelan2]

The SF is going large. It will come out next summer as a 7-passenger SUV. The Tucson will be left to carry the small SUV segment for Hyundai.

[DocRxGLS]

I agree totally with you hyunelan2. A first year vehicle would not be a wise choice, but at this time, another vehicle is not an option for us. My car is just getting ready for its first bday and its not paid off. The wife and I are closing on house in 6 days. On top of that my school loans kick in at the end of November. Needless to say, we will probably be eating Ramen noodles for a few months, lol, j/k.

She has a used Prizm we bought while I was still in school in West TN, and it still does not have 90K on it yet. Goodness, my 03' is getting ready to turn 19K already, whew! That should last us a while until we get a family started, and the Tucson / new Santa Fe are well into production and bugs are ironed out. Our old vehicles had 139K (mine) and 191K (hers) on them.

[SuperGLS]

I like it. Plain and simple (how come I like all the new Hyundais?). By the way, there are more than a couple spy pics of the new, larger Santa Fe around here (here = the internet, HP for example).

Seems like this will do good competing against the Rav-4 and CR-V, which is Hyundai's major target (as they want to become as popular as them here in North America).

[03SilverBullet]

Its nice..But the wheels are WAY TO SMALL for it.

[2GTS]

Its nice..But the wheels are WAY TO SMALL for it.
This is supposed to be a suv.......

[mbv2001]

i dont like it
from the other new cars coming out from hyundai its pretty ugly
prolly priced 2 high too

[QuickSilverGT]

I like it, there's just no way I would go with the 4 cylinder though.

[Seinster]

I really like it.
Over here, the Tucson doesn't have an option of a 4 cylinder, it comes standard with the 2.7L V6 with 129kw.
I think it is a well designed vehicle.

[SuperGLS]

Looks like the Ad campaign has begun for the Tuscon. The commercials (I've seen two different ones) seem to be playing every commercial break here during the football game. It was also on ESPN earlier as well.

The dealers better have it when people come looking for it.

I just noticed they are advertising the four cylinder Beta version of the Tuscon to be putting out 140 HP/136 ft-lbs. Does anyone find that strange? That the Tuscon is making 140 HP instead of the 132/138 of the Beta in the Tib/Elantra. I hope Hyundai isn't go to owe more people money...

[O_GT]

Well the new kia Sportage is the same thing.My factory rep came in driving one and it looks pretty good.I didn't drive it but got to sit in it and take a good look at it.So being that they are the same thing I think it will do well as long as it has a good price

[SuperGLS]

I've read elsewhere that the Tuscon has a really bad trans. I wonder if they'll let me test drive one tomorrow while I'm in for my money wasting 30,000 mile service tomorrow.

[Havro]

has anyone seen pics of the GL model without the body cladding???
i checked the hyundai site and it says the 4cy doesnt include dark body cladding...
what the hell would it look like without it?

[2GTS]

has anyone seen pics of the GL model without the body cladding???
i checked the hyundai site and it says the 4cy doesnt include dark body cladding...
what the hell would it look like without it?
The body would all be the same color.

[th003g]

went to the local dealer yesterday... had a few mid level versions all equipped the same way in stock... (v6,abs, awd, no leather) looked nice didnt get to test drive... liked the way the dash was set up, the trim around the shifter which is set up in the dash ( centered below a/c and stereo) looks to be brushed alum... at least feels and looks it... Dials for a/c are very nice... only thing I didnt like was the grainyness of the dash by the passenger... looked to be really plasticky not like the smooth grains in the elantra Dash...would consider a trade for a v-6 LX AWD if they gave me a good price on my GT and stopped chaging a 1000 market adjustment fee and 200 for a pinstripe...lol.... btw What is manual Lock OUT feature? the sales guy showed me a button on the left side of the dash and told me it was to lock IN 4wd?

[Havro]

btw that extra 1200 they tack on......u dont have to pay that!
when i bought my xd i told em to stick it
they took off the pinstripe and i didnt pay the 1200

also does anyone else agree the car would look 100x better with body color cladding rather than dark grey?

[th003g]

they have it overseas.... I wish they brought it over like that...
how much did you get for your gls?

[SuperGLS]

I'd get a white one with the dark gray body clading. All body would probably look bad, or so I think.

[Havro]

the 4cyl model is gonna be comming without the dark body cladding it says that right on the hyundai site

also anyone notice the link for the modified hyundais that is on the hyundaimotors website?

[Cyberz XD]

Have you guys seen that the Tucson has 5 more horse power then ares does and the torque they clam is highter for that 4cyl then ares is. If they would only put just that much into cars as well if not more.

[th003g]

http://www.italiaracing.net/public/TUCSON.jpg
shweeeet!!1

Just got back from dealer to drop my car off and they have the brochures in.... apparently the GL comes without the body cladding but still has the general contours of the cladding just not in grey...also It has different wheels that look better imo but thinner tires...by 20mm...no chrome....black mirrors and door handles.. no: metalgrain trim, cargo net, wiper de icer,leather steering wheel/shifter,illum ignition ring, door courtesy lights, and of course the 4cyl only...

[XTRAWLD]

Read a bit about the Tucson in Motor Trend today - here are some highlights.

2005 Tucson

“The seeming sibling rivalry (between the Santa-Fe and the Tucson) is only temporary. By 2006, the Santa Fe will move upmarket, gaining size and probably a third-row seat. The new Tucson bows in as a more contemporary competitor for such compact SUVs and the RAV4, CR-V, and Escape.”

“Not surprisingly, the two Hyundai sport/utes share a lot of DNA. The Tucson’s optional engine, a 2.7 liter V-6, is now the Santa Fe’s base engine (the standard Tucson motor is a 140-horse, 16-valve, 2.0 liter four). Hyundai’s four-speed automatic is used in both SUV’s. The vehicles sport similar styling, but some of the lumps were ironed out for the new model. On the road, the Tucson radiates more refinement than its older brother. The 2.7 liter also feels more muscular in the lighter Tucson. On the downside, the Tucson’s steering is slow, and the suspension is a bit soft.”

“You wouldn’t know by looking at it, but Hyundai’s new cute ‘ute (based on the Elantra platform) rides on a wheelbase that’s longer than the Santa Fe’s. Overall length on the Tucson is shorter by nearly seven inches, but in many ways it’s dimensionally comparable with its “bigger” brother.”

__________________________________________________ _____
Speaking of the Kia Sportage, this was also right below the Tucson on the same page in Motor Trend.

“First Hyundai introduced a new Tucson that’s awfully similar to its existing Santa Fe. Now Kia is about to unveil its new 2005 Sportage – which shares the Tucson’s platform, uni-body construction, fully independent suspension, and all-wheel drive. Has South Korea been studying at the Xerox School of Auto Engineering?”

"Actually, the Sportage and Tucson are quite different. They don’t share any exterior sheet metal. The interior design is unique to each, and Kia has tuned the Sportage to feel sportier than the Hyundai. Having dumped its transfer case and body-on frame construction in favor of a more carlike “crossover” design, the Sportage is now more civilized, trading a smoother ride for off-road capability. It gains power and luxuries, too. Yes the Sportage is Tucsonlike underneath. But Kia has given it’s version a unique enough flavor that buyers will easily be able to taste the difference”

[SuperGLS]

The Tuscon's seem to be selling pretty well, over 2,000 in November, but not as many units as they could be. I priced out the cheapest Tuscon today and the cheapest Santa Fe and you can get a Santa Fe for like $500 less right now. This should all be straightened out when the new Santa Fe gets here though.