Hyundai Tucson V6 auto 2004 review

The all-wheel-drive machine marks the beginning of a new era for the South Korean carmaker in Australia, and leads a drive to surpass former sales glory.

Hyundai fell from more than 60,000 sales in 1997 to about 30,000 last year, even as the market boomed.

Now the local operation, Hyundai Motor Company Australia, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company in Korea.

Explore the 2004 Hyundai Tucson range

• Hyundai Tucson 2004 review: road test
• Hyundai Tucson V6 2004 review
• Hyundai Tucson 2004 review
• Hyundai Tucson Elite 2004 review
• Hyundai Tucson V6 auto 2004 review

There's been a management cull and some new directions taken, away from the cut-price culture.

This year Australian sales are up 45 per cent.

The Tucson sits below the Santa Fe in the Hyundai range and has a little less room in the wagon area. It is pronounced "too-son" after the city in Arizona.

The wagon arrives with a V6 engine, good road balance, a deal of refinement and a reasonable $29,990 price tag.

It goes up against the likes of Toyota's RAV4, the Honda CR-V and the Nissan X-Trail in this booming class of compact wagons with some off-road ability. The rivals all have four-cylinder engines.

It is the most researched of Hyundais so far and is aimed at singles and couples aged 25 to 39... "urbane, successful and with active lifestyles".

"The Tucson is integral to changing the way people think and feel about Hyundai in Australia," Hyundai Motor Company Australia's Richard Whaite says.

The marketers want some emotion added to the practical and rational appeal of the brand.

The three Tucson variants have the same mechanical package of 129kW 2.7-litre V6, all-wheel drive on demand, lockable centre differential, four-speed sequential-style automatic, anti-skid brakes, traction control and 16-inch wheels.

Standard gear includes airconditioning, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, dual airbags and a full-sized spare wheel and tyre.

Handy small touches include a rear window that can be opened separate of the rear wagon door.

That may not sound much, but is a help when you are in a tight spot and need to drop in some shopping.

Other details include shopping bag hooks and cargo attachment points.

The range starts with the Tucson at $29,990 and moves to the Tucson Elite at $32,490, which has six airbags, sunroof, wider Bridgestone tyres and fancier cloth trim.

The Tucson Elite S at $33,200 adds body-coloured bumpers and side cladding.

All are covered by a five year/130,000km warranty, and all tow 1500kg.

The 4300mm-long Tucson sits on a 2630mm wheelbase, which is long for this class of machine, has 186mm of ground clearance and relatively short overhangs front and rear.

The CD player is MP3-compatible and there are three 12-volt power points and a host of cubbyholes as well as a drawer under the left front seat.

On the road

THE Tucson is up with the rest of the class as an on-road, urbane wagon.

On the dirt the Tucson is ahead of some in terms of ride comfort through bigger holes and ruts, on par with the best on smaller thumps and bumps and ahead of many with grip and steering feel in loose stuff.

It runs smooth down a forest track, cruises along the highway and drives easily in town.

The V6 engine is willing all the way to maximum power at 6000 revs, but for best results it should be worked with the sequential shift. Maximum torque is a handy 241Nm, though it arrives at 4000 revs.

The Tucson offers safe highway grip and little body roll. The front end can feel a little heavy through the steering (it is front drive until wheel slip brings in the rear, limited-slip differential) at lower speeds and there is a tendency to push the nose in some turns.

The ride is firm and controlled, thanks to coil springs and anti-roll bars front and rear.

With traction control on, the front end can bog down a little in loose dirt and feel somewhat heavy . . . best to switch that off for a more fluid drive.

The Borg Warner torque-management system is quicker than most in transferring drive to the rear wheels in a seamless operation.

From most quarters the Tucson has a clean and easy style . . . only that bug-eyed front looks a touch squashed, but the rear, with its twin tailpipes, has some appeal.

Interior room is good and cabin versatility is aided by a front passenger seat that folds all the way forward or right back, reclining rear seats and a rear floor that lifts out for wash-downs. The flexibility is hampered a little by a rear cargo cover that doesn't fold all the way back.

The dashboard and instrumentation layout is smart and functional.

Fit and finish are good, particularly the cloth trim in the Tucson Elite.

This is a good first shot at the compact all-wheel-drive segment; some thought has been given to the engineering.

The icing on the Tucson cake is the array of standard features, including that 2.7-litre V6 engine and sequential-style automatic. The Elite, with extra airbags and gear, is a particular bargain.

The bottom line

A NICE crossover wagon that is not only capable, but is great value and has lots of standard gear.