Hyundai continues their bid as one of the Asian car manufacturers that pose a threat to American car companies in the US market. While they may not be as popular as Honda or Toyota in the American market, the Korea-based outfit is producing cars that can strongly compete in the global market against Toyota or Honda. This challenge is evident in their compact sport utility vehicle that is the Tucson. The Tucson is slated against Toyota’s RAV4 and Honda’s CR-V in the now declining SUV market. While interest in the sports utility vehicle segment is waning due to the upward surge of gas prices, Hyundai is still confident that their SUV will gain a good number of buyers.
Just like a Volvo, the Hyundai Tucson comes equipped with safety features though it still cannot compete with the Sweden-based outfit when it comes to safety features. Their list of safety features includes airbags, six of them and electronic stability control that prevents rollover by keeping the car’s suspension and other systems in check. This is one of the strong selling points of the car and another is their relatively lower price. And true to Hyundai’s confidence to the car they mass produced, they offer a five year or 60,000 mile warranty that is true to all trim packages of the vehicle. Additional safety features includes four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and an electronic brake-force distribution system. Due to the safety features that the car employs, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it its second highest rating which is “acceptable”.
Another thing that makes this Hyundai car a serious competition to the Toyota RAV4 and the CR-V is its high performance level. It has an all around great driving capability plus it has a responsive steering system that is coupled with the electronic stability control that provides great handling especially on tight turns. Its suspension system allows for a smooth ride keeping the car’s occupants comfortable even on long trips. The suspension system configuration also increased the car’s stability. The power that its engine emanates is adequate for even more than usual demand on the car when it comes to speed, acceleration and power on some tough road conditions.
The car’s drive system is configured to be an all wheel drive on some models, giving the Hyundai Tucson its great off-road capability that is quite respectable for a compact sport utility vehicle. The four-wheel drive configuration which is available on some trim packages gives better handing than the front-wheel drive models. The adaptive all-wheel drive system allows the directing of power to the rear wheels when traction on the rear is needed. There is also a switch that enables the driver to use the 50/50 torque split that comes in handy when trekking through snow or other similar road conditions. The Hyundai Tucson’s largest engine offered is a 2.7-liter V6 engine that can produce 173 horsepower. Its power can be checked efficiently by EBC pads that locks up to the Hyundai Tucson’s 11-inch diameter front rotors for maximum stopping power.
The newest model of the Hyundai Tucson for the 2007 year model offers three trim packages which will suit any costumer’s need in a sport utility vehicle. The entry level is the GLS model which comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that comes with 140 horses. The next package is the SE model which comes equipped a V6 and a front-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive configuration. The top of the line Limited models comes with the aforementioned V6 engine that has a maximum output of 173 horsepower. The models are also available with either front or all-wheel drive configuration.
About the Author
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
