Hyundai Tucson 2004 test drive - 2009 SUV

Many -sided small

Can one car combine the practicality of the station wagon, passability of the SUV, the handling of a car and at the same time be not too expensive? It turns out, maybe. This is Hyundai Tucson.

However, the last criterion is relative. For some, one and a half thousand for a car is a lot, and for another and a quarter of a million trifles. However, if we consider the average prices for cars, then $ 33,000 for a new multifunctional car is not so much money. And if you consider that it is a Korean, then it’s for nothing. Why? Yes, because any Korean car worth 30,000 will provide you with the maximum of what can be in it, while Europeans for that kind of money are usually semi -empty.

What is Hyundai? Tucson is very similar to his older brother Santa Fe, but a little smaller. Now many manufacturers do this, Koreans are no exception. But was it worth it to replicate this rather controversial, from the point of view of the European, design? Neither San-Ta Fe, nor Tucson aesthetic pleasure, in any case, do not cause me. It was possible to do something not so evoked and more adapted for our eyes. Take, for example, Getz: to watch anyway. And here, however, there is no dispute, Tucson, although not much, is still more attractive than Santa Fe.

However, everyone can offend the artist, but the designers have no right to make a mistake. Understanding this, they tried their best. With minor Ga-barites of the car, the developers managed to make a very convenient and practical salon in all respects. There are cars that you need to get used to, but there are those in which you are immediately located at home. Tucson from the latter. It is not just comfortable in it, it is comfortable thanks to not only convenient seats and familiar governing bodies, but also the finish material. Everything here, it seems, without any frills, but the eyes are pleased with the simplicity and purity of the lines. Only the instrument shield somewhat spoils the general perception, it is too simple. And although the designers tried to give him an original look, it turned out not very well: because of its oval shape, it more resembles a scooter panel than an SUV. And it would not hurt to add contrast. Pictograms that light up during the operation of the car are difficult to disassemble, especially if the sun falls on the shield. There are no problems only with arrow signs.

Designed for outdoor activities, Tucson offers the owner to transform the interior for certain needs. Having folded the front seats, you can equip good sleeping places and stretch out in these bunks almost in full growth. If necessary, the back of the front passenger seat will easily turn into a table, at which you can have a snack on the long road, or attach a laptop and work a little, a short time in traffic jams. Those who often have to transport large -sized goods will like that by folding the rear seats, you can significantly increase the luggage space from 644 to 1856 liters, and the site is completely flat. A long -meter can be transported, also folding the front seat. If this is not enough, you can open the glass of the fifth door. The cargo protruding for the dimensions of the car, in this case, will be less embarrassing the driver and others than the entirely open rear door. In the trunk itself, in addition to fastening large -sized things, small hooks are also provided with a net on which you can hang bags of food so that nothing wakes up during movement. In general, inside the car is thought out to the smallest detail, which cannot but impress.

We set off on the road. The car goes as if it are not a light SUV, but a solid jeep smoothly, decorously, without unnecessary fuss and sound accompaniment. By behavior on the Tucson highway, a hundred percent passenger car. So it should be. Firstly, the novelty was created on the Hyundai Elantra platform, and secondly, Porsche experts took an active part in the pending refinement and achieved wonderful results. The front and rear independent suspensions endow the car with excellent course stability and almost reduce its pag in turns to zero. The last quality merit of gas -filled shock absorbers, which are installed in the standard. The only thing that did not really like was too light steering, which is why the feedback is somewhat blurred.

The all-wheel drive TUCSON cannot be voracious and the matter here is not only in aerodynamics or economical engine, but also in the competent distribution of torque through the axes. In normal road conditions, the entire torque, more precisely, is 99 %, it is transmitted from the engine exclusively to the front axle. However, it is worth the car to get on a slippery cover or off -road, as the torque is aligned between the axes (50:50). If necessary, before a difficult section of the road or ford, electronics can be freed from duties on choosing a gear moment and manually (a corresponding key) forced both bridges with full survey.

By the way, about the ford: I had a chance to oppose the car in it. And this particular feature was noticed. Due to the specific form of the hood huge from the hood to the pallet of the front bumper crankcase, most of the water car races, which causes additional resistance to movement. At the same time, the water rakes on the hood, and everything that is attached to the bumper (in our case, the license plate) may be washed away. So the advice to future owners: attach the number not through the substrate, but directly to the bumper, and with good self -tapping screws, if you do not want to look for the lost in muddy water in the future.

Two power units are installed on the car. The first, budget option is 2.0-liter 142-horsepower four, the second 2.7-liter V-shaped 175-horsepower 6-cylinder engine. As the four behaves, I don’t take the reason to judge, but V6 seems to be what the doctor prescribed. Such a machine has a very good dynamics, besides not very voracious.

It does not spoil the impression of the car and the automatic gearbox. On the contrary, its work can be safely set as an example to other manufacturers. She very quickly adapts to the driving style and, most pleasant, makes it automatically (and there is also manual) to slow down the engine. You can feel this not only in mountain conditions, but also in the city. It is worth removing the leg from the gas pedal, as after a while the car begins to noticeably fade. This behavior is a noticeable help to the work of the brakes. They are very effective and informative. And the information content of management is safety both for those who are in the machine itself and for others.

In general, a lot of attention is paid to Tucson, active and passive. The ESP system is active, the operation of which boils down to adjusting the trajectory of the car by approaching the real trajectory to the one set by the driver. In addition, an anti -circus system and traction control system on the drive wheels are installed on the machine. At a high level and passive safety. First of all, this is a strong frame that forms a kind of protective capsule around the driver and passengers. We also mention programmable crushing zones and dispersion of the energy of the impact, driver and passenger airbags with two levels of operation, side airbags and curtains, powder gases filter, preventing poisoning when pillow triggers, belt pretexts, as well as a system that, in the event of an accident, unlocks the locks of doors And stops the supply of fuel.

Here he is, Hyundai Tucson. Did you like it? Rather yes than no. He, of course, is unlikely to be honored with love at first glance, but the one who is imbued with his charm will not regret the purchase in the future.

Technical characteristics of Hyundai Tucson

The body is 5-door, bearing, whole.
The number of places 5
Equipped mass, kg 1593
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm 4325/1795/1680
Base, mm 2630
Trunk volume, l 325
Maximum speed, km/h 180
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 11.6
Fuel control, (mixed cycle), l/100 km 10
Fuel tank volume, l 65
Engine:
- Type V6
- working volume, cm3 2656
- Power, L.S. at MIN-1 175/6000
- Torque, N.M at MIN-1 241/4000
The transmission is automatic
Tire size 215/65R16
Wheel suspension:
- The front is independent
- The rear is independent
Brakes:
- front disk, ventilated
- rear disc
The steering gear-rake
Price, $ 33,000

Text: Oleg Kalaushin
 

A source: Magazine 5 wheel [11/2004]