Hyundai Terracan 2001 test drive - 2004 SUV

An applicant for power

Probably, only the lazy did not have time to finish off the name of the new SUV. Although personally, I do not see anything terrible in the fact that the name of the car sounds exactly and not otherwise. Rather, in the fact that in Russian pronunciation it is consonant with the word cockroach. There is something original and defiant in this.
 

If the four-wheeled mechanism has at least a bit of those phenomenal abilities to be understood by the most incredible conjuice and confidently overcome any obstacles that is characteristic of six-legged creatures of nature, you can only congratulate its owner on a successful acquisition.
 

According to the plan of the marketer, Hyundai Motor, Terracan should mean the abbreviated terra khan, that is, the khan of the Earth. Having concocted a mixture from the Latin and Angerian languages, and even decorating it with a warped Central Asian term, the Koreans clearly overdoed it. Anyway. They know better. And we are not interested in words, but the essence of the matter. How is this eastern contender for power ready to surprise us, and how just his claims are?
 

So, Hyundai Terracan has replaced the Galloper model in production since 1991. The prototype of a new machine called Highlander was shown back in April 1999 at the Seoul Motor Show, but by the time the premiere managed to seriously transform as a serial product. Since the design of the SUV, compared to the predecessor, has not fundamentally changed - the supporting frame, the connected all -wheel drive, the dependent rear suspension, then I would like to dwell on the appearance in more detail.
 

In terms of design, the car was disappointed and pleased. Will explain. We have repeatedly praised the Hyundai Motor stylists for managing to find their own path in recent years: Korean cars have ceased to be like faceless soapses, acquired branded features and gained such an important property as learning. Terracan is a rollback to the boundaries of the mid -nineties, when deliberately screaming elements of the appearance were adjacent to inexpressive details. Take a look at the nasal part in which there are both a-la Mercedes-Benz ml and a radiator A-la Lexus RX300. And now - on a simple, amorphous back. The reserve is covered with below, and not on the door, which is made from the rear SUV similar to a minibus. Terracan’s profile also does not look quite usually: a long motor compartment with a low hood line dissonates with a visually heavy tail. At the same time, the developed plastic body kit looks very appropriate, adding massiveness and solidity to the machine and protecting the body from damage.
 

What pleased? A thorough attitude to the little things and the growing quality of their manufacture. No, no, I'm not talking about an inconsistent air intake or spoiler above the back door - let them remain a matter of an Asian taste. The most impression was made by door handles - exhaust, elegant faceted shape, covered with chromium. And impeccably working. Opening the front doors, you immediately see metal overlays on the thresholds with the inscription Terracan. You get into the car, and the doors are closed with a pleasant dull cotton. There is a feeling of goodness and high cost.
 

To the interior of the machine, the definition of high cost is hardly applicable. (However, this applies only to the car in the basic version - the salons of expensive modifications are decorated with wood and skin). The gray kingdom of plastic and fabric might seem completely dull, if it was not diluted again with details. The falling central console, conclusions looks very original and pretty the air conditioner block and the two -dine nest of the radio.
 

The ceiling is decorated with an electronic clock, and reliable handrails are fixed on the front stands of the body. Yeah, it means that the creators of the car are preparing passengers for real off -road. Well, let's see. Finally, the Hai-Tekov pearl of the salon can be safely called the rotating handle-jacket on the floor console, which switches the transmission modes. The main ergonomic blunder is the lack of adjustment of the steering column along the length. The problem is that it is not easy for high drivers to choose a convenient pose: either the legs do not reach the pedals, and their hands - to the steering wheel, or knees rest against the lower edge of the front panel. It is annoying, because with the organization of the driver's seat in the rest, everything is in order! Comfortable seats with a full set of adjustments and glow. A great steering wheel with a pillow of safety and height adjustment in it. Simple and visual dashboard. Excellent visibility. Electric drives of windows and mirrors of impressive ra snakes. What else does?
 

And the rear passengers are not offended. There are enough places for three, and no one from the trinity will be able to complain about the lack of living space. And this despite the fact that the rear seats are planted noticeably higher than the front. And if biased criticism will be heard from the second row, we’ll plant passengers, add the rear seat even in parts, at least completely, and we get a real all -wheel drive van.
 

It's time to arrange a terrakanya run. Although will Terracan be able to quickly run? The fact that the power of the old diesel, who was still familiar with the gallowers, is unlikely to be enough for a two -ton car, did not cause any doubt. But how did Korean engineers use its modest potential? It turned out, competently and reasonably, by a simple selection of the transmissions. With the first gear, everything is clear - at least the mud is half -tie, at least touch with a heavy trailer. There are no speakers, only the noise of the motor. The third and fifth are extremely calm. But the second and fourth were pleased: they feel a pleasant pick on them in the region of 2400-2500 rpm, at the moment when from diesel gains a second wind. These programs should be used for overtaking and rebuilding. To all of the above, it is necessary to add that the acceleration process is quite convenient to control - largely thanks to informative drives of gas and clutch pedals. But the brake pedal is heavy. During the highway of the trip, another feature of the car was revealed: when braking at the Terracan Paul, he is prone to small flies.
 

The controllability of the machine was surprised - from a frame SUV with a hard rear bridge, I expected the worst. And Terracan not only obediently responds to the actions of the steering wheel, but also supplies the driver with a convincing feedback. The higher the speed, the heavier the steering wheel: it is the merit of a modern hydraulic wiper with a variable performance pump. Of course, to the controllability of a passenger car here is far away, but the logical increase in the force on the steering wheel, coupled with the body rolls, serves the best sensors of the stability of the machine on the road. In steep turns, the rolls are already starting to interfere, and then there is a desire to cut off the turn along the side of the road. And by what would not, with such a suspension?
 

She generally ignores roadside potholes, but large pits still can’t break her for anything. Yes, and only the most significant irregularities are possible to cause trajectory deviations of a heavy car. This is on the highway. In the city, all problems with the terrain are minimized. However, the most ambitious Terracan behaved outside the asphalt roads. On a broken primer and narrow forest paths, it is allowed to rush, without removing the legs from the gas pedal. Particularly complex areas are overcome on all -wheel drive, but do not forget to disconnect it when returning to a more or less stable coating - there is no center differential here. In truly difficult conditions, you can use a lowering transmission transmission, however, you will have to stop to include it. And rely on the motor: torque of turbodiesel it is quite enough to drag a meter by a meter an SUV along sand and dirt. And, of course, in such situations, the geometry of the cross -country ability of the machine is extremely important.
 

In the case of a terrakan, there is a parity of positive and negative factors. On the one hand, the long passages of suspensions allow you to avoid diagonal hanging the wheels to the last. On the other hand, the lack of intervals of inter -normal differentials turns the words diagonal posting into verdict. In addition, when storming crossed terrain, one should constantly remember about the good part of the road clearance of the steps and the mudguards, which are part of the kit. To cut them off - a couple of trifles.
 

What to say as a resume? At the price of the Japanese SUV, Koreans offer a full -size SUV with a serious transmission. Only a low -flowing motor and a modest interior are capable of embarrassing the buyer. True, both are quite fixable, but then the price of a car may lose its attractiveness. Well, this is the cruelty of choice.
 
   

 
 

A source: Wheel magazine [No. 50/2001]