Hyundai aims to please drivers, not writers

By Warren Brown

Sunday, January 3, 2010

CORNWALL , N.Y.

Old-school automotive journalism emphasizes speed, handling and something called "fun-to-drive." It treats every vehicle, be it family sedan or crossover utility model, as if it were a high-performance sports car whose best use is found on a racetrack . . . or Germany 's Autobahn.

This Story

                                 Hyundai aims to please drivers, not writers

                                 NUTS & BOLTS: 2010 Hyundai Tucson

                                 Q&A, Fri., 8 a.m.: Real Wheels

As such, there is something inherently unrealistic about the old-school approach, something woefully out of kilter with the dominant reasons most of us buy passenger vehicles and the way we actually use them.

Thus, many old-school automotive journalists, who fancy themselves automobile "enthusiasts," have encountered great difficulty understanding why South Korea's Hyundai Motor, at one time a laughable entry in the U.S. automobile market, made major gains in market share (from 2.9 percent at the end of 2007 to 4.3 percent through November 2009) when many of its better-respected rivals have floundered.

I hereby suggest that Hyundai's success stems from its realization that old-school automotive journalism doesn't reflect everyday-world realities.

My argument, in part, is based on one of Hyundai's revised product offerings, the 2010 Hyundai Tucson , a compact crossover utility model, two versions of which I recently drove in Los Angeles and environs.

The driving experience showed me that Hyundai understands what many old-school automotive journalists either fail to comprehend or choose to ignore. To wit: Most people buying passenger cars aren't looking for the fastest times from zero to 60 mph. Nor are they seeking -- to use an illogical cliche of automotive journalism -- a car that "handles like it is on rails." (The average high school physics student knows disaster is likely to occur if a train takes a curve too fast.)

Instead, most automotive consumers, especially those in need of family transportation, look primarily for affordability, safety, fuel economy, comfort and reliability. If they can get all those things in a vehicle possessed of good looks and personality, and endowed with reasonable highway prowess -- for example, it changes lanes quickly and safely -- so much the better.

In Los Angeles , I drove the base Tucson GLS with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, and the top-of-the-line Tucson Limited with front-wheel drive and a six-speed transmission that can be shifted automatically or manually.

Both the GLS and Limited are available with four-wheel drive, and both share the same 176-horsepower 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine. What largely distinguishes them is cosmetic -- their trim levels (materials) and other appointments.

Both models demonstrate Hyundai's excellent understanding of the Tucson 's intended audiences -- young families and empty-nesters. Safety is a major concern of both groups. So both the GLS and Limited come with six air bags, rollover danger sensors, an antilock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution, and electronic stability and traction control as standard equipment.

Families buying "base" or economy models still want vehicles that make them smile. Hyundai understands that. So the same attention to detail found in the Limited -- perfect fit and finish, for example -- is evident in the GLS.

Again, the differences beyond the standard transmissions offered (six-speed manual in the GLS vs. six-speed automatic/manual in the Limited) rest largely in appointments (a cloth-covered manually adjustable driver's seat in the GLS, compared with a leather six-way power adjustable driver's seat in the Limited).

The trend in the global automobile industry, largely in response to government regulations and a real-world understanding that oil isn't a forever thing -- certainly not something that will be forever available at low prices -- has been to squeeze more power out of smaller engines, which is what Hyundai has done here. The maximum 176 horsepower offered by Hyundai's new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is three horsepower more than what was offered by the 2.7-liter V-6 in the 2009 Tucson .

Driving impressions? I would love to wax eloquently about having driven at extra-legal speeds along Southern California 's highways and byways, taking curves at a breathtaking pace, wheels sticking to the road, that sort of thing. But the truth is more prosaic. Both the GLS and Limited behaved quite competently at highway speeds. The exceptionally well-appointed Limited was more fun to sit in during traffic jams, and there were many. Only a fool would drive recklessly and exceed speed limits on the well-patrolled Pacific Coast Highway . I'm no fool.

NUTS & BOLTS

Nuts & Bolts: 2010 Hyundai Tucson

Sunday, January 3, 2010

The bottom line: The Hyundai Tucson, originally introduced in 2004 as a 2005 model, has been upgraded to a genuine contender with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. Given the new Tucson's superior value -- the measure of quality and overall value per dollar spent -- here's betting that it will increase market share at the expense of all of its rivals.

Complaints: I found none in the day's drive, at least none that would upset most normal drivers, such as young families and empty-nesters in need of a daily urban hauler.

Head-turning quotient: The dramatically sculpted exterior panels of the new Tucson attract many but repel others. It is an emotional design. Considering rivals' boxy styling, that is a very good thing.

Ride, acceleration, handling: Ride was comfortable in both versions. Acceleration was competent -- quick, safe highway lane changes.

Body style/layout: The Hyundai Tucson is a compact, front-engine crossover utility vehicle based on the Hyundai Elantra car platform. It is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It has four side doors and a rear hatch.

Engine/transmissions: All 2010 Tucson models, of which there are nine styles, use a 2.4-liter, 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine that develops 176 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 168 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm. In the Tucson GLS, that engine is linked to a standard six-speed manual transmission. In the Limited, it gets a six-speed transmission that can be shifted automatically or manually.

Capacities: All Tucson models have seats for five people. Cargo capacity with rear seats up is 25.7 cubic feet. With rear seats folded, it's 56 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of recommended regular gasoline.

Mileage: Most Tucson driving was done on the highway, where, yes, I averaged 30 miles per gallon in both the GLS and Limited.

Safety: Standard equipment includes six air bags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes (ventilated front/solid rear), electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability and traction control.

Price: The 2010 Tucson GLS starts at $18,995 with a dealer's invoice price of $18,296. The Limited starts at $25,845 with a dealer's invoice of $24,544. Both carry an additional $795 transportation charge. Available options include onboard navigation and a panoramic glass roof. Prices are sourced from Hyundai.