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New Car Test Drive - 1997 Hyundai Tiburon
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| Updated |
Jul 7, 2004 20:11:59 |
| Rating |
 759 ( 11 +1.44% ) | | Author | Mitch McCullough |
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Description:
Hyundai's surprising new shark.
You probably won't impress people by telling
them you drive a Hyundai. Perception trails reality by several years in
the car business, and Hyundai is still perceived as a company that builds
small, basic transportation hatchbacks. The reality, however, is that those
days are gone. Hyundai now offers a vastly improved and expanded line of
cars, and this sporty new front-drive Tiburon coupe is a shining example
of Hyundai's progress.
The Tiburon borrows its name from a big shark that cruises the coast
of Central America. Hyundai's shark is designed to prey on the Nissan 200SX,
Pontiac Sunfire, Toyota Celica and non-turbo versions of the Mitsubishi
Eclipse and Eagle Talon.
Although the Tiburon doesn't quite have the biggest teeth in this class,
it can swim heads up with most of its contemporaries, and we think it's
a must-see if you're in the market for an inexpensive sporty coupe that's
fun to drive and good to look at.
The Tiburon is a totally new car and a much more substantial vehicle
than its predecessor, the Hyundai Scoupe. The Scoupe was based on the old
Excel hatchback, while the Tiburon is loosely based on the new Elantra
sedan. Its handling and response were a pleasant surprise for us, and while
only time will tell, its construction quality appears to be on a par with
other vehicles in this class.
Two models are available. The basic $13,499 Tiburon comes with a 1.8-liter
engine, while the $14,899 Tiburon FX is equipped with a more powerful 2.0-liter
engine. These prices put both of these well-equipped models under the Eclipse
RS, Celica ST and 200SX SE-R. Among the primary competitors, only the $14,219
Sunfire GT Coupe is less expensive than the Tiburon FX.
The only visual distinction between the two Tiburon models is the rear
decklid spoiler, standard on the FX, optional on the base car.
Walkaround
Forty-something baby boomers may dismiss the Tiburon as a Sunfire lookalike,
but twenty-something drivers seem to have no trouble spotting this as one
of the newest sport coupes on the street, craning their necks for a better
look as they glide by on the freeway.
Styling is half the battle in this realm, and the Tiburon is a bold
entry into what is becoming an increasingly bland world of sport coupes.
Bulging fenders and sharp creases give Hyundai's new shark an aggressive
appearance. Frameless doors with flush-mounted glass and aerodynamic side
mirrors help minimize interior noise. Ellipsoid projector headlights are
stylish and also throw a sharply defined beam that minimizes glare to oncoming
cars, though the headlights in our FX test car seemed to be aimed too low.
In addition to the bigger engine, the FX gets nicer cloth upholstery,
plus full carpeting, a six-way adjustable driver's seat, a more elaborate
sound system, a lid for the center console, power door locks, power outside
mirrors and optional cruise control. The FX also comes with fog lamps integrated
into the standard front air dam that look good, though they don't seem
to lend much additional illumination.
Rumor has it that Porsche helped tune the suspension on the Tiburon,
something Hyundai will neither confirm nor deny. Be that as it may, the
Tiburon's unitbody is commendably stiff, a key element in ride quality
and handling. MacPherson struts are used for the front suspension, while
the rear is a dual link setup. The shock absorbers are gas-charged units,
which resist heat buildup, and there are anitroll bars fore and aft. All
the components are aimed at delivering the agile handling qualities we
expect from a sport coupe.
Both Tiburon models have disc brakes in front. The base model employs
drum brakes at the rear, while the FX gets rear discs. Disc brakes resist
fade better than drums, but only hard driving for extended periods reveals
much difference in performance. Four-channel antilock brakes are optional
on the FX, but only as part of an extra equipment package, the cheapest
of which ($3500) includes air conditioning, a power sunroof and a CD player.
The standard tires are P195/60 Michelin XGT H4 radials mounted on 14-inch
wheels (steel on the basic Tiburon, aluminum alloy on FX); 15-inch alloy
wheels with 195/55 Michelins are available for either model as an option.
The Inside Story
The interior is functional and attractive. The formed foam seats are
firm, supportive and comfortable, with thigh bolsters that provide good
side support during hard cornering. The base model is comfortable, but
the FX benefits from a driver's seat with tilt adjustment, lumbar support
and fabric accents. Leather is an FX option, but a $3500 leather package
seems a bit out of place in an affordably priced sport coupe, though it
does include air conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels, a CD player and other
goodies.
There is ample leg, head and shoulder room up front. The wraparound
contoured dash makes the driver feel like a pilot without inducing claustrophobia.
Attractive curves over the top of the vents are reminiscent of the Datsun
240Z. The ventilation controls are big Lexus-like knobs that we found easy
to operate when the car is moving.
Power windows are standard on both models, a nice extra. The big ovoid
speed-ometer and tachometer are stylish, as well as highly legible. Slender
front roof pillars contribute to excellent forward visibility, a view en-hanced
by bulging front fenders clearly visible from the front seats. The back
seats are roomier than those in the Celica or Eclipse, although rear seat
space isn't a strong point of cars in this class.
Overall, we give the interior an enthusiastic thumbs up.
The trunk is surprisingly roomy. It swallowed a king-size presentation
portfolio laid flat, the passenger car equivalent of putting a sheet of
plywood in the back of a pickup truck. To put capacity in perspective,
the Tiburon offers more trunk space than the 200SX and Sunfire, but not
as much as the Eclipse/Talon.
Ride & Drive
Although we concentrated on the FX model, we found that the basic Tiburon's
130-hp 1.8-liter engine produces decent acceleration by the standards for
this class. The 10 extra horsepower generated by the 2.0-liter FX engine
comes into play in the upper rpm range, and its extra torque--133 pounds-feet,
versus 122 for the 1.8-liter version--makes for quicker accleration and
less shifting around town.
The Tiburon engines are neither the smoothest nor the quietest on the
market, but fall within acceptable bounds. Hyundai worked hard to minimize
friction and vibration by using lightweight parts, silicon-impregnated
pistons and fluid-damped engine mounts.
Hyundai definitely did its homework on the Tiburon's chassis. It's among
the stiffest in its class, which is probably why the Tiburon weighs a bit
more than some of its competitors. Chassis stiffness is where agile handling
starts, and we were very favorably impressed with the Tiburon's athletic
responses in quick maneuvers.
Even in extreme lane-change and slalom exercises, the car felt balanced
and stable, and the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is quick and
accurate. The Tiburon is one of those cars that made us go out of our way
to give it some exercise on favored stretches of winding back roads, something
that can't be said for some of its competitors.
If there's any minus in the Tiburon's dynamic traits, it lies in the
action of the five-speed manual gearbox, which feels less precise than
some others in this class. In particular, low-speed downshifts into first
gear can be a challenge. Making a proper upshift in hard low-speed cornering
also requires a little extra care, a trait that's not at all uncommon in
small front-drive hot rods such as this.
However, at higher speeds the gearbox works fine and the gearing is
well suited to the engine's power characteristics. The optional four-speed
automatic takes much of the sport out of this--or any--sport coupe. If
you don't want to shift for yourself, we suggest the FX, with its more
powerful engine.
Final Word
We think the Tiburon is a good buy--inexpensive, well equipped, stylish
and a lot of fun to drive. Beyond that, it represents another proof that
Hyundai is very serious about upgrading the image and quality of its products.
Source: New Car Test Drive
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