Hyundai Tucson Takes The 4x4 Battle To New Heights
Published: 29th July 2004
Hyundai Tucson
The Tucson (pronounced Too-son) marks the new entry level to Hyundai’s 4x4 range and complements the existing larger Santa Fe and Terracan. The Tucson will compete against cars such as the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sportage.
There are seven Tucson models to choose from with prices starting at £14,995 for the 2.0 16v GSI rising to £18,695 for the powerful 2.7 V6 CDX (full price list at end).
As well as conquest sales from other four-wheel drive cars, Hyundai expects to attract customers who have not previously considered a 4x4. The added attraction is that the Tucson is a five door only vehicle, competing against three door opposition.
The Tucson has a monocoque construction, and sits on a highly modified version of the current Coupe platform. There are three engine options (2.0 litre petrol, 2.0 litre common-rail turbo-diesel, and a powerful 2.7 V6), and two trim levels; GSI and CDX.
The 2.0 litre engine, which is a CVVT unit as seen in the Coupe, develops 140bhp@6000rpm, has 184Nm/136 lbs ft of torque on tap at 4500rpm, reaches a top speed of 108mph and performs the 0-62mph run in 11.3 seconds.
Hyundai expects the diesel version of Tucson to be especially popular in a segment where more drivers are switching to diesel. It produces 111bhp of power at 4000rpm, has a torque figure of 245Nm/181 lbs ft@1800-2500rpm, reaches a top speed of 104mph and does the 0 to 62mph dash in 13.8 seconds.
The top-of-the-range 2.7 V6 CDX has 173bhp on tap at 6000rpm, delivers 241Nm/178 lbs ft of torque at 4000rpm and has a top speed of 112mph. Its 0-62mph figure is a competitive 10.5 seconds.
Hyundai Tucson
Our Hyundai Tucson Guide lists the full specification of the current UK Tucson range, including car prices, fuel consumption, dimensions and other vital data.
Price Range: £14,895 - £19,795
Body Style:
Fuel:
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Models in the range: 8
We have road tested the Hyundai Tucson, to read our in-depth car review:
Hyundai Tucson Review - Nov 2005
Our Car Buyer’s Guide covers all of the UK’s major new cars and includes CO2 ratings and car insurance groups. Data updated on the 6th July 2008
