Tucson offers quiet, smooth, stylish ride

Hyundai Motor’s new Tucson

By Park Jin-hai

The new Tucson has drawn praise that it is Hyundai’s next big thing with famous chief designer Peter Schreyer’s name tag.

This reporter wanted to test drive the Tucson, the compact crossover SUV, to see if it can really compete with Volkswagen’s popular Tiguan as the company says.

The test drive took place on a 50-kilometer road between Downtown Songdo and Cheongna International City in Incheon.

The first impression for the third generation Tucson was that it is like a lion cub ready to pounce ― its exterior has no extra hanging fat, but rather trained muscles.

As many already pointed out, its design is not “original,” borrowing many elements from the bigger SUV Santa Fe, and the fluidic bodyline and stylish rear give it a stylish look.

Compared with its predecessor, the new Tucson has become inches longer and wider, while its height has been slightly lowered, to give it a coupe-like sportier image.

There are two engine types available: a downsized 1.7-liter diesel and a 2.0-liter diesel. The former targets younger budget-minded first-time buyers, while the latter appeals to more matured people looking for luxurious elements.

This particular model was the 1.7-liter diesel mated with a seven-speed double clutch transmission, designed to achieve both dynamic gearing and efficiency.

The interior of the vehicle looks trendy. Parts of the handles, air vents and seat belts are brightly colored with the color of your choice ― Ara-blue or Sedona-orange ― which gives more personality to the car.

However, most pleasing was its driving performance. Although it is an SUV, it did not feel like driving an SUV. It gave rather the feeling of a smooth sedan.

The outside noise, one of the minuses of diesels, was almost inaudible, while the steering wheel was just good, not too tight nor loose.

Acceleration has been smooth and up to 80 kilometers per hour, it increased its speed instantly as it was required. Exceeding the speed, acceleration is not bad, catering to the needs of young drivers who enjoy driving fast.

From the expanded use of advanced high-strength steel in 51 percent on its body, and a newly designed rear tire to increase grip force, the Tucson also has smoother handling than its old model during U-turns.

As for the fuel efficiency, this Tucson showed 16 kilometers per liter of fuel, better than the sticker fuel efficiency of 15.6 kilometers.

There is room for improvement with its navigation system, however. It was not easy to read, thus at a crossroads misled this reporter to the wrong way and had to detour en route to the destination.

All in all, the all new Tucson has many attractive attributes for young people. It is an affordable compact SUV with style and a high performance.