[Adfunk Auto] 2005 Hyundai Tiburon: A Shark of an Inexpensive Sport Coupe

[Muhammad]

The 2005 Hyundai Tiburon (Hyundai Motor America)

Let it be stated emphatically and for the record: Inexpensive automobiles have their place in the market, and good, inexpensive ones often prove to be happy surprises.

Such is the case with this week’s test car, a 2005 Hyundai Tiburon SE V6. The Tiburon — Spanish for “shark” — is a pleasant and capable front-wheel-drive sports coupe whose road manners belie its bargain-basement price.

There are actually three Tiburons available, a four-cylinder base model called the GS, and the GT and SE, both of which are powered by a 2.7-liter, 172-horsepower V-6 engine.

The move up to the SE is well worth the few extra dollars. For a base price of just $19,999, the Tiburon SE comes with a dazzling list of standard equipment.

In addition to the aforementioned V-6, the SE has a smooth-shifting six-speed manual gearbox; four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes; Michelin Pilot radial tires on attractive 17-inch aluminum wheels; air conditioning; a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo; remote keyless entry; power windows and door locks; heated outside mirrors; leather-covered steering wheel; cruise control; front fog lights and a bunch of other comfort and convenience items.

That’s an awful lot of goodness to be stuffed into a car that sells for less than $20,000.

From a styling standpoint, the Tiburon is terrific. The outside carries more than a little Ferrari influence, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. If you want to steal styling cues, steal from a good design.

There are all sorts of exterior touches that should make the Tiburon a hit with the tuner crowd, from the big rear wing to the NASCAR-like sculpted gas cap and red front brake calipers.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that our tester was finished in sunburst yellow, an extroverted color if there ever was one.

Black leather side bolstered bucket seats and kind of a fishnet-looking black-over-red fabric on the main seating area highlight the interior. (Hyundai Motors America)

From a style standpoint, the interior was a little more of a mixed bag. The bucket seats were way cool: Black leather side bolsters and kind of a fishnet-looking black-over-red fabric on the main seating area.

Also cool were the aluminum pedals, another nod to the tuner crowd.

Taken as whole — and in the context of being a small, sporty coupe — the interior was comfortable and roomy enough up front. Functionally, it worked decently.

The two silly styling gaffes were the radio, which came with a faceplate that constantly changed colors in a psychedelic swirl, and Hyundai’s three-in-one gauge cluster with a voltmeter, fuel-economy gauge and torque gauge. Huh?

On the road, the Tiburon was surprisingly fun to drive, if a little ragged around the edges. The Michelin Pilot tires delivered an excellent blend of handling and road comfort, better, in fact, than one would expect in a car of this class.

Like most front-wheel-drive small coupes, the Tiburon had a lot of torque steer under hard acceleration. Stab the throttle hard and the Tiburon would twitch and feel a bit nervous – never dangerously so, just a little edgy.

Actually, that wasn’t all bad, as the Tiburon’s darty nature made it seem faster than it actually was. It also gave it some much-needed personality, a trait sorely lacking in this class of car.

Other pros and cons: Backseat space is tiny, as you would expect, though the trunk holds nearly 15 cubic feet worth of stuff.

Hyundai continues to make quality improvements as it gradually moves upscale from being simply a maker of cheap cars to one that makes inexpensive, nice cars.

Also impressive is the Hyundai warranty: Bumper to Bumper coverage for 60 months or 60,000 miles; a powertrain warranty good for 120 months or 100,000 miles; corrosion protection for 60 months or 100,000 miles; and five-year, unlimited mileage roadside assistance.

Right now, Hyundai also is offering your choice of a $1,000 rebate or five-year, 2.75 percent financing.

All told, the 2005 Hyundai Tiburon is an impressive car for the money, one that would be a great first vehicle for a young person.

You would be hard pressed to find more car for this kind of money.


SPEC SHEET:
VEHICLE: Hyundai Tiburon
TYPE: Front-wheel-drive sport coupe
SEATING CAPACITY: Four
ENGINE: 2.7-liter V-6
HORSEPOWER: 172
TORQUE: 181 pound-feet
GEARBOX: Six-speed manual
EPA FUEL MILEAGE: 18 city/26 highway
BASE PRICE/AS-TESTED: $19,999/$20,059

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Posted by Muhammad to Adfunk Auto at 10/26/2005 04:07:00 PM