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2002 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS SUV
2003 Hyundai Tiburon GT V6 6-speed Sports Coupe
From One Extreme to the Other

Susan Frissell
Women With Wheels

2002 Hyundai Sante Fe GLS SUV

From one extreme to the other, we tested back-to-back Hyundai’s 2002 Santa Fe GLS SUV and the all-new 2003 Hyundai Tiburon Sports Coupe. We liked both.

Hyundai is experiencing some great things these days. It isn’t uncommon to get a negative reaction from people when mentioning Hyundai and smart auto buys in the same statement. For several years after Hyundai came to the US in 1986, the brand was synonymous with repairs, breakdowns and trouble.

Not anymore. Ever since Finbarr O’Neill took the helm in 1998, introducing the industry’s first 10-ye

ar warranty, Hyundai has definitely become a brand to seriously consider when buying "smart." Since 1999, Hyundai and its subsidiary KIA Motors, have had sales increases of 70 percent. In 2001, Hyundai Motor America’s (HMA) sales rose 42 percent; 365,235 units, from 263,610 in 2000, making Hyundai the fifth best-selling import in the U.S. February of ’02 was Hyundai’s 13^th consecutive month of record sales of 28,503 vehicles; a 15 percent increase over last year.

Hyundai’s Central Region accounted for 20 percent of last year’s national sales volume, selling over 66,000 vehicles in the Midwest; up 54 percent from the year before. Taking this into consideration, HMA broke ground in March of this year on their Central Region office and Parts Distribution Center in Aurora, IL. A 350,000 sq. ft. facility, costing 17 million, HMA’s offices and distribution center will be the largest built-to-suit project in the I-88 market in the last three years.

If that isn’t enough to convince the marketplace that Hyundai is becoming a serious player, keep in mind that they have also just committed to build its first U.S. plant in 2005, in Montgomery, AL. Hyundai is here to stay and is working hard to continually improve its products.

2003 Tiburon GT V6, 6-speed

2003 Tiburon GT V6,

All-new for ’03, the Tiburon GT V6 is a much improved peppy sports coupe. No, it’s more than peppy. A far stretch from Hyundai’s first generation Tiburon (based on the concept HCD I and II), the new Tiburon is quite a value. Not only does it have style, but it’s fast, competitive, nimble and fairly priced.

The ’03 Tiburon prices range from $15,999 to $19,997, and is available with 4 and 6-cylinder engines, 6-speed and 5-speed manual, and 4-speed manual and automatic transmission. Once you’ve driven the new V6, 6-speed, though, it will be hard to settle for less.

Our test Tiburon came equipped with one option, the UltraSports package 3 (6-speed manual transmission, aluminum foot pedals, bodycolor High Spoiler, moonroof with sunshade, ABS, $1998). MSRP was $17,999, destination $495 for a total vehicle price of just $20,492. This is a value that is hard to beat. The ’03 Tiburon GT V6 comes equipped with just about everything you could want, including a sport-tuned suspension, dual exhaust, power steering, front fog lights, 17" alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport Tires, rear wiper w/washer, heated dual mirrors, rear window defroster w/timer, leather seating surfaces/wrapped steering wheel, dual front airbags and dual side airbags, variable intermittent wipers, 50/50 fold-down rear seat, A/C, cruise, keyless remote entry, carpeted floor mats, Infinity AM/FM/Cass/CD 360W, 6-speaker stereo system. On and on.

That’s exhausing. Please tell me what other manufacturer offers this much for this price? No one.

Hyundai tweaked Tiburon’s styling for ’03, with bolder sculpting, more aerodynamic and aggressive. The low profile high-performance tires on alloy wheels complement Tiburon’s steep angles, reminding us of more exotic and expensive sports cars.

The big news here is the V6. Offered for the first time, this strong performer is the same all-aluminum DOHC 2.7-liter engine standard in the Santa Fe and Sonata. Offering 181 horsepower, it’s teamed with a smooth-shifting 6-speed manual tranny. This baby moves. Surprisingly so. In fact, fitted with the GT handling package, Tiburon V6 reached speeds of 132 mph on the test track.

When Hyundai revealed the HCD I and II concepts, the promise was to build a street vehicle with these looks. In 1996, Tiburon was born. Somewhat of a disappointment to drive, we think it’s finally reached its original goal: styling that’s different, and comfort uncommon in a sport coupe.

The cockpit is attractive, comfortable and considerably roomier. The seats are supportive and positioned well for exit and entry. And for those with active lifestyles, the back seat lies flat to accommodate cargo.

The previous generation Tiburon was built on the Elantra platform. The ’03, however, gets its own chassis, with a longer wheelbase and more length which adds up to more interior room. Stiffer than in the past, the ’03 chassis offers a comfortable, jar-free ride.