So, what do we have here … a new Tucson derivative? Hyundai is really doing well with the Tucson range, isn’t it?
Very well. Since the third-generation Tucson’s launch here 13 months ago, Hyundai has shifted more than 7 500 examples, claiming a 16,5% share and top spot in this compact SUV crossover segment. The Sport becomes the eighth derivative in the line-up and easily the most attention-grabbing of the lot.
Well, that body kit certainly changes the Tucson’s look quite dramatically.
I know, right? In standard guise, the Tucson is a handsome but somewhat conservatively styled vehicle. As its sales have proved, this crossover represents a smart design strategy that reflects exactly what the Tucson is: a well-priced, well-specced and well-put-together family car. It’s the poster car for the Does What It Says On The Tin School Of Automotive Design.
The body kit, though, changes things up quite a bit. The colour-coded side sills and scratch plates, along with those 19-inch black alloys, transform the Tucson into something that looks as though it spent a few moments at BMW’s M Division.
Is that a good thing?
Look, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It certainly gives the Tucson a very different persona and I must admit, I quite like what this imported-from-Korea body kit does for the car (the alloys come from Tiger Wheel & Tyre, but are exclusive to the Tucson). I’m not, however, convinced that it fits in that well with the Tucson’s overall family car persona.
A man who is convinced is Hyundai Automotive SA’s sales and operations director, Stanley Anderson. “It was not really market research,” he admitted, “but more of a gut feeling that comes from many years in the automotive business.” Given the success Hyundai have had in our market, Stanley’s gut is tough to argue against.
Hang on. Are those quad exhaust pipes sticking out the back? So the Tucson Sport has the go to match the show?
Well … yes and no. It shares the same 1,6-litre TGDI turbopetrol as the 1,6 Turbo and 1,6 Turbo 4WD Elite models, but Hyundai’s engineers have tweaked the Sport’s ECU to deliver an extra 20 kW and 30 N.m over its siblings; it now offers 150 kW and 295 N.m and a marginal drop in fuel efficiency (a claimed 8,9 L/100 km from 8,3 L/100 km).
That 15%-ish increase in power is nice, but it’s hardly quad-tailpipe nice. I haven’t driven those 1,6-litre siblings in a while so I can’t put hand-on-heart and claim I noticed a discernible performance increase when driving it, but the Sport does seem to have a little more in-gear grunt, even if its claimed 0-100 km/h sprint of 9,2 seconds is the same as the “standard” Executive. That said, I have always thought that 1,6 turbopetrol – particularly when mated with the six-speed manual, as it is here – to be a little peach of an engine.
I know you like the ride characteristics on the Tucson, but is there any difference evident in the Sport? Those low-profile 19-inch tyres must have some impact?
No, not really. Hyundai haven’t fiddled with the suspension anyway, and despite the 245/45 R19 low-profile rubber, the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension set-up means the Sport still has the supple and composed handling characteristics of its siblings. Look, the thinner profile tyres do mean you’re more aware of road imperfections, but it’s nothing major.
What they do offer though is quite a lot more grip and, along with the Tucson’s inherent balanced handling (for an SUV crossover) there is some fun to be had if you want to chuck it around a bit … though how much chucking around one can do in a front-wheel drive SUV crossover is up for debate.
Okay, so it looks good, has a bit more power and the ride is still pretty good. My final question then is this: is it worth the R50 000 premium over the “standard” 1,6T Executive?
In terms of spec, the 1,6T Sport is basically the 1,6T Executive. And that means, the standard spec is pretty impressive and your Sport comes with rear park assist camera, cruise control, rain sensors for the automatic windscreen wipers, an automatic air-conditioning system, electrically adjusted pleather seats and multifunction controls on the steering wheel.
Which means, you’re basically paying R50k for an 8-inch screen infotainment system with Bluetooth/CD/USB/Aux, that extra body kit, 19-inch alloys, tailpipes and a bit more power. Is it worth it? I think so.
What I’m not entirely convinced about, however, is whether Hyundai’s customers think a sporty Tucson is what they want. Then again, Stanley reckons they do … and Stanley isn’t often wrong.
