Smart alternative to the big brand names.

Introduction

For tip-toeing over a narrow, rocky trail to your favorite fishing hole, a small and nimble vehicle may offer real virtues. And for the even more common SUV duties of urban commuting and suburban child-rearing, something small, affordable, and easy on gas is more sensible than a behemoth. 

The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V pioneered the compact SUV market, which Ford soon came to dominate with its Escape. Hyundai staked a claim in this territory a few years ago with the slightly larger Santa Fe; then added the Tucson for 2005 to take on the RAV4 and CR-V more directly. 

The 2006 Hyundai Tucson features some minor appearance revisions and a new flagship Limited model. 

The Tucson is a good choice among compact SUVs. It's not the best of them, but it's comparable to the other vehicles in this class, including those from the big brand names. We hope that answers your first question about the Tucson. To answer your second question, Hyundai quality has been quite good in recent years. In fact, Hyundai is so confident of this that it offers the longest bumper-to-bumper warranty in the business, five years or 60,000 miles. J.D. Power and Associates, which surveys owners on product quality, rated Tucson as the highest-quality all-new model for 2005. That does not mean the Tucson is the best quality vehicle available in dealer showrooms today, but it is an indication that Tucson buyers haven't had many problems with their new vehicles. 

Safety features on the Tucson include electronic stability control, four-wheel antilock disc brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and traction control. That's impressive list of active safety features. Add to that six airbags, including side-impact airbags for torso protection and side curtain airbags designed to provide head protection for passengers in both rows. Tucson has earned a five-star safety rating from the U.S. government in front and side impacts. Tucson is the lowest-cost vehicle you can buy with this level of safety features. 

Lineup

The 2006 Hyundai Tucson is offered in three trim levels. Basic GL and mid-range GLS continue as before, while last year's LX model has been replaced by a more luxurious Limited model. Four-cylinder and V6 engines are available, as are front-wheel drive (FWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD). 

GL ($17,495) is powered by a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder. GL comes standard with front-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission. Standard features include air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/CD audio, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, heated power mirrors, roof-rack side rails, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Options include a four-speed automatic transmission ($850) or four-wheel drive ($1500). 

GLS ($20,395) is powered by a 173-horsepower 2.7-liter V6 engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Enhancements include upgraded cloth trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, a more powerful audio system with cassette and MP3, a trip computer, front wiper de-icer, illuminated vanity mirrors, gray lower body cladding, a tire pressure monitor, fog lights, and wider tires. Mirrors and door handles are body color instead of black. Four-wheel drive ($1500) is optional. 

Limited ($21,695) is upgraded with leather seating and door trim, heated seats, automatic climate control, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, and a 200-watt sound system with a six-CD changer. Lower bodyside cladding is body color rather than gray. Four-wheel drive is optional ($1500). 

Options include a power tilt-and-slide sunroof ($850) for the GLS and Limited; GLS buyers can also package the sunroof with heated front seats and the Limited's 200-watt audio and six-CD changer ($1500). The only options available for GL are mud flaps ($75) and roof-rack cross rails ($205). 

Walkaround

Hyundai's larger SUV, the Santa Fe, has always drawn mixed reviews for its styling; some like its unusual curvy lines while others think it's goofy-looking. Although the Hyundai Tucson is built on the same platform as Santa Fe, it is a fraction of an inch longer in wheelbase and seven inches shorter overall, creating very different proportions and a totally different look. Where Santa Fe is elongated, Tucson is stubby and cute, not dissimilar from the Honda CR-V. 

The Tucson has clean lines with a relatively big grille up front and headlamps that blend in well with the hood line and edges of the fenders. The front bumper is a large one-piece molding that begins just below the grille, houses three large air openings and two fog lights (on models that have them) and then forms a spoiler at the bottom. Yet in profile this impressive piece of plastic barely protrudes in front of the grille opening. At the back, the outer edges of the rear bumper reaches up to the tail lights; this bumper sticks out a few inches, adding protection. 

Tucson's rear tailgate slopes forward, avoiding the van-like vertical look of many other small SUVs. The rear window can be opened separately from the main tailgate although it is not very big, making it ineffective for loading much more than small light stuff. 

GLS comes with lower body cladding that runs from the front bumper, around the fenders and along the lower edges of the doors, to the rear bumper. Finished in matte black, the cladding is not too obtrusive. Limited features a monochromatic look, with body-color cladding as well as the same body-color mirrors and door handles as the GLS. 

All models come with 16-inch alloy wheels; although the wheels on GLS and Limited are more intricately styled. A roof rack and tinted windows are also standard on all models. 

Even though Tucson is not intended for serious off-road driving, it does have relatively short front and rear overhangs for improved clearance. This is largely thanks to the Tucson's long wheelbase, fractionally longer than that of the Honda CR-V or Ford Escape, even though both of those vehicles are several inches longer overall. Tucson's longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs is a sign of superior design. The Tucson also has a relatively wide track, which helps improve its stability. 

Interior

There's nothing cheap or spartan about the interior of the Hyundai Tucson, although it won't be mistaken for a luxury vehicle. Trim accents are matte black in the GL, bright metallic in GLS and Limited. The GLS comes with brightly colored cloth seats that some people find too gaudy, while others like the pattern as it brightens up the interior. 

Big radio and climate controls are mounted reasonably high for easy reach, as is the shift lever. The instrument pod contains three gauges with a decent-sized speedometer in the center and a smaller tachometer and fuel gauge off to the sides. 

Big storage pockets in each of the four doors contain an indent for a large cup, plus room for several maps or whatever. In addition there are a couple of cupholders in the center console. It's also nice to see a proper parking brake lever in the center instead of a pedal-operated parking brake. There are no fewer than three 12-volt power outlets; apart from the usual one at the front there is one in the rear cargo area and one at the back of the center console for use by the rear seat passengers. 

Thanks again to Tucson's long wheelbase, ingress to and egress from the rear seats is good. Once inside, rear-seat passengers will find adequate head and leg room for all but the tallest people. The rear seatback splits 60/40 to fold down with the push of single lever for more cargo space; you don't even have to remove the headrests. The front passenger seat folds flat also, providing room for long objects or a convenient desk for a lone driver. 

A reasonable amount of rear luggage space can be hidden by a solid rear cargo cover/parcel shelf. A large washable rubber mat covers a hidden under-floor storage area. The mat also helps protect the flooring, as well as providing a non-slip surface. There are six tie-downs at the side for securing cargo in addition to three grocery bag hooks. 

Driving Impression

We had the opportunity to drive a few different Tucson variants, all powered by the V6 engine. Around town and out on open highways the 173-horsepower V6 delivers adequate power for what is a relatively heavy vehicle for its size. This engine features variable-length intake runners for good power and torque across the rpm band. 

The four-speed automatic shifts smoothly. Those who want to be more in command can push the shift lever over to the Shiftronic semi-manual mode. Just a few years ago such an option was only offered on high-end sports cars. 

The steering felt connected, although a tad light in feel. 

The brakes were smooth and stopped the vehicle efficiently. ABS keeps the wheels from locking up and sliding on slippery or uneven surfaces, so the driver maintains steering control even in a panic stop. EBD adjusts the front-to-rear proportioning of braking force according to the load on the wheels and continuously adjusts as the weight shifts forward during a stop. Again, this kind of sophisticated active safety equipment was the exclusive province of expensive cars just a few years ago. 

A brief drive along a rocky dirt track showed that the Tucson can manage some light off-highway duty. Without low gearing and aggressive off-road tires it was not able to climb a really steep slippery slope. But judging from the old skid marks we found, it didn't look as though many other vehicles had managed to get up that particular slope, either. 

A downhill stretch of smooth, slippery, muddy gravel road nearly afforded an opportunity to test the electronic stability control system. But then we eyed the high crown in the middle of the road, and the deep ditches on either side, and decided that this was not the place to try to induce a slide. We did, however, proceed at a reasonably brisk pace, and not once did we feel our Tucson begin to slip. So perhaps the stability control was working so transparently that we did not realize it had engaged. 

We drove both four-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive models on pavement, and somewhat to our surprise found that we liked the ride and handling of the 4WD versions slightly better. This might seem counterintuitive, but it was probably because the 4WD models pack a little more weight over their rear wheels, making them better balanced overall, even though they are slightly heavier. What's more, the 4WD models didn't spin their front wheels on wet and slippery roads, as the FWD models tended to do. All told, the 4WD option is worthwhile and we recommend getting it. 

The four-wheel-drive system is a part-time setup, but once engaged it operates more like full-time all-wheel-drive, automatically routing power to the end of the vehicle that can use it best. (Unlike all-wheel drive, traditional part-time 4WD, the kind associated with older pickup trucks, does not alter the torque split according to conditions.) Most of the time the electronic brain sends most of the power (up to 99 percent) to the front wheels. Then as road conditions change the system diverts up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels. Called Electronic InterActive Torque Management, Tucson's Borg Warner system is essentially the same system Hyundai installs in the AWD Santa Fe, except that Tucson provides an additional mode that allows the driver to lock in a 50/50 torque split for really slippery conditions. The lock automatically disengages above 20-25 mph, or when the ABS is activated. 

We did not have the opportunity to drive the base GL model with a four-cylinder engine. This is a relatively sophisticated power plant, with four valves per cylinder and Hyundai's continuously variable valve timing (CVVT). Still, it produces only 140 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and 136 pound-feet of torque at 4500. Judging from the modest performance of the V6-powered Tucson, we expect anemic acceleration from the four-cylinder, especially when harnessed to an automatic transmission or four-wheel drive. Possi. 

Summary

The Hyundai Tucson is fully competitive with the established players in this segment. And we've found the quality to be good. Tucson is no barnstormer as far as performance goes, but then neither are most of its competitors. The V6 engine provides enough power to satisfy most people. Tucson costs hundreds of dollars less than its rivals yet it comes loaded with comfort and convenience features as well as a full complement of safety features. 

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Rettie is based in Santa Barbara. 

Model Lineup

Hyundai Tucson GL ($17,495); GLS ($20,395); Limited ($21,695). 

Assembled In

Ulsan, South Korea. 

Options As Tested

sunroof, 6-disc CD changer, subwoofer, heated front seats ($1500); mud guards ($75).