From Casual to Black Tie in Every Respect: Hyundai ix35 dons Tucson Tuxedo.

No more ix35?

Hyundai is relaunching the ix35 as the Tucson in South Africa. In other words, it's a newer, better version of the outgoing ix35, which has been a runaway success for Hyundai since its initial launch in 2005.

What's different?

Apart from the name, there are some key changes that prove these Koreans don't have to stand back for the Germans one bit. And with Peter Schreyer at the helm of the design, the Tucson is a rather handsome outdoorsy devil. Despite being a smidgen longer and wider, it's also lower. The latest Hyundai grille, swept back LED headlamps and sculpted flanks all contribute to the sexy new look. In Mr Schreyer's words: "The All-New Tucson has a distinctive and athletic presence achieved through refined, flowing surfaces, bold proportions, sharp lines and most importantly, our newest generation hexagonal grille - our brand signature."

I personally found the outgoing ix35 a little underwhelming in the interior department. It was well-appointed, but lacked the flair of many of its competitors, such as the Mazda CX-5 and Ford's Kuga. In the new Tucson, this has been addressed and it looks more upmarket and stylish than before. The cabin still doesn't have oodles of personality, yet it feels friendlier. Ergonomics are good and the quality of materials used is a considerable step up from the ix35.

At the local launch in Cape Town, we secured the Hyundai Tucson 1.6TGDi Elite DCT AWD      (R 499 900) for our first romp to Riebeek-Kasteel via Malmesbury. As the name implies, it's an all-wheel driven Tucson with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine. Being the flagship model, it boasts an extensive amount of high-tech convenience features, including an impressive new 8-inch multimedia touch-screen with Satnav (optional at R 15 000), with graphics so crisp it reminds us of Volvo XC90's. This variant has standard comfort features galore, such as heated and electrically adjustable front seats, a reclining back seat, a panoramic sunroof, puddle lights and more. It features advanced safety equipment like Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist. Elite and Executive derivatives also have Vehicle Stability Management. Six airbags are standard across the range. The Hyundai Tucson gets a five-star EuroNCAP rating.

My colleague took the wheel first, and as a passenger I could immediately feel the improvements in NVH (noise vibration and harshness). Sitting in traffic on the N1, you 're almost unaware that the engine is running. Later, on a long stretch of corrugated dirt road, the Tucson kept impressing us with the way it simply sailed over the bumps. Hyundai say they've made changes to the damping for increased stabilisation, and it certainly feels like it. The light and vague hydraulic power steering was another niggle in the ix35, but the Tucson is better in this respect too. The power steering is electric, and offers more feedback as well as feeling much more precise. It's never going to be a Porsche Macan, but the average SUV-driver probably won't care. This variant can be driven in Eco or Sport Mode.

The Tucson's 1.6 TGDi engine (used in a Hyundai SUV for the first time) is sufficiently punchy, and works well with the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. However, it's inside the slightly lesser-specced manual Tucson 1.6 TGDi Executive (front-wheel drive), where this engine truly feels alive. It's also 80K cheaper than the flagship model. If you value driver involvement, this variant is without a doubt the one to buy. Our combined fuel consumption came to 9 - 12 litres per 100 km. Drive sensibly and you'll never go over 10.

The less expensive 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated Tucsons (with 115kW and 196 Nm) were not available on the launch, and the diesel models are still undergoing testing so at this point we are unsure as to when (and if) they'll arrive in the southern tip of Africa. The new diesel engines have to meet Euro 6 emissions standards, and we all know our diesel is not the cleanest nor the greenest.

The bottom line

The new Tucson offers levels of refinement not commonly seen in many of the non-Germans  in this segment. It's not a budget option anymore, but should rather be regarded as more of a tried-and-trusted value proposition, which happens to look good enough to be an emotional choice as well.
 
Die-hard ix35 fans will undoubtedly love the Tucson even more. The 5-year/150 000 km manufacturer's warranty is now enhanced with a 7-year / 200 000 km drivetrain warranty, which is likely to attract even more buyers to the brand.

Pricing
Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Nu Premium (manual)	R359 900 (115 kW and 195 Nm)
Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Nu Premium (automatic)	R379 900
Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Nu Elite (automatic)	R439 900
Hyundai Tucson 1.6 TGDi Executive (manual)	R419 900 (130 kW and 265 Nm)
Hyundai Tucson 1.6 TGDi Elite DCT AWD	R499 900