Hyundai gives the Tucson new running shoes (and some steroids)
Hyundai gives the Tucson new running shoes (and some steroids)
First Drive Impression
By Martin Pretorius
In the fiercely competitive world of mid-sized SUV-crossovers, the Hyundai Tucson has earned its place as a worthy contender in the race for sales success. Even lower-trim variants boast competitive spec levels and offer fair value for money, while the high-end derivatives add safety- and convenience technology to go with their extra power.
But enough is never enough, so Hyundai South Africa decided to add some extra spice to the mix: more power and visual enhancements are the main factors which distinguish the new Tucson Sport from its lesser brethren. They’ve done this before, of course, with the pre-facelift Tucson Sport, of which more than 500 units were sold over its short production run.
Now it’s time for the latest Tucson to receive the same treatment. And, interestingly enough, they even offer a “performance diesel” this time around. The end result is interesting and fun, but doesn’t come without some compromises...
Tucson Sport design
Visually, the new Tucson Sport stands apart from the rest of the range, thanks the addition of a body styling kit, black 19-inch alloy wheels, and a quad-exhaust outlet setup poking out of the rear bumper. Because the body kit is finished in body colour, it makes for an unusual contrast with normal Tucson’s blacked-out trim pieces upon which these new bits are mounted.
The locally-sourced alloy wheels are of the same design as the pre-facelift model’s, and their gloss black finish adds a menacing air to the side profile. The complete picture certainly looks a lot more assertive than lesser Tucsons, although it may just be a little too extroverted for conservatively-minded buyers.
Mechanical upgrades
This Tucson isn’t meant for conservative types, though – the new exhaust system leaves no doubt about that. Those quad tailpieces aren’t just for show, as they emit a rorty sound outside the car, but remains reasonably muted inside the cabin. Fortunately, this new plumbing doesn’t drone much at freeway speeds, so long-distance cruising shouldn’t be too punishing.
Giving some bite to back up the bark, electronic tuning has liberated a useful helping of extra power. In contrast to the pre-facelift Tucson Sport, which was only available with a petrol engine, the latest one can also be had with an uprated diesel mill under the bonnet. Both Sport derivatives are front-wheel drive only, and are exclusively available with automatic gearboxes: a 7-speed dual-clutch unit in the petrol, and an 8-speed torque converter automatic in the diesel.
The power upgrades amount to an extra 20 kW and 35 Nm on top of the (petrol) 1.6T Elite’s outputs, giving new totals of 150 kW and 300 Nm. The diesel’s increases are even more notable, jumping from the 2.0D Elite’s 131 kW and 400 Nm to new peaks of 150 kW and 460 Nm. Those are staunch numbers, especially from such a small-capacity diesel engine.
Driving impressions
During the product launch event in Gauteng, we had opportunity to sample both petrol- and diesel-powered Sports – both on road and on Gerotek’s dynamic handling circuit. The handling circuit proved that both derivatives have plenty of road grip and benign behaviour in hard cornering, but really, the Tucson Sports were a bit out of their element in these conditions. Steering feedback is still almost non-existent, and the diesel’s gearbox could be caught off-guard in fast track driving.
Suffice it to say that both variants were much more at home on public roads and freeways than they were when being hurled through the twisties, with plenty of urge available underfoot and generally fuss-free progress. Fuss-free, that is, until you pull away sharply, when the torque could easily overwhelm the traction available from the petrol derivative’s front tyres.
In these instances, it didn’t hesitate to light up the front tyres from a standstill, and then kept them spinning right through second gear – in spite of the traction control’s best efforts. Drivers would be well advised to tread lightly on the petrol Sport’s loud pedal at low speeds, lest they land up in trouble with the authorities. That unruly edge does provide proof that the Tucson Sport indeed has as many ponies under the bonnet as Hyundai claims, though...
The diesel Sport had less of a traction problem at low speeds, in spite of its extra torque, thanks to the smoother power take-up of the traditional autobox sitting between the engine and front tyres. In typical diesel fashion, it has a more relaxed power delivery, and doesn’t really relish being revved out past 4000 r/min. There's also a noticeable amount of boost lag from take-off, so its 150 kW is consequently a lot more gentlemanly (and a lot less obvious) than the same number in the petrol variant.
Inside the cabin
Seeing as both Sport variants are based on the Elite trim level, they come with almost every possible gadget. Included in the standard spec list is a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights, electric adjustment for both front seats, dual-zone climate control with separate outlets for the rear seats, cruise control, rear parking sensors and rear-view camera, and a 7-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety features include 6 airbags, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and ISOFIX child seat anchors. Leather upholstery and keyless entry (with pushbutton start) rounds off this comprehensive equipment package. Unlike the exterior appearance, there’s nothing inside the cabin to set the Sport apart from Elite variants, however.
Verdict
It’s really nice of Hyundai to offer South African buyers two Tucsons with a sharper edge, along with cosmetic changes to set the hotter versions apart. Unfortunately, this added shot of muscle comes at a rather steep price: the petrol Sport sells for R654 900, and the diesel carries a R664 900 price tag. This puts the Tucson Sport up against some pretty classy metal, such as a very nicely optioned BMW X1, and well above the price of a top-spec Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI 4Motion.
Is it as good all round as the suave VW, and does the Hyundai badge carry as much gravitas as the BMW roundel? Probably not, and definitely not. However, the Tucson Sport is a charming and individualistic alternative to the mainstream brands, and, most importantly, it creates a Hyundai with a bit of a wild side.
In the absence of the drool-worthy i30N hot hatchback, this is as close to a naughty Hyundai as you’ll find anywhere on the local market. It deserves a round of applause, even if only because it owns and embraces its own silliness. If there were more characterful cars like this on our market, driving would become a lot more fun.
- Hyundai hasn’t released any official performance figures yet, so we’re guessing here, based on gut feel. Expect the petrol Sport to sprint from 0 – 100 in around 7.5 seconds, and the diesel Sport in about 8.5 seconds. We’ll update this article as more details become available.
Related reading:
We liked the first (pre-facelift) Tucson quite a lot, though.
What changed during the 2018 facelift? Find out here.
We took the Tucson 2.0D Elite on a road trip, and it performed very well indeed.
BMW's X1 is a pretty accomplished machine. Find out why we like it so much.
Click here to see why the VW Tiguan poses such strong competition to the Tucson Sport.