Set the pace

THIS VEHICLE is all about making a bold statement. Unmissable is the wide and athletic stance, aggressive grille, and low and prominent front fender. The flared side skirts beneath the doors, the high window and boot line, the wing over the rear window, and of course the quad tailpipes for good measure also don’t go unnoticed. The low profile 245/45 R19 tyres on 19-inch black alloy wheels yell for attention, and strongly hint at this sporty SUV’s performance intentions.

But it’s also the little things – the attention to detail on the finer points – that stand out, and, truthfully, annoy at times.

The little chime that plays whenever you climb into this Tucson, or turn it off – something akin to starting up a Windows 98 computer – was perhaps novel in the beginning, but soon gnawed at my sanity. To be blunt, I know when I’m in a car, and when I’ve turned it off, so please don’t tell me something I’m well aware of with a jingle. But much more positive were the interior finishes in the cosseting cabin – the multimode steering wheel; touchscreen infotainment hub (itself several times more intuitive than many other cars I’ve tested); large (well, massive) panoramic sunroof; sun visors with extra slide-out protection that’s super useful when flipped across the top of the side windows; and power-, USB-, and aux ports in handy places. On top of that, plush rubbers and plastics, and subtle and neat seam work convey a tone of luxuriousness.

It is impossible, though, to overlook another glaring negative, and that’s the throttle response, which is vastly (and inexplicably) oversensitive, making it nigh impossible to pull off in a gentle, or even normal way. Yes, this car might look fast, and it is – even though it’s only a 1.6 litre – but sometimes you just want to drive in a sedate manner, which the accelerator response doesn’t accommodate. Also, when the auto gearbox changed back down, third to second made an awkward ‘clonk’ sound, which didn’t sit well with me.

Aesthetics, build quality, space and performance will certainly attract many buyers, but some of the smaller annoyances might deter others. – Mark Samuel

/ Hyundai Tucson 1.6 TGDI Sport DCT