A sports car from Hyundai? Believe it, it's true. This car is up to the task.
Eight Great Rides awards go to cars that peg our fun-per-dollar meters and the new Tiburon snaps the needle. A ground-up redesign for the '03 model year has brought the Tiburon to performance levels we never expected to see from the Korean carmaker.
Where the previous car was soft and soggy, this car is hard and well damped. It's as if Hyundai told its engineers to build a sports car, and told the lawyers to go to hell. The chassis is that good and the engine isn't far behind.
The Tiburon shares its aluminum 2.7-liter V6 with Hyundai's Santa Fe and Sonata. Generally, non-dedicated sports car engines used in sports cars are a bad idea, but this one works pretty well for one simple reason--Hyundai sourced a dedicated six-speed transmission. It allows an enthusiastic driver to keep the engine on boil in most any driving condition, including the hardest driving we could give it. What's more, the Tiburon impressed us most during ten-tenths driving, which is where many cars at this price point fall apart. We took it to our favorite mountain road with another Eight Great contestant for a head-to-head battle. The winner would make the list.
And the Hyundai, after only a few minutes of flogging, was the clear victor.
With massive grip, thanks to its sticky 215/45ZR-17 Michelin Pilot Sport tires and very little body roll, the Hyundai's composure was as impressive as it was unexpected. The harder we drove the Tiburon, the more Hyundai's performance goals became obvious. It's good at going quickly. Blast into a corner with way too much speed? Nothing a little trim with the brakes mid-corner won't cure. The Tiburon's response to trail braking and/or left foot braking stands out as one of its finer handling points. Handling is also characterized by heavy damping, which results in very well-controlled body movement and excellent stability over uneven roads and at high speed.
It's clear the Tiburon's dynamics crew worked overtime dialing in its uncompromised suspension. While it relies on traditional hardware--struts all around--to get the job done, it does it remarkably well.
This performance character is what put it among our Eight Great this year. It clearly outshines cars that previously weren't even considered its competition. It's now one of the best sport compacts for the money. Just don't tell the lawyers.