2003 Hyundai Tiburon Tuscani

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/08/2003 (8168 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WITH the Tiburon, Hyundai has a tough job to do: convince sport coupe intenders that the Tiburon is a better buy than a Toyota Celica, Acura RSX, or VW GTI at roughly the same price point.

Until now, every Hyundai to date has had one very significant advantage over its competitors: price. That left Hyundai a little bit of leeway to produce cars that weren’t quite up to snuff in other areas: refinement, performance and resale value to name a few. But this new Tuscani version of the Tiburon puts its price on an even playing ground with the above-mentioned competition. Is it up to the task?

The Lineup

The Tib is available in base, SE, GT, and Tuscani models. Base and SE models are propelled by a 134-hp four-banger, while the GT and Tuscani get a 170-hp V-6. Major standard features on the $19,995 base model include six-speaker CD stereo, rear-seat heat ducts, power windows and locks, four wheel disc brakes, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The SE, at $22,395, is more hospitable with air conditioning, cruise control, tilt/slide sunroof, rear spoiler, and keyless entry. The $25,795 GT adds a few more goodies in addition to two extra cylinders: leather on the seats (heated in front), door inserts, and steering wheel; anti-lock brakes; sport-tuned suspension; and 17-inch alloy wheels.

My Tuscani tester stickered at $26,995 and added the following to the GT package: six-speed manual gearbox, traction control, titanium-coloured interior trim, trip computer, painted front brake calipers, additional gauges, and automatic climate control.

Unique Tuscani badging, replacing the standard Hyundai logos, means that anybody who does not recognize the car will have trouble identifying even the brand to which it belongs.

Oh yeah, and the Tuscani is available in any colour as long as it’s Tuscani yellow.

Nuts & Bolts

As I alluded to earlier, the Tuscani is propelled by a 2.7-litre V-6 with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. Output numbers measure 170 hp at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 181 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a Tuscani-only six-speed manual. Where the rubber meets the road are four Z-rated Michelin Pilot Sport tires that measure 215/45R-17.

Four-wheel discs (vented in front) with anti-lock control provide stopping power, while a traction control system keeps wheelspin on slick surfaces at bay. Its suspension is of the fully independent variety, with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Stabilizer bars are used fore and aft.

Inside and Out

This Tiburon was redesigned for 2002; a change that should go down in history as one of the most significant changes for the better ever seen in the industry. The old Tib had a disjointed look — fenders were too high, tires were too small, and the rear wing was comical to these eyes.

The new Tib is serious in contrast: a sleek, low slung profile; tasteful proportions; and aggressive creases that shout ‘contender’ rather than ‘pretender.’ I specifically like the tail with its tasteful light cluster and dual exhaust outlets. Sadly, the Tuscani does not come equipped with the rear spoiler found on the GT.

The front end is still a little chunky for my liking, probably a reflection of packaging under the hood, but at least the bulk is disguised more than in the old car. Also not to my liking is Tuscani yellow, the only colour available on this model. I much prefer the deep “samba red” of other Tiburons.

More points are scored in the Tiburon’s cockpit. Once I got used to the low seating position (the windowsills are up at shoulder height when seated), the interior really grew on me. The seats are comfortable, the dash attractive and very legible, and all major controls fall easily to hand. The titanium-look trim on the dash is a huge improvement over the matte black plastic of lesser models.

Rear accommodations are typical coupe-tight and rear seat passengers would do well to heed the warnings on the stickers: duck if somebody is closing the hatch above or you risk having a large flat spot where the sub-parietal lobe of your brain used to be.

The Driving Experience

I had my reservations going into this test drive. The last Tiburon I drove, the now-discontinued GS-R, didn’t seem as well screwed together as I had hoped. It seemed the stiff suspension was too much for the body structure to handle, resulting in creaks and rattles on bumpy roads. Now I can safely say that something was probably wrong with that example, as the Tiburon Tuscani I drove suffered from no such malaise. In fact, it felt as solid and refined as any of its Japanese competitors.

I found the V-6 to be a jewel. It’s eager to rev to redline and makes beautiful music while doing so — a thoroughly refined powerplant that I never got tired of putting through its paces. It also feels significantly faster than its 170 horses might suggest. The six-speed shifter is crisp — almost notchy in its actions, but finding the right gear is never a concern. Clutch take-up is smooth and linear. The shifter could be shorter, making for shorter throws and a more comfortable bend in my right arm.

The brakes feel confident and sure with firm pedal feel. Lateral transitions are well looked after by steering response that ensures crisp turn-in. Body motions are tightly controlled, resulting in a less than compliant ride quality but superb cornering feel.

The car doesn’t hide its front-drive chassis: on rough roads, acceleration requires a firm grip on the wheel to stay on course. For the most part, however, torque steer is not an issue. The traction control allows a fair bit of wheelspin before kicking in, which on dry pavement works just fine. I’m not so sure such a slow-to-react system would be my friend on the slick stuff though.

A few notes on the bells and whistles: the climate control is very good, reacting quickly to changes in desired temperature and not requiring constant adjustment as I’ve found in some units. Not so good is the trip computer. I found the distance-to-empty reading to be useless. When the fuel gauge was still reading over a quarter of a tank remaining, the distance to empty display was flashing as if to tell my I should be stranded on the side of the road any moment.

To sum up

The Tiburon Tuscani is a refined, sporty car with the moves to back up its aggressive styling. It’s certainly worth a look when shopping for a sporty coupe in the mid-to-high $20s.

Shopping Around

The sporty coupe segment is not a huge one, but it does offer plenty of alternatives with distinctly different characters:

Acura RSX

Honda Civic SiR

MINI Cooper

Mitsubishi Eclipse

Toyota Celica

VW GT