Hyundai Tiburon Reviews

Graham Smith road tests and reviews the used Hyundai Tiburon 2002-2010.

Hyundai Tiburon coupe arrived in Australia in March 2002 to somewhat mixed reviews. The biggest stumbling block to sales was the unusual styling.A minor facelift in February 2005 didn’t make a lot of difference to the overly Asian shape, but a major reshape in February 2007 was a winner. Though it retained the same overall silhouette the ’07 Tiburon looked so much better that it could have been an all-new design.At the start but Tiburon’s price was somewhat optimistic for a South Korean company that still sat low in the image stakes. Prices were slashed and sales lifted to a reasonable level, so there are quite a few on the used-car scene.Coupes have made a comeback in Australia in the last couple of years. Hyundai’s own Veloster with its striking shape and interesting door layout grabbed a lot of attention, but the biggest publicity came from the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins.Prices of Tiburons may increase due to this renewed interest in coupes, no promises though...The South Koreans have a similar attitude to Australians in their likes of good chassis dynamics and driving pleasure. So the Tiburon has a nicely neutral feel and gives good feedback through the steering.It’s not going to rival the big name Europeans but is a lot better than you might expect, particularly if you invest in a good set of sporting tyres.Interior room is pretty good in the front seats of the Tiburon coupe, chiefly because front-wheel drive through a transverse engine takes up less space.The rear seat is about average for this class, meaning it’s much better suited to kids than adults. Access to the rear seats of the Hyundai Tiburon requires a degree of flexibility, but we have seen worse.When launched in Australia the Tiburon came with a choice between a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing a somewhat lacklustre 102 kW, and a 2.7-litre V6 with a healthier, though still not outstanding, 127 kW. The latter output dropped marginally to 123 kW with the introduction of the 2007 model because the old-design engine had to be modified to meet new emission regulations.The four-cylinder engine was withdrawn from the Australian lineup midway through 2004. At the same time the price of the V6 was drastically reduced, to the extent that the V6 was then cheaper than the four-cylinder had been at the time of its 2002 introduction.Transmission is by a five-speed manual with the four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual beside the V6. A four-speed automatic transmission is available with both engines, its relative lack of ratios is partly counterbalanced by it having sequential-manual modes that let a keen driver make their own decision about which gear the Tiburon needs.Build quality has improved markedly in Hyundai cars in the last few years. Tiburon is one of the older generation models but isn’t too bad in the quality stakes. Our ‘what to look for’ section will give you some advice on areas of possible concern.A good amateur mechanic can do a fair bit of work on this car as the design is relatively simple. As always, it's sensible to leave the safety related items to the experts.There seems to be some confusion among insurance companies as to what class the Tiburon falls into, so it's worth shopping around for a good deal. As always, make sure you’re comparing apples with apples.WHAT TO LOOK FORCheck the remote locking is working correctly on Tiburons made before 2005. Electric windows that are reluctant to work aren’t unknown in early models. Look for power steering hoses that are swollen and/or leaking oil. While bodies are generally good, interiors can be of variable build quality. Check for untidy edges between plastic panels, minor controls that don’t fit neatly and controls that are stiff or sloppy in operation.Listen and feel for hesitation from the engine when it’s suddenly asked to work hard. Make sure the manual gearbox has reasonably slick changes and that there's no grinding or jamming during fast downshifts. Check for uneven tyre wear, especially at the front wheels. This can be an indication of harsh driving.CAR BUYING TIPHaving finance on standby before walking into a used-car yard puts you in a stronger bargaining position.

Think of affordable sportscars under $80,000 and what models come to mind? Nissan's 350Z, Mazda's RX8, Alfa Romeo's GT or Brera or perhaps the Chrysler Crossfire.But there's one missing from the list and it comes loaded with equipment, looks good and has a tiny $34,990 price tag.Hyundai's ageing Tiburon, around in this form since 2001, has been a bit of a Cinderella in this market and sales haven't exactly set the market alight.Why? It beats me, but Korean-built cars are still perceived as lacking emotion and let's face it, the very name Tiburon doesn't quite have the cachet of its rivals.Tiburon means shark in Spanish, but is also the name of a wealthy town in California. Other Hyundais that share their names with US locations include Tucson and Santa Fe.Until now the V6 Tiburon isn't quite delivered in terms of the raw power and seat-of-the pants handling expected of a real sportscar.Hyundai has set out to change all that with a revamped and slightly restyled version of the coupe now on sale.Its somewhat dated muscular styling has been given a facelift.Hyundai lovingly describes the styling as 'sensuous.' I wouldn't go that far, but Tiburon does turn heads.It's a big solid coupe for two, it has four seats but the rear is, in practical terms, generally off-limits to adults although bearable for short trips.At least you can flip the rear seat backs to stretch what is already a massive load area under the deep opening tailgate.The cockpit, which is bathed at night in disco blue lights, is thoroughly modern and works well, thanks to well-designed controls and instruments.The Tiburon's big appeal, however, is its value for money and it's backed by an industry-leading five-year unlimited warranty.There's plenty of standard kit for the money, including extensive safeties like stability and traction control, multiple airbags and smart anti-lock brakes.You can also tick the boxes for alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning (with pollen filtering), an audio system that accepts MP3 players, cruise control, leather steering wheel, remote locking with alarm, trip computer and electrics for the windows and mirrors.And there's plenty of other neat stuff as well, like a retractable cup-holder cooled by the air conditioning system, sun visors that can be extended to fully cover the windscreen, a purpose-built holder for a mobile phone, a tray in the spare wheel to store anything wet and loads of storage bins and pockets.The driver's seat has manual height/tilt adjustment, which is a bit downmarket nowadays, but the passenger seat at least has a memory setting and returns to its position after you fold it.The big changes for the latest Tiburon are under the sleek skin.Hyundai has answered critics of the previous model, which was a tad nervous under cornering, by tinkering with the suspension geometry.The car no longer feels as though it's going to bite you on the bum mid-corner and sits flatter into the curves, while the steering feels sharper, especially in turn-in.Power comes from a sedate 2.7-litre V6 with 123kW of power and 245Nm of torque.The six-speed manual is the version to go for and offers short-throw shifting, but the sequential auto is still very likeable.Hyundai quotes a 0-100km/h sprint time of a leisurely 8.2 seconds but remember this car weighs in at more than 1400kg.The six-speed manual is $34,990, the four-speed sequential auto $36,780 and a powered sunroof adds $1500.There is also a limited edition version called the TS, only 62 were imported but they are available on order that has its own blue paintwork, sunroof, leather upholstery and badging, for $37,590 for the manual and $39,380 for the automatic.

Think of affordable sportscars under $80,000 and what models come to mind? Nissan's 350Z, Mazda's RX-8, Alfa Romeo's GT or Brera — or perhaps the Chrysler Crossfire.But there's one missing from the list — and it comes loaded with equipment, looks good and has a tiny $34,990 price tag.Hyundai's ageing Tiburon. around in this form since 2001, has been a bit of a Cinderella in this market and sales haven't exactly set the market alight. Why? It beats me, but Korean-built cars are still perceived as lacking emotion — and, let's face it, the very name Tiburon doesn't quite have the cachet of its rivals.And until now the V6 Tib hasn't quite delivered in terms of the raw power and seat-of-the pants handling expected of a real sportscar.Hyundai has set out to change all that with a revamped and slightly restyled version of the coupe now on sale. Its somewhat dated muscular styling has been given a facelift. Hyundai lovingly describes the styling as “sensuous”. I wouldn't go that far, but Tiburon does turn heads.It's a big solid coupe for two — it has four seats but the rear is, in practical terms, generally off-limits to adults although bearable for short trips. At least you can flip the rear seat backs to stretch what is already a massive load area under the deep opening tailgate.The cockpit, which is bathed at night in disco blue lights, is thoroughly modern and works well, thanks to well-designed controls and instruments. The Tiburon's big appeal, however, is its value for money and it's backed by an industry-leading five-year unlimited warranty.There's plenty of standard kit for the money, including extensive safeties like stability and traction control, multiple airbags and smart anti-lock brakes.You can also tick the boxes for alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning (with pollen filtering), an audio system that accepts MP3 players, cruise control, leather steering wheel, remote locking with alarm, trip computer and electrics for the windows and mirrors. And there's plenty of other neat stuff as well, like a retractable cup-holder cooled by the air conditioning system, sun visors that can be extended to fully cover the windscreen, a purpose-built holder for a mobile phone, a tray in the spare wheel to store anything wet and loads of storage bins and pockets.The driver's seat has manual height/tilt adjustment, which is a bit downmarket nowadays, but the passenger seat at least has a memory setting and returns to its position after you fold it to get the kids into the back seat. There's still no reach adjustment for the steering wheel and the doors are heavy to open but at least they shut with a reassuring clunk rather than a tinny clang.The big changes for the latest Tiburon are hidden under the sleek skin. Hyundai has answered critics of the previous model, which was a tad nervous under cornering, by tinkering with the suspension geometry. The car no longer feels as though it's going to bite you on the bum mid-corner and sits flatter into the curves, while the steering feels sharper, especially in turn-in.Power comes from a sedate 2.7-litre V6 with 123kW of power and 245Nm of torque. The six-speed manual is the version to go for and offers short-throw shifting, but the sequential auto is still very likeable.Hyundai quotes a 0-100km/h sprint time of a leisurely 8.2 seconds but remember this car weighs in at more than 1400kg. Keep the revs up to ride the torque wave and the car can be rewarding to drive.You'd expect a car like this to be thirsty but fuel consumption isn't too bad. Official figures are 10.2L/100km for the auto and 10.3L/100km for the manual on standard unleaded, but I couldn't get anywhere near those figures.The six-speed manual is $34,990, the four-speed sequential auto $36,780 and a powered sunroof adds $1500.Hyundai also launched a limited edition version called the TS — only 62 were imported but they are available on order — that has its own blue paintwork, sunroof, leather upholstery and badging, for $37,590 for the manual and $39,380 for the automatic.

The ageing Hyundai Tiburon has just had a predictable nip-and-tuck facelift.It's been around since 2001, when the Korean carmaker introduced the sports coupe to Australia, and it has profited from the loss of Toyota's Celica and MR2 and the Honda Prelude.The facelifted Tiburon V6 -- Tiburon means shark in Spanish -- comes with a new-look bonnet, blistered quad headlights, a new bumper and a wider, lower grille housing two foglight pods.It also has a high-rise rear wing with integrated LED tail-lights, chromed dual exhausts, extended side crease, refined badging and fresh 17-inch alloys.Importantly, the upgraded car adds stability control and front/side thorax airbags as standard.Inside, the car has fully automatic climate control airconditioning, with an air-quality monitor that turns the system to recycle if it detects excessive pollution or pollen in the cabin.The audio system is iPod/MP3-compatible and new instruments with blue ambient lighting replace the orange from the original car.But the starting price is up by $2000, an unusual move for the value-driven brand, from $34,990 for the six-speed manual.A limited-edition TS with vivid blue medium metallic paint, sunroof, black leather trim, TS badging and special carpet mats tops the range at $37,590.The major mechanical revisions are in the front suspension, with new damping settings and new lower front-control arms and bushes. The car feels sharper off, turns into corners better and has picked up a nice weighting to the steering feel.Some minor kickback over broken surfaces under load is within the range of acceptability, and the overall ride quality is good, with higher-end noise, vibration and harshness control.The seats are reasonably comfortable and supportive, but the lack of a reach adjustment on the steering wheel is disappointing.Given the minor changes, it is likely the Tiburon will be replaced within three years, but Hyundai Australia is giving nothing away."There are products under development, but we haven't been told much about them," Hyundai Australia product planning manager Ben Hershman says."I would only be guessing what they may be, but I imagine one could be a sporty model that would be at least a few years away, given we haven't seen or heard anything."In the interim, the Tiburon has to fight on with the same architecture and lightweight 2.7-litre V6 engine it was launched with.Hyundai says it has no plans to replace the 123kW/245Nm DOHC unit with the newer and more powerful 3.3-litre engine from the Sonata.Coupled to a close-gate six-speed manual box or a four-speed automatic, the engine needs to be kept well up in the rev range -- above 3000 revs -- but works well in a narrow band.

It's easy to spot the new nose, high-riser rear wing and a new design for its 17inch alloy wheels shod with 215/45 R17 performance tyres. There is more underneath.For extra safety, Tiburon adds ESP and front seat side thorax airbags to its standard dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, front seat belt pre- tensioners and load-limiters.Cornering is a touch more neutral and better damped with new front suspension lower control arms and bushes.Tiburons pollen-filtering air-conditioning is now fully automatic and gains AQS (Air Quality System) which automatically switches to recirculate if it senses overly polluted or pungent outside air.A new high quality audio system with an integrated auxiliary jack for connecting iPods, MP3 players and other portable audio devices is standard.Cool, blue-hue instrument lighting is new for Tiburon.Detail upgrades dot the revised interior.Standard equipment includes cruise control, leather steering wheel rim and auto gearshift knob, engine immobiliser, remote central locking with alarm, electric windows and door mirrors and a trip computer.The price is $34,990 for the six-speed manual and $36,780 for the Selectronic sequential clutchless manual-mode automatic.A TS limited edition finished in a stand-out new Vivid Blue medium metallic and factory- equipped with a power tilt-slide sunroof, black leather interior trim, TS badging and mono- grammed carpet mats. Tiburon TS is available now for $37,590 for the manual, more for the auto.Tiburon is powered by a 123kW/245Nm all- alloy, 2.7 litre, quad-cam, 24-valve, V6 engine. It weighs in at 1388kg.

Behind the scenes the Korean giant is accelerating hard for a re-entry into the World Rally Championship and is talking up its future driven direction.Under development for the WRC is an all-new Theta engine hatch, codenamed RC, and the company is recruiting top talent for its new rally headquarters at the design and technical centre in Russelheim, Germany.There are also bold plans to transform its current generation Tiburon coupe into a rear-wheel-drive performance two-door with a large capacity V6.The HCD-8 concept car will reportedly form the basis of the new coupe expected to come into production in the next couple of years.Currently the Tiburon represents a time when Hyundai was taking its first tangible steps into image and quality.This front-wheel-drive coupe is arguably sportier than Toyota's long-serving four-cylinder Celica and is definitely the best priced two-door V6 on the market which starts well south of $40,000.Upgraded this year with tidier front and rear treatments the Tiburon also gained facelifts in the cabin.There are black leather side bolsters with red stitching and red cloth centre panels woven over with black mesh-effect netting.While most of the upgrades amount to nips and tucks here and there, they further strengthen the value-for-money edge in this V6 coupe.It may not be the most desirable badge to have in terms of sports cars but nothing, absolutely nothing, competes with its price point.At $32,990 for the six-speed manual, the Tiburon represents exceptional value for money.Stunning value especially if you do your homework and find out the Tiburon was $41,888 when it was launched more than three years ago.It is fun and functional and delivers an engaging drive.The close-ratio six-speed box works well with the 2.7-litre V6 which is borrowed from the Santa Fe offroader.There is not a ripping amount of power immediately but there is a good dose of torque. It delivers the power quite smoothly and offers a sound ride on the highway although it deteriorates on choppy surfaces.On cornering, the Tiburon sometimes misbehaves without too much throttle application, the tyres up front scrabbling for adhesion.The 17-inch rubber chirps without much provocation.Steering is a little on the heavy side and there is a degree of understeer in this front-wheel-drive coupe.Perhaps one of the most refreshing points about the Tiburon is the comment from a passerby after they were told it was a Hyundai on questioning what make of car it is."Gee it doesn't look like a Hyundai. It actually looks quite nice," came the reply.So the challenge for the next generation of Hyundai coupes is to keep a competitive price and maintain inroads in quality and driveability.For the moment the Tiburon, Spanish for shark, is quite a tidy package and well and truly undercuts the $40,000-plus head-banging machines.

Tiburon is Spanish for shark so the link is easy to make especially now there are prominent "gills" in the 'guards aft of the front wheels and a "gaping maw" front air intake.Not that it really needed spicing up but Hyundai initially over-priced the car driving potential buyers away. That was fixed with a massive reduction in the order of 10 grand to a new point at $32,990, $1500 more for the four speed auto.The one to get is the six speed manual that features a Japanese-manufactured, slick shifting, close-ratio gearbox.It makes a good car even better by capturing the potential of the 127kW, 2.7-litre V6 engine.It's the same power plant used in umpteen other Hyundai's and sings sweetly and smoothly. Overall performance is impressive, not roll back your eyeball stuff but purposeful and the engine loves to rev.Fanging it sees an increase in fuel consumption to a still good 11.5 litres/100km.There's a pair of widely spaced exhaust outlets that contribute to the aural pleasure when driving the car as does the audio system that is blessed with impressive high and low frequency response and clarity.The interior features leather/cloth upholstery and a neat and modern looking instrument panel with a swag of circular dials. It's a pleasing touch in an era of generic digital readouts and is topped off by a leather sports steering wheel.Driving the Tib' is enhanced by a wide range of equipment. Rear seat head and legroom is cramped but the seats are wide and well padded.The boot is adequate but the spare is a space saver. The Tiburon has ABS, twin airbags, electric sunroof and 17in alloys as standard meaning there is nothing to spend.Performance is good with strong sprints off the mark and good zip right through to the redline at about 7000rpm.Handling is impressive, stable, predictable, flat with ultimate understeer when pushed too hard. The large tyres and firmish suspension grip well wet or dry and the steering is responsive.While there is a definite sporty edge to the suspension, it doesn't compromise the comfy ride.

Hyundai is well known for offering a lot at a low price, and the Tiburon is no exception: sports car-like handling, power and ride with a tag half of some of its rivals.The Tiburon replaced Hyundai's aged RD Coupe and its Ferrari-like styling is a major drawcard. Despite the car being on sale for more than two years many admirers were surprised to learn it was made by the Korean company and many didn't know what it was or what it had in it.At $31,990 for the six-speed manual the Tiburon – Spanish for shark – is one of the cheapest sports cars in the market today, coming in second only to the Daihatsu Copen.The next model to even come close is the Smart roadster at $37,990. While the Tiburon cannot compete with the Smart's go-kart handling, it definitely wins in the power and interior space departments.The Tiburon comes with a 2.7-litre V6 that delivers 127kW of power at 6000rpm and 245Nm at 4000rpm.The manual does the 0-100km/h sprint in a not-so-shabby 8.2 seconds and hits a top speed of 220km/h.Despite these figures, fuel economy is good – the manual using under eight litres per 100km on the highway and about 12L/100km in the city.And the V6 sounds the part too, care of the twin exhausts making their presence known from under the rear bumper.The six-speed manual box features close ratios and is smooth under hand.When pushed the Tiburon turns in well and is nicely balanced. Only slight understeer was felt but was easy to control and reinforces the reason behind the exclusion of stability or traction control buttons – it doesn't need it.Steering feel is a bit remote and the slippery leather steering wheel is a bit off-putting. But it only takes 2.6 turns lock to lock and has a reasonably small 10.8m turning circle.Ride comfort is unusually acceptable for a sports coupe and noise intrusion is minimal, very minimal, with only a small amount of wind over the wing mirrors audible.Brakes come in the form of ventilated discs on the front and solid discs on the rear. ABS and electronic brake-force distribution complete the package.Inside, the Tiburon is stylish and well-equipped but with none of the glitz and fanfare of higher-priced sports cars.It shows that Hyundai concentrated more on the car's driving dynamics rather than filling it with unnecessary wood panelling, steering wheel controls and leather interior.It is a simple layout and there are no fancy extras but all buttons are easy to reach and leave the driver (and passenger) less cramped.The Tiburon has driver and front-passenger airbags, cruise control, airconditioning, power mirrors and windows, sunglass holder, remote central locking, front fog lights and 17-inch alloy wheels and of course the electric tilt/slide sunroof.There are plenty of gauges with three quirky readouts prominent on top of the in-dash MP3/CD player: an instant Newton-metre figure, voltage meter and litres/100km readout. Like most coupes, rear-seat accommodation is for the little ones only. The sharp-sloping rear windscreen leaves little in the way of headroom for the average-sized adult while the legroom is best used on short trips only.Front-seat space is more enjoyable, although larger types can feel their hair touching the roof.The front seats are comfortable thanks to deep side bolstering and cushion contouring. The driver's seat also has lumber support.The back occupants are treated with a small compartment to hold knick-knacks.While nothing has changed on the Tiburon it still represents a good package for your bucks and with the free sunroof, just got a lot more appealing.