Hyundai ix35 Road Test
With taxpayer's money having been diverted from repairing the roads to festooning them with humps and obstacles, leaving only pennies in the kitty to repair potholes, Britain's roads are in a shocking state.
A speed cushion with a pothole in it (Thames Ditton High Street 21-2-2010) is a perfect metaphor for the state the economy is in.
Yet, though government has wrecked the economy, sensible people have refused to allow it to wreck their cars. Instead of buying low emission family hatchbacks they're been queuing round the block to get themselves into big wheeled, fat tyred 4x4s. And that's despite the financial penalties of heavier fuel and emissions tax.
So how would these people, indeed how would you feel if there was no financial penalty?
That's what Hyundai was thinking as it developed the ix35. While designers worked on the attractive body with its fashionable creases that echo those of the SEAT Ibiza, engineers were working on the engines and drivetrains.
So you get an all new 134PS 2.0 litre chain cam ‘R' Type diesel engine, that pumps out a mere 147g/km CO2 in two-wheel drive and only 149g/km in four wheel drive. That translates to combined fuel economy of 51.4mpg for the 2WD and 49.6mpg for the 4WD. Pretty much the same as the figures for a Ford Focus 2.0TDCI. Annual VED is only £125 first year and £125 a year for subsequent years, compared to £950, then £435 a year for a Range Rover TDV8.
Have one on the company and your BIK tax at 40% will work out at £1,425 a year, compared to £1,749 for a Focus 2.0TDCI.
3 years of service and repair is estimated at £1,290, again a lower figure than the Focus. And, like all Hyundais, it now comes with a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty, 5 years breakdown cover and 5 years of annual health checks.
From inside, the car feels substantial. You sit high and get the impression of a lot of metal around you. And that's borne out by the 591-litre load area, 41 litres bigger than a C-Max MPV's. Yet at 4,410mm, it's actually 9mm shorter than the latest model Vauxhall Astra. Disappointingly, the rear seats don't gold completely flat in the clever cantilever manner of the Hyundai Tucson. Yet under the load floor there's a full size alloy spare wheel, an exact match for the road wheels, allowing you to rotate and even out tyre wear if you want to.
They all come very well equipped. Style models have 17-inch alloy wheels, ESP, air conditioning, active head restraints, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, heated front and rear seats, downhill brake control, electric windows front and rear, electric heated door mirrors with integrated LED-type side repeaters, six airbags, glove compartment with cooling function, ‘follow-me-home' headlamp function, Hillstart Assist Control, leather steering wheel and gearknob, remote central locking with alarm, steering wheel audio controls, stereo-radio CD with MP3 and iPod connectivity, reverse parking sensors and a trip computer.
In addition, Premium models offer add 18-inch alloys, a full-length panoramic glass sunroof, automatic headlights, chrome door handles, chrome interior trim, cruise control, dual zone climate control with humidity sensor and Ioniser, electric folding door mirrors, front windscreen wiper de-icer, keyless entry with engine stop-start button, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers, part-leather upholstery and smart roof rails.
Prices start at £16,495 for the 2WD petrol engined Style model and £17,995 for the 2WD Style diesel. Diesel prices then go up by £1,000 for 4WD and £1,750 to get the Premium pack, topping out at £20,745. A further £800 buys the Media pack of large touch-screen satnav with reverse parking camera. While £700 gets you the Individual pack of black or brown full leather upholstery, auto-dimming rear view mirror and SuperVision instrument cluster with bright blue lighting. The most you can therefore spend is £22,245, around £5,000 less than the ix35's serious rivals.
To drive, the 2WD base mode on 225/60 R17 tyres is noticeably more refined than the 4WD premium model on 225/55 R18s. The penalty is that it lets go at the front a bit early on rain-slicked roundabouts. On bumpy, rutted, pot-holed country road corners it's better, but this is not a car you push into bends.
In contrast, the 4WD hangs on better at the penalty of more noise, especially at around 2,000rpm and 60mph in 6th. Usable engine torque doesn't come in until quite late, about 1,750rpm. You can trickle down at about 1,250rpm, but no lower, or it starts jerking and the gearshift indictor flashes at you to change down. That actually means you can't use 6th below about 45mph, and you can't use 5th below 30.
Though Hyundai pitches the ix35 against hatchbacks and small MPVs, its real rival is the Brit built Nissan Qashqai against which it wins on running costs and looks.
The Qashqai has been a phenomenal success.
There is no reason why the Hyundai ix35 shouldn't beat it at its own game.
More at www.hyundai.co.uk
Price/Availability (at 17.5% VAT):
2.0i Style 2WD 5-seat manual £16,495
2.0 CRDI Style 2WD 5-seat manual £17,995
2.0 CRDI Style 4WD 5-seat manual £18,995
2.0 CRDI Premium 2WD 5-seat manual £17,745
2.0 CRDI Premium 4WD 5-seat manual £20,745
Available from March 2010.
Style:
17" alloy wheels with 225/60 R17 tyres, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Electronic stability programme (ESP), CD player/RDS stereo radio with MP3 and iPod connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, Steering wheel audio controls, Air conditioning, Glove compartment with cooling function, Leather steering wheel and gearknob, Electric windows front and rear, Electric heated door mirrors with integrated LED-type side repeaters, Remote central locking with alarm, Heated front and rear seats, Downhill brake control, Reversing sensors, Steering wheel mounted audio controls, Active head restraints, Six airbags with rollover sensor, ECO drive indicator, ‘Follow-me-home' headlamp function, Hillstart Assist Control, Trip computer.
Extra equipment on Premium:
18" alloy wheels with 225/55 R18 tyres, Cruise control with steering wheel controls, Full-length panoramic glass sunroof, front opens, Automatic headlights, Rain-sensing wipers, Chrome door handles, Chrome interior trim, Dual zone climate control with humidity sensor, Cabin ioniser, Electric folding door mirrors, Front windscreen wiper de-icer, Keyless entry with engine stop-start button, Rear privacy glass, Part-leather upholstery, Roof rail.
Optional Extras:
Media pack of large touch-screen satnav with reverse parking camera £800.
Individual pack of black or brown full leather upholstery, auto-dimming rear view mirror and SuperVision instrument cluster with bright blue lighting £700
Full Manufacturer Warranty 5 year unlimited mileage fully transferable warranty, 5 years roadside assistance, 5 years annual healthchecks.
Engines/Transmissions:
2.0i ‘Theta II' chain-cam petrol: 120kW (161PS) at 3,800rpm; 194Nm (143 lb ft) torque at TBA rpm.
2.0CRDI ‘R' Type chain-cam common rail diesel: 100kW (134PS) at TBA rpm; 320Nm (236 lb ft) torque at TBA rpm.
1.6GDI chain-cam petrol engine. 140PS.
1.7CRDI ‘U2' chain-cam common rail diesel ISG. 115PS.
6 speed manual transmission. 6 speed automatic arriving later.
Dimensions:
Length 4,410mm (14' 6")
Width (not including mirrors) TBA
Height (including roof rails) TBA
Steering lock to lock TBA
Luggage Capacity (seats up) 591 litres SAE
Luggage Capacity (seats down) 1,436 litres SAE
Kerb weight TBAkg-TBAkg
Maximum Braked Towing Weight 13% incline: TBA
Fuel tank capacity: TBAlitres
Approach angle: TBA degrees
Departure angle: TBA degrees
Ramp over brake angle: TBA degrees
Wading depth: TBAmm
Minimum ground clearance: TBAmm
Performance, Fuel Consumption and CO2 E missions:
2.0i 2WD ‘Theta II' petrol 6-speed manual: 0-60 10.1 seconds; top speed 114 mph; combined mpg 37.7; CO2 emissions 177g/km (VED Band I First year £300, subsequent years £200pa), EU5.
2.0 2WD diesel 6-speed manual: 0-60 TBA seconds; top speed TBA mph; combined mpg 51.4; CO2 emissions 147g/km (VED Band F First year £125, subsequent years £125pa), EU5
2.0 4WD diesel 6-speed manual: 0-60 TBA seconds; top speed TBA mph; combined mpg 49.6; CO2 emissions 149g/km (VED Band F First year £125, subsequent years £125pa), EU5
2.0 2WD diesel 6-speed automatic: 0-60 TBA seconds; top speed TBA mph; combined mpg TBA; CO2 emissions TBA g/km; EU5
1.6 2WD GDI 6-speed manual: 0-60 TBA seconds; top speed TBA mph; combined mpg TBA; CO2 emissions 149 g/km (VED Band F First year £125, subsequent years £125pa), EU5
1.7 2WD diesel 6-speed manual ISG: 0-60 TBA seconds; top speed TBA mph; combined mpg TBA; CO2 emissions 139 g/km (VED Band E First year £110, subsequent years £110pa), EU5
Consider Against:
Ford Kuga, Honda CR-V, LandRover Freelander, Mazda CX-7, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Renault Koleos, Subaru Forester, Suzuki SX4, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV-4, VW Tiguan
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