When my last car, a 1993 Mazda MX-6 with 226000 kilometers on the clock, started presenting me with regular repair bills for three hundred, five hundred, or nine hundred dollars, I knew it was time to move on. Rather than
carefully considering my options and weighing the advantages of brand versus brand and used versus new, I jumped at a car who's styling caught my heart the moment it was introduced: the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon.

I had test driven a Tiburon before - a 2003 "SE" model with the 2.0L four cylinder. It was a nice enough car (and came loaded with options for the price) but it just didn't stand out for me. Power was adequate but nothing special, and the handling had a ponderous feel that was totally out-of-place in a sporty coupe like the Tiburon.

Some time later I tried a "GT" model with V6 and immediately thought "this is more like it." In addition to a beefier (but interestingly not that much heavier in terms of kg weight) V6 engine, the GT has revised shock damping rates and 17" alloy wheels with 215/45/17 Michelin Pilot Sport tires. The result is a much stiffer car that corners flatter and with more confidence. The factory alloy rims look fantastic and the stock Pilots represent some pretty serious rubber. I'm dreading the day I have to replace them because good tires in that size and aspect ratio are not cheap. The stiffer suspension also translates into a much firmer ride and more cabin noise. It's interesting to note that Hyundai revised the GT (and related performance models) suspension once again for 2004 - apparently with some success in creating a gentler motoring experience with the same levels of cornering grip.

At the dealer

By the time I actually got to a dealer to negotiate for my new car, it was well into autumn 2003 and the lots were getting thin on stock. I would have preferred my car in blue or silver but the only GT 5-spd (automatic transmissions, especially in a car with any kind of sporting pretensions, are always a horrible mistake) on the lot was in fiery "Samba Red." A car with the Ferrari-like lines of a Tiburon can get away with red, and as everybody knows you can negotiate the best deal on inventory a dealer has sitting on the lot ... especially with the 2004's just around the corner. So red it was, and with time the colour has grown on me.

The car-buying experience (Kingscross Hyundai in Toronto) went pretty much as expected, with only one small glitch. My car was supposed to come with heated seats but they weren't installed. The dealer initially tried to song-and-dance their way out of it, but they eventually did the right thing and made me happy. In a way they got the last laugh though - the seats take a long time to warm up. I don't know if this is due to the fact leather has an inherently cold feel to it or if the heating elements are just weak, but it takes several minutes before my butt-cheeks start to feel nice and toasty. Once going at full tilt though, the seat heaters get uncomfortably hot on the highest setting. On a related note the engine seems to take a while to warm up so you won't get much hot air on those cold winter mornings either.

My impressions so far

So far my Tiburon has 4000km on it and I'm pleased. It feels like a more expensive car than it is. Hyundai invested substantial effort in stiffening up the structure (measures which, incidentally, added a fair bit of weight) and reducing noise. In my view, they had mixed success. There is still some mild vibration and rattling over bumps, particularly from the hatch where there is an annoying clunking over some kinds of pavement. Time will tell whether the dealer is able to cure this. As for noise, more sound insulation would be welcome in the area of the rear hatch and quarterpanels. Substantial tire noise infiltrates the cabin, and the stock Michelin Pilots are surprisingly loud for a tire that's supposed to be soft with minimal tread/siping.

I have also had an intermittent problem with the stereo. Sometimes it spits out a CD with an error code for no particular reason or it loses its "spot" on the CD when the ignition is turned off. Sound quality of the factory system is decent but it won't make you forget the quality aftermarket system in your last car. Bass is a little muddy and things get distorted quickly when you turn up the volume. I should note for those of you reading from south of the border, Hyundai options these cars differently for the U.S. versus Canadian markets. You guys get the 360 watt Infinity stereo while we make do with a 100 watt Clarion ... but Hyundai makes it up to us in other ways.

One thing to get used to with the Tiburon are the great big blind spots and the crappy rearward visibility. Hyundai fitted extra-large sideview mirrors which do a decent job ameliorating these problems, but you still need to be careful with lazy lanechanges. I've also found the A-pillars to be pretty thick, and on some tight-radius corners they perfectly block your view of the apex.

2.7L all aluminum 24-valve V6

Minor issues of hatch-rattle and finicky stereos disappear the moment you open the throttle. There's a certain kind of joy that comes when you pull up next to a lowered lime-green Honda Civic with a big aluminum wing and six-inch exhaust tips, and leaving them for dead at a stoplight. More than anything else, the Tiburon GT makes you realize just how far Hyundai has come in 20 years.

The engine has a deep snarl when accelerating, with plenty of throaty goodness making it into the passenger cabin to remind you why you paid extra for a V6. Driven easily, the GT keeps up with traffic without fuss or undue attention. There is ample power available even below 2000rpm and the exhaust system is mild-mannered unless you put your foot down. After driving a 4-cylinder car with a performance (read: loud) exhaust, the effortless character of the V6 Tib is appreciated. But I will miss my rev-happy old 4-banger. In the Tiburon, power comes on strongly at 3000rpm but only seems to stay through a relatively narrow band to 4500 or 5000. Of course this is just a seat-of-the-pants impression, and the numbers indicate peak power arrives at 6000rpm. It's also worth noting the Tiburon has a "learning" engine management ECU. Things like spark timing and fuel delivery will, over time, become optimized to your specific driving style.

If you have the urge to put some distance between yourself and the rest of traffic, the GT launches with authority. No it is not a supercar, or even a muscle car, but the V6 Tiburon can lay down tire-peeling burnouts when asked. At wide-open-throttle with power shifting, second gear arrives with a bark of the rubber and an authoritative snap back into the seat. 100km/h takes between 7.2 and 7.8 seconds (depending which magazine you read), and according to various enthusiast sites around the web a bone-stock Tiburon GT can run mid-15's in the quarter mile. Not bad for a sport compact costing CDN$25000.

The best and worst thing about the 2.7L V6 (Hyundai codename "delta") is that it was lifted from the Santa Fe sportcute and Sonata sedan unchanged. This is disappointing because at 170hp, the 2.7L does not really keep up in the V6 sweepstakes when compared to other (and especially import) makes. However the Tiburon has been on the market long enough to develop a very healthy enthusiast community. Most of the problems stem from restricted breathing. Gains of 10 or 15 horsepower result just by replacing the stock airbox and filter with some kind of high-flow intake. Similarly, the stock exhaust system may sound great but it's too restrictive. Several manufacturers have come up with bolt-on replacements offering better performance. Various other cheap, bolt-on mods are also good for a handful of horsepower here and there, so the result is that with less than CDN$1000 and a Saturday afternoon spent in the driveway, the 2.7L delta can be tuned to 200hp or more.

Handling and braking

Weight distribution is nowhere close to 50/50 front to back (more like 65/35), and at 1400kg the Tiburon GT is not exactly a lightweight car. This means the front tires carry a tremendous load in cornering and it shows. Understeer arrives early and stays until the corner is done. This is unfortunate, because Hyundai has otherwise put a lot of effort into the suspension in the latest generation Tiburon. In terms of absolute limits the car acquits itself well - driving it hard is both predictable and rewarding. In the words of Motor Trend magazine, "the stock GT V6 returns exceptional slalom numbers." My overall impression is that even with the taut GT suspension, the Tiburon is not a nimble car. It's more like a GT in the traditional sense: a meaty, substantial Grand Touring car that's most at home carving big sweeping turns at 130km/h. The Tiburon is a very stable, secure car at speed. Wind noise is muted and control is excellent. It's the kind of car that gives you speeding tickets.

One final word on that understeer: as with the shortcomings of the delta V6 engine, the aftermarket community has a cheap and easy cure. A good stiff rear sway bar is said to work wonders and bring the handling back into balance.

Braking is strong and uneventful. The ABS has kicked in on several occasions during winter driving (usually when I deliberately do something drastic to see how the car behaves) and it works very well. One quirk: the ABS will sometimes activate in dry road conditions over bumps. Overall winter traction (in acceleration, braking, and cornering) has been great so far. I switched to tall, skinny winter tires for the season and they have worked well. By all accounts the stock Pilot Sport's are an accident waiting to happen in the snow.

Fuel economy

Around the city, the Tiburon GT is just plain thirsty compared to any kind of 4-cylinder compact. Part of the problem is that irresistible urge to open the throttle just a little bit wider. My experience has been 12.5L/100km (about 19mpg) in town but it's better on the highway.

Interior

I have never owned a car so nicely optioned. The GT comes with air, leather, cruise control, power sliding moonroof, ABS, airbags, AM/FM/CD, remote keyless entry with antitheft immobilizer, heated seats, power mirrors, tilt steering, and probably a bunch of other things I'm forgetting. Seats are comfortable and supportive, though I wish I could adjust the cushion to offer just a little more thigh support. Front seat room should be no problem for anybody this side of 6'2". As for the back ... well ... this is a 2 2 hatch, and by 2 they mean children. The hatch glass angles sharply down over the back seats, and in what has to be the funniest automotive warning sticker I've ever owned, the hatch has the word "WARNING" accompanied by a picture of the hatch slamming down onto a stick-person's head, complete with jagged lines meant to represent pain and trauma.

Fit and finish are really nice - beyond what I expected in this price class. There is an overall sense of solidity that comes mainly from the use of black, black, and more black. The sombre look combines with the fairly high doorsills to create a bit of a tank-slit experience when driving. Fortunately things can be brightened up significantly just by sliding open the overhead moonroof cover. Still though, if you're someone who's prone to light-deprivation and suicidal depression, the Tib may not be the car for you.

One tiny quibble with the instrumentation: the indicator for high beams is way too bright. It can actually cast shadows inside the passenger cabin.

Longevity and conclusion

In the mind of the average consumer, longevity is the big wildcard with Hyundai. This reputation carries over from the days of the Pony, Stellar, Excel, and early Elantra/Sonata. For anyone who still thinks Hyundai is at the bottom of the pack in build quality, I'd suggest you spend some time checking JD Power and other similar surveys. I think you'll be surprised.

However there are some problems specific to the Tiburon that are being talked about on the internet bulletin boards ... specifically paint quality and clutch issues. The paint on my own car seems to be well applied (though with some very slight orange peel) and I don't see any problems so far. The clutch also works fine (but I will say it's not quite as smooth and slick as some Japanese cars I've driven). If any problems arise, I'll take it to the dealer to be fixed. That's what the warranty is for.

Overall my thoughts on the 2003 Tiburon GT are "so far so good." If Hyundai wants to gain market share by throwing a whole bunch of cool options into a great-looking car and pricing it cheaper than the competition, then I say "which way to the dealer?"

More information

There are tons and tons of reviews on the latest generation Tiburon, but here's a start:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/roadtest/03tiburon.htm
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupe/112_0207_shark/
http://www.newcarreviews.com/2003_hyundai_tiburon.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=19&article_id=1846&page_number=1

You can also read numerous first-hand accounts from Tiburon owners and enthusiasts at:

http://www.newtiburon.com



Amount Paid (US$): 18000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: GT V6, 5-spd