Hyundai's low-slung sports coupe goes by the name of Tiburon. Muscular fender bulges flanking an extended hoodline and a hatchback roofline, which tapers to a stubby tail capped by a flying spoiler wing, make it stand out. New models sport a revamped face with slot-style grille plus restyled headlamp clusters and fog lamps. And there's a new top trim - the Tiburon SE -- which arrives later in the year in limited numbers. It carries a dual-cam V6 sized at 2.7 liters and racked to 172 hp with Hyundai's pliable six-speed manual shifter aboard, plus red front brake calipers and a tall spoiler on the tail.

The cockpit is set with aluminum pedals, extra gauges in the instrument cluster, leather-wrapped steering wheel and Kenwood audio system with CD/MP3 player. Hyundai's four-cylinder Beta engine, which displaces 2.0 liters and reaches 138 hp, drops into a new entry-level Tiburon GS with five-speed manual shifting. The Tiburon GT stocks the V6 and adds the option of a four-speed electronic automatic tied to a Shiftronic manual.

The compact-class sport-utility vehicle from Hyundai, with four doors and two rows of seats for five riders, is built upon the front-wheel-drive (FWD) platform of a sedan for a smooth ride quality. Power flows from one of two V6 engine options this year and there's optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction with the larger V6. The full-time AWD system employs a unique Dual Drive front differential with planetary gears plus viscous coupling and it sends as much as 60 percent of the engine's muscle to front wheels and 40 percent to the rear. Despite car-like drive characteristics, the Santa Fe looks tough like a sturdy wagon rigged for work yet it's also stylish with a bold face and shapely contours on the sides. The cabin layout consists of bucket seats and a center console in front of a bench seat for three and a bay in back measuring 30 cubic feet for cargo and sports equipment. Two trims work in 2005 as GLS and LX. The GLS gets the 2.7-liter V6 from the Sonata with 170 hp as standard plant, or an optional 3.5-liter dual-cam V6 worth 200 hp through Hyundai's five-speed Shiftronic automatic. The 3.5-liter V6 is standard to the LX.

This is the name of Hyundai's best seller, fashioned as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback wagon. Elantra GLS is the mainstay model as a well-equipped four-door sedan, although a four-door GT sedan is available plus the sport-tuned Elantra GT five-door hatchback. For 2005 Hyundai adds a new GLS five-door to the mix. Standard gear for the GLS trim ranges from air conditioning; front and side-impact air bags; power operation for windows, door locks and mirrors; a tilting steering column; AM/FM stereo with cassette deck; and a keyless remote entry device tied to an alarm. GT models contain leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, firmer suspension settings, four-wheel disc brakes and fog lamps plus 15-inch alloy wheels and a six-speaker audio system with CD/MP3 player. The engine for all Elantras is Hyundai's 2.0-liter four-cylinder with continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) and an output of 138 hp.

Hyundai's new SUV, sized one step under the Santa Fe, presents an athletic package and a flexible passenger compartment with five seats and room for gear. The bay at the rear has an easy-to-clean floor and multiple tie-down points to secure cargo. Hyundai adds standard passive safety gear including frontal and seat-mounted side-impact air bags for front seats and curtain-style air bags above outboard seats in front and back. Active safety features extend to ABS and a traction control system (TCS) plus electronic stability program (ESP).

The Tucson brings two engine options shared among three trims. The base GL employs a 2.0-liter four-in-line with CVVT. It produces 140 hp and ties to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed Shiftronic automatic. The Tucson GLS and top-trim LX rate Hyundai's 2.7-liter V6 for 173 hp. With the V6 aboard, the Tucson offers four-wheel-drive (4WD) equipment by Borg-Warner. Standard on all trims are items like air conditioning, power controls for windows and door locks, a heating element for each exterior mirror, roof rack rails, remote keyless entry system with alarm, and an audio kit with CD deck and six speakers. Options range from leather seats to a power sunroof and upgraded audio packages. (...BACK)