2007 Hyundai Tiburon TS Road Test

By Alborz Fallah | July 16th, 2007

2007 Hyundai Tiburon TS Road Test

With a starting price of $34,990, not only is it arguably the best looking two-door sports car (under 50k) but the Hyundai Tiburon also delivers unbeatable value for money!

CarAdvice rating:

Test Model: 2007 Hyundai Tiburon TS six-speed manual

Recommended Retail Price: $37,590

Where it sits: The TS sits above the standard Tiburon. With a sunroof and black leather seats, it’s worth the extra $2,590.

A bit of history:

When I sat in a Hyundai Tiburon at the Brisbane Motorshow earlier this year, I quickly shrugged it off as just another car at the show, yes it looked good, and yes the leather seats, sunroof, and the interior felt good, but then again, it was just a Hyundai Tiburon! Why on earth would I want to buy that?

When the call came in to pick up the Tiburon for a week I quickly remembered my thoughts of the Tiburon back at the motorshow, “Yes its nice and all, but I wouldn’t buy one”. After all, a Hyundai sports car doesn’t exactly roll of the tongue.

As I drove towards Hyundai headquarters, I saw an older model Tiburon drive past me, it made me realize just how far the Tiburon has come in only 5 years.

Hyundai introduced the car to the Australian market back in early 2002. Initially priced from $36,000 for the 2.0-litre four cylinder (and $42,000 for the 2.7-litre V6) the Tiburon failed to make an impact and in 2003 Hyundai dropped the price by $6,000 for the 2.0-litre and $8,000 for the V6. Not exactly a winner as far as depreciation goes.

In 2004 Hyundai ditched the 2.0-liter altogether and after some more turbulence, the Tiburon has now finally come of age.

How it goes

Driving out of Hyundai headquarters I noticed one big problem straight away, I don’t exactly fit in the Tiburon, the steering wheel only goes up so much and my knees made contact on every gear change – and I am only 179CM tall! It was going to be a long week.

First things first, a sports car needs to be fast, after all, you can look like a 5 second car but if it takes 10 seconds to hit 100km/hr, something is missing. To put it simply, the Tiburon is not a fast car, it takes 8.2 seconds (pushing hard) to get from 0-100km/hr. The 2.7-litre V6 only manages 123kWs of power and 245Nm of torque.

There are a very few select sports car that can get away with being slow, such as the Mazda MX-5 (given its brilliant handling). Is the Tiburon one of them? To cut a long story short, the answer is yes. In this day and age of draconian speed limits and the men in blue hiding behind every tree with a speed gun, it’s worth considering if you really need more power?

The Tiburon doesn’t actually feel slow, there is a great amount of grunt for overtaking and it struggles on take-off with noticeable amounts of torque steer in first, and a hint of it in second (Anthony who also had the Tiburon for a week tells me this must have been an isolated issue with my test car as he did not experience the same thing).

The Tiburon’s 2.7-litre V6 engine sounds exceptional with a very pleasant growl. Putting your foot down in first or second, the engine revs freely to 6,500 RPM and the higher the revs go, the better it sounds.

The ESP system (standard) has just the right balance of fun and safety, it doesn’t interfere when there is minimal traction loss but go hot into a corner and ESP will save you the embarrassment. The close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox can take a little while to get used to, but it works in perfect harmony with the 2.7-litre engine. The car might lack guts on paper, but you can be in sixth at 80km an hour and it won’t miss a beat.

Launching the Tiburon is a little difficult, even with the ESP turned on, the car struggles for grip in first gear but really gets the power down come second. You will hit third around 80 and its smooth acceleration from there. I noticed that although it lacks some power from 0-100, there is a good deal of grunt at higher speeds.

As for the brakes, with 280mm ventilated disc at the front and 258mm solid discs for the rear, coupled with ABS, EBD and BAS (brake assist) the Tiburon provides excellent stopping power, although the brakes tend to get hot (and ineffective) after some enthusiastic driving.

At the end of the day, the Tiburon isn’t about serious performance, there are lots of aftermarket kits available that will either supercharge or turbocharge the car, but it’s not worth the hassle, if your after straight line speed, this isn’t the car for you.

Nonetheless, there is much more to a sports car than straight line speed….

How it handles

If Nissan were still selling the 200SX, I would be less enthusiastic to recommend the Tiburon, but given the current market, the Tiburon really has no competition for the price. Other manufacturers have neglected the sub 40k two door sports car segment. If the Tiburon had 170kW+ of power, it would have some serious street cred.

Although the 0-100 times are nothing to rave about, there is more to a sports car than straight line speed. I usually wouldn’t stick my head out for a Front-Wheel-Drive sports car, but the Tiburon really does impress around corners. There is next to no body roll yet the suspension doesn’t break your back.

My first few days with the Tiburon were spent getting to know the car and I was a little reluctant to push it hard around bends, however come day 5, I took the car for a drive up Mt Nebo here in Brisbane. There is something to be said for a well balanced front-wheel-drive car, the Europeans and Honda have been doing it right for over a decade and it appears the Koreans have now caught up!

Of course there is a limit to how much you can push a Front-wheel-drive. Around Mt Nebo the Tiburon felt solid around even the tightest turns. I didn’t toy around with the Tiburon, I drove it up a few times at reasonable pace, and by the end of it the car was really starting to impress me, I just could not believe how well this thing corners!

With ESP turned on you can almost be forgiven thinking you’re driving an AWD, the balance and handling is on par with the Honda Integra Type S. On top of that, its so easy to drive I think even my folks can manage!

On the last run up the mountain I decided to turn ESP off, surely ESP doesn’t make that much difference? It must be all me? Isn’t it amazing how driver aid technology can boost your confidence!

Hard cornering without ESP leaves the steering wheel feeling as jerky as George Michael in a public toilet, and that’s not fun.

With the ESP off light flashing in the dashboard, the car feels a little edgy and rather uncomfortable to drive – I believe the problem is weight balance, the front seems to take it all, the engine, the drive train, the driver etc, while the rear has little to no weight making it misbehave considerably.

This is a sports car, no doubt about it, but unless you find yourself on a race track, the ESP system is better left on.

Behind the Wheel

I don’t fit in the Tiburon, the steering wheel only goes up so far and my legs touch on every gear change. I eventually managed to find a balance of steering wheel height and seat adjustment that allowed for a semi-comfortable drive.

Of course then there was the steering wheel. Nothing says sports car more than a sleek design, aggressive looks, big wheels, flared guards, bucket seats and a nice steering wheel. Although the Tiburon has most of what it takes, the steering wheel is a big disappointment.

The Europeans have spent millions designing the best steering wheels in the world, be it Audi/Volkswagen or Volvo, they have got it down pat. The Koreans however, have so far neglected this critical aspect. The Tiburon’s steering wheel is near identical to the Hyundai Accent – and thats not good enough.

If you ignore the steering wheel for a second, you can admire the hard work gone into the dashboard. With a great trip computer that shows KMs to empty as well as a great display system, the interior of the Tiburon puts some of the more expensive European/Australian cars to shame.

The sleek aerodynamic design of the Tiburon shares some similar downsides with the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 I was in earlier this year, you can’t shoulder check. There is just no point, all you see is the slick rear windows. The Tiburon can really make use of Volvo’s Bliss system (which uses tiny cameras to check for cars in your blind spot).

All the negative aside, driving the Tiburon is an enjoyable experience, there is little to no play in the steering wheel and everything is exactly where you’d expect it to be. More importantly, sitting behind the wheel is sure to please, not only because you have bought a feature packed car for a bargain price, but with the sunroof open, windows down, and heads turning as you drive past, you can’t help but smile.

Interior Comfort

The Tiburon TS variant comes with black leather seats and a sunroof as standard. I am not a fan of leather seats, especially in winter when leather seats get freezing cold, so unless they are heated leather seats, I’d given them a miss.

The actual shape and design of the seats were quite impressive. Although comfortable for all shapes and sizes, the seats also provide excellent hold around corners (even though the leather is a little slippery at times). Some might discourage long trips in this car, but for me at least, I could almost sleep in there, it’s that comfortable!

The CD player needs to go, despite MP3 playback and the works, the look of the system is rather prehistoric. With a blinding blue, basic one line LCD screen, the Hyundai branded system leaves a lot to the imagination for a near 40k car.

Thankfully though, it is not integrated and you can easily find a $300 headunit in your local car audio store to replace it.

Come night time, you are greeted with an almost overwhelming amount of blue lights inside. My first impression was that it doesn’t really work that well, but it really started to look good by the 4th day. I would have to buy the Tiburon in blue as the interior lights do not change to reflect the colour of the car!

As for the rear seats, where can I start? If you have recently ate, I would highly recommend sitting in the front or walking to your destination as the rear seats are not comfortable – but who cares?

You don’t buy a Tiburon to carry a family around, and the back seats are just perfect they way they are. If you want to drive 2KMs from one nightclub to another, then you can easily fit the random stranger you met in the back, and essentially that is the point, practicality for short and quick journeys.

When I put my girlfriend in the car, she instantly noticed one big problem, there are no passenger handles to hold on to! To compensate, Hyundai have installed gigantic door handles that you can’t help but to grab.

As for the sunroof, a touch of a button will open the roof up in less than 5 seconds. Like the power windows, the sunroof only opens automatically, you actually need to hold the button down for it to close, this is a safety feature (which is becoming standard across most manufacturers) so no one loses a finger in there, but although it sounds good on paper, in reality, having to hold down a button for 5 seconds can be very annoying and potentially dangerous.

If you want luxury in a sports car for less than $40,000, you simply can’t go past the Tiburon.

The Look

Drive past a crowded trendy cafe district and watch as the heads slowly turn to admire what is surely one of the best looking sports cars on the market today.

The looks alone sell the Tiburon. Even if the interior was made out of used plastic bags and you had to sit on a milk crate, I would still buy this car, it simply looks stunning.

While Koreans have designed some of the ugliest cars known to man (SsangYong anyone?), the Tiburon is arguably the best looking sports car out of Asia today (sub 50k). Looking at the Tiburon for the first time, there is little to say this car comes from Korea. Hyundai have obviously hired some of the world’s best designers and it just goes to show how good looking Korean cars can be.

The Tiburon has learnt a lot from the Nissan 200SX (S15). The aggressive headlights coupled with a perfect curve on the bonnet and a slick side profile really push the right buttons, and that’s just the front. From the back, the twin exhausts and the rear lights make the Tiburon look twice the price. I simply cannot fault the looks on this car.

My only complaint is the lack of Xenon lights. The standard lights are weak and don’t even mention high beam, this leaves for an almost uncomfortable drive at night.

The bonnet is embedded with a massive T and there is no sign of a Hyundai badge from the front.

If you’re worried that friends and family will ask you why you bought a Tiburon, simply take them for a drive and let them experience the luxury and head-turning characteristics of the car (make sure to open the sunroof), once that’s done, gently remind them that it only costs $37,500 and watch their jaws drop.

You don’t buy a Tiburon for raw performance and handling, you buy it because it looks good!

Safety Features & Cost Of Ownership

With ABS, EBD, BAS, and ESP as well as two front airbags and two side airbags, the Tiburon scores a four-star safety rating in overseas tests (NCAP). The car is yet to be tested here in Australia, but the results should not differ.

As for cost of ownership, Hyundai are offering a 5 year unlimited KM warranty across the entire model range, second only to Mitsubishi’s 10 year drivetrain warranty.

It is somewhat surprising that the manual variant uses more fuel (10.3L/100km) than the four-speed automatic (10.2L/100km). The car has a 55L tank.

Alborz Fallah

Paul

Im not sure about the Tiburon. Fair enough I havent driven it but those power figures are very poor, 123kw and 245Nm of torque out of a 2.7L engine. I know 14 year old 3L V6 Camrys had 140kw and 260Nm…. why cany a modern engine that should have the benefit of things such as VVT be able to exceed that! Not to mention you also have cars like the Accord Euro with a SMALLER engine yet 140kw and same torque.

My money would be on an Integra over the Tiburon. Reliability wise it would be superior and most of all they hande very well and crucially they have a powerplant to back it up, the Type R with 160kw is going to absolutely smash this car (sure its $8k or os more but worth it really when you consider that there is daylight between these vehicles) or even the regular Integra with 120kw would be better and no doubt faster. That again highlights how ordinary the Hyundai is, the same power out of a 2L engine…
http://www.alborzfallah.com alborz

Those are good points paul, but you don’t buy the Tiburon for raw performance, its more about looking good, then going fast.

Besides as far as I know Honda are no longer selling the Type S Integra? Although I agree with you that the Type S/R is one hell of a car, I still think the Tiburon is the better looking car, and with all the features you get standard, you really can’t beat the car price wise!
Paul

Hmmm perhaps, although personally knowing its lack of power whenever I see a Tiburon on the road its hard to look at it as a sports car or anything decent for that matter…. espcially when some people do them up with a wing etc! But if I didnt know this I suppose it does look good, I also know people who thought they were alot faster then they are because of their somewhat deceptive looks. Still Id get the Integra, a friend has the Luxury one for $40k and its prity decent all over, might not have quite the same features (although its got enough)… but its handling is great, power is good and the seats are very comfortable!
Paul

QUOTE = Besides as far as I know Honda are no longer selling the Type S Integra?

Hmm yeah actually now that you mention it I think your right… well then although its a slgihtly different car in terms of appearance the Civic Type R comes into play… same price, alot faster!
Igor

I am not convinced that Tiburon is pitched in the same market as Integra was. For some reason I don’t think that Integra buyers would even consider Tiburon and vice versa as they are in different market. Integra type R/S would be more in the hi performance market and the Tiburon is more of a hair dressers car (soft sports car). This is how I would percieve the two, but might not be the buyer’s point of view.
Kaytee

At last the report for the Tiburon that I reminded you of some time ago. I’m so glad you have given it a good rap as it is one of the cars I’m considering buying. I’m in the older/female demographic (not a haidresser though) and I don’t want a very fast car. I want one that looks good but is reliable. I’m impressed.
Paul

Hmm Igor I think maybe people looking at Integras wouldnt look at a Tiburon but people looking at a Tiburon would at least have a look at an Integra… the Integra luxury after all is only $3k more, hasnt got an overly powerful engine and has luxury features. And afterall they are both coupes!

What I dont get is fair enough they might not be targeting performance enthusiasts, but its just that engine is so lame… even if they werent going for that market surely they could have given it something with RESPECTABLE specs for a 2.7L V6, because for that engine capacity 123kw is very poor (torque is about right).

But each unto their own, I personally wouldnt be interested in any way in this car (and Im sure its not targetting at my demographic either)
Igor

Paul, I just think that Integra’s have a similar ‘boy racer’ image like the WRX and most people don’t like that image.
People buying Tiburons like to own a car that looks like a sports car but but do not really care about the mechanics.

Personally I would always pick Integra over Tiburon but that’s because I don’t care that much about the looks but rather the mechanics of the car.
Kyle

So your saying that $3k-$8k wont buy you a turbo or super charger? If you really want performance and can’t go spending over $38k get a Tib with and throw a supercharger on it! I’ve watched video’s where people have beaten wrx sti’s with a supercharged tiburon. And seriously i got my 6 speed manual tib for like $33k that leaves you with another $7k to play with if you want to spend $40k on a car. I really dont see why you would buy an integra over a tiburon personally. My brother was actually really into integra’s until he went for a drive in my tiburon. Oh and chic’s love the tiburon much more than they like integra’s…my girlfriend and her friends love the thing!
Lance

A little late for this thread, but what the hell.

Your totally correct performance wise re the Tib, lacks grunt, but the low ration gearbox makes up for a lot of it. Does mean your constantly shifting in city traffic, and you have to work the car to get the best out of it, but hell, you can’t say it’s boring

Personally, I bought the tib as I loved the styling, and, there really arn’t that many around. Compare that with a WRX etc, and Commondoors, a dime a dozen.

I’ve gotten rid of the Hynudai logos ( steering wheel, wheel inserts, etc ), and waiting for my woodgrain dash, and short throw shifter. Next, my supercharger, and headers. For another $5,000 or so, thats pretty good value for a distintive car. And the sunroof – god I love my sunroof.

I could have gone the 6L V8 SS, very impressive, but with fuel costs going through the roof – well, bye bye.

All in all, it turns plenty of heads. No real complaints, like anything, has pluses and minuses.

Cheers

Lance
Lance

P.S. If anyone can recommend a performance centre in Sydney for the Tib – forever gratefull!
Duck

Dont like it rather buy a secondhand monaro!
IntegraTypeS

The Tiburon is a joke. Enough said.
Duck

Let me guess IntegarTypeS you must like the Honda Integra!
Kang

Integra vs Tiburon.

Certainly Integra has more punch with its power figure but it looks uglier than Tiburon. And even on 0-100 performance, it’s not pulling away from Tiburon that much as depends on testers it’s showing similar performance figure on acceration. I would prefer Tiburon over Integra. If I want sports car, I would rather pay more money for 350Z or RX-8.
John H

I have just bought a Tiburon 2008 model manual V6. It is fantastic, fun, well balanced and turns heads. It does not have the rev-head kid stigma either. I have taken it onto a skid pan this week and it listened better than the rear wheel drive V6′s that were out there. I could point it, steer it and when accelerating it pulled the car where it had to go – beautiful.

If this car was called a Honda or a Saab every one would have bought it – but then maybe not since the price would be 20% more.

I can fill up with unleaded 87/91 – no need for premium. Fuel consumption is 3 liters per 100km less than WRX that requires premium. Insurance was cheaper.

The gears are easy. Road noise – what road noise? Great sound system also makes listening to music in the quiet cabin a pleasure.

Thanks Hyundai you did a great job on this one. It feels like I am driving a car that costs more than this one did.

Don’t look at a Tiburon – Drive one and Own one!

Ciao
Sean

I am from the US and own a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon 2.0L. I payed $14,000 for the car (USD). The only other car in the same class is the Scion tC (Toyota’s youth brand) which would cost around $18,000 USD and not have the same sporty handling characteristics. Both of those compared to $25,000+ for a sporty car is a good deal for someone who doesn’t want to drive a boring car. I am also involved in modifying the car. Throwing on an intake system and exhaust system really improves the few shortcomings of the car, but doesn’t eat away at your finances.
Peter

I am having a ball. I just want to drive this car every day, any excuse. I haven’t had this much fun since I bought my first motorbike in my youth. I am not interested in drag racing but on the open road, boy does it handle. Such fun to cruise through the main street and park outside the coffee shop. My youngest has just left home, now its time for me. I traded a 4×4 for it, $4,000 change over. Only $55 to fill the tank instead of $100. I told someone it was a Ferrari. They couldn’t believe the price I paid for it. I pointed out it was a Hyundai when they looked at the rear. It is a 2005 model, white, 56,000kms, immaculate. I think the front looks better than the 2008 model. We Australians are so hung up on brand, Americans seem to go for value over brand eg Lexus rather than BMW.
http://n/a marls

I own a 2005 Tibby
absolutley Brilliant car in every respect
half the problem is with this ‘old style thinking’
harvested by shows like Top gear
if they Bag something then others follow like sheep
I have as much respect for many other vehicls too Hondas, Toyotas etc
But the line of thinking needs to change guys…
its not all about those marques any more
Hyundai are making better cars in some respects than some of the other ‘big names’ they sell because of the badge
Anyone thinking of a Tibby go for it…
David Seattle

We have an 03 and an 08. The older one has been stone cold reliable. Both are the V6. I think the point missed by the horsepower numbers are that the V6 has an outstanding linear torque range. No winding up the motor to accelerate during roll on. Just punch and go. In 02, we tested the Celica GTS and Acura RSX and the Mitsubishi Eclipse with models in the same price range as the fully loaded V6 GT Tiburon. The Tiburon, feature for feature was more fun to drive. Value wise, and sheet metal work, especially the 08, no contest. I do advise dropping in a K&N slide in filter if you are not interested in an intake system. It makes a good difference in the responsiveness all through the range. Here in the States, most cars are pretty choked off coming from the showroom.
Debra

I have just made the last payment on my red tibs, 5 years old and only 42,5000ks on the clock. It is the second Hyundai sports car I have owned now and I love it, I loved the last one as well, and I will be buying another one as soon as they (If ever) bring out one without a top on it. I saw the prototype that was in Sydney years ago and was told they were going to be made in 2007, still waiting lol. I dont care for the mechanics of the car either but the looks are certainly a head turner, pple are always stopping me and asking what it is, as the T at the front gets them everytime. Then I have to go through the its a Hyundai tiburon 2.7 litre V6 6 speed manual etc. Most pple are impressed when they hear it is a Hyundai. I have also lots of friends who are motor mechanics and have driven it and are very impressed with it, it soon changes their attitude towards Hyundai motor cars. All in all having owned two I will certainly buy another one, they are a great fun car at a fabulous price.
tshark

Bring back the Tiburon! Cram the Sonata engine in it.
JHP

tiburon suck