2010 Hyundai ix35 Review
The all new Hyundai IX35 Compact SUV is the next step in the Korean manufacturers domination of the automotive market.
It’s hard to imagine how far Hyundai has come in the last decade. Last year was a monumental year for Hyundai both in Australia and globally. To put things into perspective the Korean giant sold 269,841 vehicles in January 2010 alone, a 50 per cent increase over the same period in 2009.
It also managed to finish in the top five of numerous quality studies (being beaten by the likes of Lexus and Porsche) and is no doubt causing nightmare for the likes of Toyota, General Motors and Ford.
Perhaps the best way to understand the company’s success is in realising that Hyundai has all to gain and nothing to lose. It’s the underdog that is trying to topple the kings, it’s a company that is alive with enthusiasm and excitement about the future. This is more than evident whenever you meet any employee from Hyundai.
So it was with a great deal of excitement that I jumped onboard a Qantas flight from Brisbane to Melbourne to attend the launch of Hyundai’s all new compact SUV, the ix35.
If you’re wondering, yes this is the replacement for the Tuscon.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Hyundai ix35 is it’s European looks. Many companies are happy to describe their cars as European designed or inspired, but Hyundai is actually justified in its statement as the car was designed at Hyundai’s Design Centre Europe at Russelsheim in Germany.
One of the greatest achievements of both Kia and Hyundai (sister companies) has been their ability to take the very best designers and engineers from other manufacturers. Peter Schreyer is a perfect example and the main reason why all new Kias look amazing.
Hyundai Australia brought out the ix35′s interior design manager Jochen Werner, a former GM designer who had been involved with numerous GM concept cars and behind the interior of the Opel Insignia.
The whole team behind the project spent over 2.5 years to create the final product which first presented itself in concept form as the Hyundai Ixonic and now in production form.
Although looks are subjective, there aren’t many that will be turned off by the IX35′s exterior design.
The new company look which will soon dominate the Hyundai range is the hexagonal grille, initially previewed on the ‘ix-onic’ concept car. The IX35 is both a feminine and masculine car, it’s not overly aggressive but it’s not a girl’s car either.
You may notice the swept back headlights alongside a lower air intake certainly give it that new age look. The rear is similar to the Audi Q5 in its beauty, which is a good thing.
Hyundai took a group of journalists to Studio 1 in Melbourne for the presentation on the ix35 and the announcement of the i20 and Sonata replacement (YF).
From here we began a three hour drive program to Rupertswood mansion in Sunbury.
Each hour was spent in one of the three variants on offer. Before we dig into the driving feel and interior, lets have a look at the variants.
The range starts with the ix35 Active 2WD 2.0-litre petrol (122kW at 6,200rpm and 197Nm of torque at 4,600rpm) five-speed manual coming in at $26,990. This is the only variant and engine type offered with a manual transmission. However it’s also available with a six-speed automatic for $28,990.
The midrange ix35 Elite gains all-wheel drive and a bigger 2.4-litre petrol engine (130kW at 6,000rpm and 227Nm of torque @ 4,000rpm) coupled to a six-speed automatic and retails for $31,990.
Nonetheless, the big story of the ix35 range is the 2.0-litre R-series turbo-diesel (135kW at 4,000 rpm and 392Nm of torque at 1,800-2,500rpm) which I will discuss in detail later. It’s available on the ix35 Elite AWD coupled to a six-speed automatic for an extra $3,000 over the 2.4-litre petrol ($31,990).
If you want it all, the top-of-range ix35 Highlander AWD (only available with the 2.0-litre R-series turbo-Diesel and six-speed automatic) starts at – $37,990. So there is a total difference of $11,000 from the base model Active 2.0-litre petrol to the range topping Highlander diesel.
We started our drive program in the Highlander powered by the Korean’s new 2.0-litre diesel. This is a very similar engine to the one found in the Hyundai Santa Fe R and Kia Sorento R, only that it’s 0.2-litre smaller. Can you imagine 135kW from a 2.0-litre diesel? How about 392Nm of torque?
Don’t understand the power and torque figures? I’ll give you some examples, the 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine found in the current model Ford Falcon puts out only 391Nm of torque and as far as I can find, no 2.0-litre diesel engine from the Germans can so far match the ix35′s overall figures. This means the ix35 diesel is the variant to go for.
As we drove out of Studio 1 and headed past Melbourne airport, the pulling power of the diesel became obvious. Although the official fuel economy figures say it uses 7.5 litres to travel 100km, as you can see from the video below, if required, it can do a lot better:
The ix35 all-wheel drive variants (Elite & Highlander) make use of a system designed by Japanese company JTEKT which, using a whole bunch of computers much smarter than you and I, control the power distribution between the front and rear wheels and help optimise driving performance.
Like similar systems the Hyundai’s AWD system generally only puts the power out to the front wheels to reduce fuel consumption. When the computer realises the car needs power delivery to the rear wheels (for example when the front wheels are losing traction) it instantly kicks into action without any assistance from the driver.
However if you don’t like the idea of front-wheel drive, you can always select the AWD lock allowing for a 50/50 torque split between the front and rear wheels, handy when you’re going off-road or when it’s wet.
Driving the Highlander variant on dirt roads gave a great indication of how quickly the AWD system can engage. Nonetheless given the enormous amount of torque available on tap, there is occasional torque-steer and the steering-wheel can feel a little light at high speed.
The near 400Nm of torque from the diesel engine means it can easily climb hills with a cabin full of passengers without any complaints. It’s also more than capable of performing overtaking maneuvers on the highway.
The next ix35 I drove was an Elite variant powered by the Theta II 2.4-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder engine. Hyundai says this engine will please buyers that would’ve liked a V6 as it delivers a similar amount of power and acceleration whilst using 16 percent less fuel than the old four-cylinder Hyundai engine. With 227Nm of torque, there was no more torque-steer in this one, however it does feel a tad sluggish compared to its diesel brother.
As for the Active variant powered by a smaller Theta II 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and driven via the front-wheels only, there wasn’t much noticeable difference between the two petrol engines, although this one certainly sounded like it was working harder to deliver the goods.
Handling and driving dynamics in all three ix35 variants was better than expected and a serious improvement over the Tuscon it replaces. For day to day city driving you’ll never have a reason to complain, although the suspension is tuned to Australian roads, it does feels a little firm at first but the result is better handling dynamics.
Around corners the Electronic Stability Control takes care of you if you get out of shape and does so quickly. It’s worth noting here and commending Hyundai for including a whole range of safety features in the ix35 standard across the range. With Six airbagas + active front headrests, ESC Stability Control + TCS + ABD + EBD, Downhill Brake Control (DBC) and Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) all standard on the base model.
Interior wise the rear seats are not for basketball players, there is enough room to carry four adults comfortably but you’ll be pushing it with five. The front seats are comfortable and the leather upholstery is a delight. There is still some hard plastics used on the dash but its made up for by the funky design of the car’s centre console.
There is currently no satellite navigation available for the Australian market, but this will eventually be sorted.
All variants have support for iPod and iPhone and integrate straight into the car’s stereo (iPod controls via the car’s system), I had my iPhone plugged in for the three hour drive and not only did it charge the unit but played the tunes beautifully as well. This is a feature which is at times a $1,000+ option on some European cars.
Sound quality is pretty good and the Highlander variants even get a 6 stack CD + amp & sub-woofer that adds that extra kick.
Overall the ix35 is a model which will shake up the compact SUV segment, it presents great value and excellent styling in its class and if Hyundai’s recent success is anything to go by, the ix35 will be a massive seller for the Korean giant.
Hyundai IX35 Active 2WD 2.0-Petrol Engine
5-Speed Manual / 6-Speed automatic
- Six airbagas + active front headrests
- ESC Stability Control + TCS + ABD + EBD
- Downhill Brake Control (DBC)
- Hill Start Assist Control (HAC)
- 17″ steel wheels + full size spare
- Keyless entry & alarm
- Rear roof spoler
- Electric front driver’s seat
- AUX & USB port with iPod/iPhone compatability
- Body coloured side mirrors & integratedrepeaters
- Steering wheel mounted Audio & Cruise control
Hyundai IX35 Elite – AWD – 2.4-litre Petrol or 2.0 R-series diesel
6-Speed automatic
- Roof rails
- Front fog lamps
- Dusk sensing headlights
- leather/cloth upholstery
- leather steering
- luggage net
- 17″ allow wheels, full size spare
- Push button start + smart key
Hyundai IX35 Highlander AWD 2.0-R diesel
6-Speed automatic
- 18″ alloy wheels, full size spare
- Panoramic glass roof
- Electric folding mirrors
- Full leather upholstery
- Heated front seats
- Rear view camera
- Dual-zone climate control
- 6 stack CD + amp & sub-woofer
| 2.0 petrol 2WD | 2.4 petrol AWD | 2.0 R-series
turbo-Diesel AWD |
| 2.0-litres (1,998cc) | 2.4-litres (2,359cc) | 2.0-litres (1,995cc) |
| 4 in-line DOHC | 4 in-line DOHC | 4 in-line DOHC |
| 122kW @ 6,200rpm | 130kW @ 6,000rpm | 135kW @ 4,000rpm |
| 197Nm @ 4,600rpm | 227Nm @ 4,000rpm | 392Nm @ 1,800-2,500rpm |
| Towing capacity:
750kg unbraked/ 1,600kg braked |
Towing capacity:
750kg unbraked/ 1,600kg braked |
Towing capacity:
750kg unbraked/ 1,600kg braked |
| FUEL CONSUMPTION^ | 2.0 petrol 2WD | 2.4 petrol AWD | 2.0 R-series turbo-Diesel AWD | |
| Man | Auto | Auto | Auto | |
| Combined (L/100km) | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 7.5 |
| Urban (L/100km) | 11.4 | 11.4 | 12.4 | 10.1 |
| Extra (L/100km) | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 6.0 |
| CO2 (Combined g/km) | 201 | 203 | 219 | 198 |
| Fuel Tank Volume (L) | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
2010 Hyundai iX35manufacturer’s list prices (MLP)
- ix35 Active 2WD 2.0-litre petrol five-speed manual - $26,990†
- ix35 Active 2WD 2.0-litre petrol six-speed automatic - $28,990†
- ix35 Elite AWD 2.4-litre petrol six-speed automatic - $31,990†
- ix35 Elite AWD 2.0-litre R-series turbo-Diesel six-speed automatic - $34,990†
- ix35 HighlanderAWD 2.0-litre R-series turbo-Diesel six-speed automatic - $37,990†
- Optional metallic/mica paint - $320†
Been waiting for a review to pop up and reading this makes me wanna test drive it asap. Alborz what do you mean that the sat nav will be sorted out does it mean it will come as an option or standard equipment? Do you know when they’ll sort this out by?
Hyundai can do no wrong at the moment. I want one now. I might have to sell my D40 Navara and get one of these with a tradesman’s trailer in tow.
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My current VY commodore will be my last Holden. My third routine service bill was $2450.00 (brake pad, rotor $500 roughly i remembered, flush brake system, coolant charged $20 per litre and i remembered I “bought” 5 liters of them, etc)
My next car will be ix35. Currently my trading value of my 2003 VY is $5000 – the most, according to car yard. So stop talking hyundai don’t hold value.
I don’t know what ixx will be for the Sante Fe, if money enough would consider Sante Fe with 2.2 diesel, top model, that would be cool.
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Would depend on how the power and torque is delivered. No point having massive output if it’s only available through a small part of the rev range.
Turbo lag was also no mentioned in the article. I would assume it would struggle to get off the line in a hurry but once rolling would offer good in-gear acceleration.
I would suggest BMW still hold pride of place for diesel technology. The all round performance of their oilers is very impressive. Particularly their Bi-Turbo 2.0L 4 Cylinder and 3.0L 6 Cylinder Turbo.
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i agree BMW are still the diesel leaders.
Their twin turbo 2lt puts out 150kw and 400nm, it is an awesome motor, some of the most fun I have ever had in a car. I’ve never liked a diesel before.
However the hyundai figures are impressive, particularly when the ix35 highlander will be $23,000 cheaper than the X1 23d
Another hyundai winner.
I’d like to see Hyundai put the 2.2L R Diesel in a medium, light-ish sedan with their 6 speed auto.
A brisk and relatively cheap car with brilliant mileage would really clean up in sales, particularly if it was big enough for the average family but weighed under 1500KGs. If anyone is positioned to be a success in this part of the market, it’s Hyundai. Let’s see what the YF has to offer. It’s already slated for this 2.0L oiler in a hybrid combo. The 2.2L would be a scream :)
cross your fingers, it might turn up in the VF euro.
but either could give the camry hybrid a fright.
Maybe hyundai could lend Mazda a few auto trannys for their otherwise great diesels.
Sounds similar to the Turbo 4 Cylinder Kia Optima due for October in Aus. Not sure of the exact specs, but from memory 2L Turbo around 206kw. I think it would be about the 1500kg and may be a 6 speed auto too. I don’t kno what the specs are on the diesel version though, nor if that is being released in Oz.
Hasn’t anyone seen the new E class Benz with the latest tt 2.1 four potter?? It actually matches the 123D from BMW with 150kW, but the stand out is the 500Nm of torque. Put THAT engine in a Prado and not only will it pull like a train but probably go for 2,500 km on a county run!! 5.2 l/100km combined is very impressive also given that even in coupe form, the E250CDi is not a light car. Mind you bring $95,000 when you join the queue….
Yes Merc diesel is good but in Australia Merc and BMW (and Audi + VW for that matter) cars are waaay overpriced. Check out how much they charge buyers in the states, Canada and England. Yet people still buy them, status symbol? or a bunch of badge snobs or airheards
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Me too – this looks like an early Tiburon that’s been pumped up. Same bulges on front and rear bumpers as the early Tib. Not pretty.
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Ok, you brought one…….when will it be delivered? I’ve just done the same”3 weeks” the dealer crowed! full of crap, now have to wait until June!!!!
Told delivery would be end of april early may a lot of people ordering them I suppose.
I dont mind the wait, dealer letting me drive my trade in till new car arrives, hopefully it will also be the model up date of Ix35 with steering reach and updown ajustment.
Hope you get yours soon.
We’ve been waiting 6 weeks AFTER the date we were told it would arrive which was 4 weeks after we bought it. Salesmen keep lying with different stories as to why there is a hold up. Clearly they were selling vehicles with no idea as to when they would really get them and would say anything to get the sale. We are down a car as we sold ours in preparation for new vehicle. STILL NO CAR!!! Poor poor effort, don’t buy from Keeema Hyundai in Brisbane.
I just watched the video. 4.85 ltrs per 100 k’s om the highway from an auto. Amazing.
I have been waiting for this day, must drive the diesel. What I would like to know is how to get the below 5L/100km do you drive at 80-90km/h or can I get this economy driving at 110km/h which is most of the time for me. Thanks CA, more please :)
Q: In the video they show sealing the tank, driving, unsealing the tank and putting in 70.2L. Yet the spec above says the car only holds 55L. Now they did fill it to the neck of the tank – but it wouldn’t hold an extra 15L… so how did they do it??
I’m stumped – anyone got a suggestion?
Clearly to get this sort of economy they were really cruising – prob at 80 or 90, as the official “extra-urban” rating for the diesel is 6L/100km.
The video clip has a hole in it. They managed to get 1400 k’s for 70 ltrs. he said they would stop at Bendigo on the return trip. So they put more fuel in on the way home. 4.85 ltrs per 100k’s is astonishing with an auto.
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If you are referring to the Golf it is a much lighter car. What is an MMW? Also which Merc does it?
I own a Merc Vito Van 115CDI
1400km carrying approx 700kg payload 1400km and used 75 L of diesel, over windy and hilly roads in Tassie
It is chipped to 150kw on the commonrail
They actually look just fine in the metal but boy are they expensive when you add on road costs.
The cheapest diesel was quoted to me at $39,000 + which seemed a little rich .Easy enough to understand why no diesel offered in 2wd but less understandable that you can’t have diesel in either a manual or in the most basic spec version.
Interesting times ahead in the small SUV market.
$39,000+ ? Do you mean plus on road costs? If so you have been misinformed! The prices are on this page.
35K plus on roads & rego.. so 39k with no discount
Prices quoted on this page do not include on road costs.
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i was also quoted $38990 on road for the elite diesel so there is huge on road costs with this car… i was beginning to think my dealer got it wrong when he quoted me compared to the prices quoted on here
4 grand is about right at that price point for on roads. Forgetting the rego and stamp duty the reality is that dealer delivery is a legal form of extorsion. It certainly isn’t unique to Hyundai.
The question remains, did you buy one Mel?
The dealer was just reading off his sheet and they were ridiculously expensive . The basic vehicle was more than $31,000 with ORC and the cheapest diesel was more than $39,000. I haven’t the faintest idea what the dealer delivery was as they were overpriced and didn’t have a diesel manual in basic trim so ie of no further interest to me. Qld does have very expensive rego and stamp duty btw.
They actually look a lot like an oversized Mazda 2 which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Lets hope the Sportage has a cheaper manual diesel alternative.
If a Hyundai is overpriced, then you’re a used car head!
Great looking car but i’ll be waiting for the price to come down a little :) maybe end of year sales 2011 sales $29k for the base model in Auto is a big jump up from the $22k drive away price of the Tucson in Auto ( $7k for the replacement hmmm )
Why buy anything else…..Hyundai and Kia are creaming the opposition on real savvy mega style, unreal economy and great inclusions as standard! No wonder they are the fastest growing car company unmatched by others. This car will sell very well and so will the Sportage! Why would one look at others when not as hot looking as this car?
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Mate are you the CEO of Hyundai or something? Every one of your comments on any news article or review is about Hyundai and how all of their competitors are terrible. Hyundai have yet to make a car that is best-in-class. Well, maybe the ix35 will be but we’ll just have to wait and see…
I have no problem with Hyundai and I think it’s fantastic that they’re making such great improvements. However I still think that most of Hyundai’s sales come from their superior value and warranty, not the fact that their cars are the better overall than the competition. So do you think that you could leave your biased, irrelevant opinions on sites like the one you mentioned, and not this one?
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Well could you tell me one other Hyundai in Australia that you think is best in class and I’ll give you an example of a similar car that is better than it.
I love the look, and the rear is quite similar to the Veracruz.
BTW, Is the first video a press video from Hyundai?
I impressed! Looks better on video than the photos. But I have one concern about this story.
The table says the 2.0 R-series turbo-Diesel AWD fuel tank holds 55 litres, yet we can see in the video that 70 litres is being put into the tank. Surely the neck of the tank would not hold 15 litres?
i30 diesel holds at least 7lt more than spec. Pretty sure the tank has a ‘swirl pot’ at the bottom to make sure the injection system doesnt starve of fuel around corners etc. Being an AWD – maybe they increased the swirl pot volume to make sure you dont starve of fuel up a steep incline or decline. To drive that far into the red you risk damage to the fuel system. If you run out you need to prime and bleed all the lines and filters etc, not easy for the average punter.
All those photographs and not one shot of the boot space. Not a bad looking car but I’d like to know how the boot space compares to a VW Tiguan or a Subaru Forester. That diesel engine has winner written all over it.
Good point. Is there a problem with the boot or is just poor PR?
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Whilst it’s at the dentist getting its teeth fixed you need to go get your eyes checked. Great wallish? Another anti-Korean snob no doubt!! Post up a picture of a buck-toothed fairy so we can all see how your twisted perception works!
Great looks, great interior, great engine choice. Great 6 speed auto. Great car, but no great wall.
How do you know it’s got a “great 6 speed auto”? I don’t think the review passed any remark about the merits or otherwise of the auto gearbox. The car certainly is “betting the business” on the auto gearbox so it has to be good. If it’s great then this car will likely blow huge holes in the SUV market for Toyota, Honda etc.
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According to Kia, the fuel consumption of the Sorento 2.2 litre 4WD is 6.7 or 7.4 litres/100 Km for the manual and automatic gearboxes respectively. The loss of about 10% is about what you might expect of a torque converter automatic. Alborz’s fuel consumption figures above for the 2.0 litre petrol ix35 are identical for the manual and auto models so I can’t believe the ix35 uses the same gearbox as the Sorento. Are you sure the ix35 uses the same auto box as the Sorento or are you assuming that it does?
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CA, you guys mentioned news of the new Sonata and i20. So where is it. What did Hyundai say? Please tell me they are coming this year.
I can answer that for you. They are both coming this year as well as the i10. The i10 and i20 land in the third quarter and the i45 (Sonata) lands in June.
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Below is the spec on the Nissan Xtrail for a comparison. It is dearer, much less powerful, less economical and has much less standard kit. The top of the range xtrail with the six speed auto and diesel combo retails nearer to 50k and cannot match this vehicle for equipment levels. Not to mention it looks outdated.
Release Date: 2010 Body: 4WD Make: NISSAN Transmission: 6 speed automatic: X-TRAIL Engine: Variant: 2.0 TURBO DIESEL TS Fuel: Diesel Series: T31 Power & Torque: 110kw- 250 nm / – Vehicle Segment: SUV COMPACT Warranty: 3 year Less than 100,000 km RRP $39,990 plus on road costs.
The ix35 is a great car but so is the X-Trail. We got a TS diesel manual for a bit over 38k last year. It is a much larger car than the ix35 and the rear seats fold flat.
The ix35 is no doubt a good looking car with an impressive diesel engine and ‘box to boot. Price-wise, $39,000 is too much to pay for a mid size SUV from Hyundai. I think the Koreans are good in what they do but they are still the new kid on the block, technology-wise. While I applause their progress in design and diesel technology, I believe that Hyundai needs more time to refine their capabilities and earn some respect. While they do so, it might be good to keep prices down. In this case, the ix35 will do well if the elite diesel auto AWD is priced A$36,000 drive away. It’ll be comparable to Nissan X-Trail diesel, Subaru diesel and sits nicely behind Santa Fe.
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Correct to buy one is cheaper than you think.
The X-trail TS auto has 110kw & 320nm (not 250nm, dont know where you got this figure from) and the manual has 127kw& 360nm. The TS has everything you need for, foglights,alloy wheels (full size alloy spare one) and it has huge cargo space. I also have no doubt that its’ offroad capability is superior to the ix35.
If you want to tow a trademan’s trailer, you should consider the TS manual (given that you could drive a manual :)or not too lazy shifting gears) because it has 2000kg towing capability compare to ix35′s 1600kg. The ix35 look good, and has a good combination of diesel engine & 6 spds aut trans but it’s too early to tell if it’s a good reliable unit, and I guess that’s why you need long 5 yrs warranty. If Hyundai only offers 3 yrs warranty I doubt that they will have high selling volume like they have now.
It must have been a typo at the Nissan site that torque figure. I didn’t bother quoting the manual figures for torque in the Nissan as it isn’t apples for apples. I did notice they detuned it for the auto which makes you wonder about the quality of the box. The Hyundai has 392nm’s through its auto.
I think the off road capability issue is largely irrelevent as these vehicles (including the xtrail) were never intended for true off road work. I believe soft roaders is the correct term. The hyundai would take me as far off road as I would ever want to go in this type of vehicle. The nissan may go a little further but they are both ultimately limited by their departure angles and lack of underbody protection.
It’s interesting that you put fog lights up there first. they are about as useful as an ash tray on a motorbike in most parts of Australia and are so distracting that it is now an offence to have them on without fog in QLD.
1600kg is ample towing cpacity for a tradesman’s trailer and once it is unhitched the ix35 simply murders the xtrail for economy.
Where did it say they have only offered a 3 year warranty? Oh and I currently own a Nissan and will never own another one. I’ve had nothing but trouble with it and the countless hours I have spent in the Nissan service depot’s waiting room has revealed I am not alone.
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Hahaha – I wonder what HyundaiSmoke smokes? Kumhos? Weed? Camel? Pole?
All that and more from what I have read.
Here goes another anti-Korean snob!! Biased against EVERYTHING that the Koreans make. I suggest that you go out and read some newspapers NOT those crap tabloids gossipping about Angelina Jolie all year along.
The Koreans are the largest ship-builder in the world having beaten the Japanese 10 years ago. They also have 2 of the world’s largest electronics companies; Samsung has finally overtaken HP and Sismens to be the world’s largest while LG has also been reporting record profits despite the global financial crisis unlike its Jap/US competitors on the verge of bankruptcy.
So would you please leave your snobbery out? They are not what you knew they were in 80′s. They are now a very technologically advanced, developed country competing with Japan or Germany in high-tech products.
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I have read down this page and you keep attacking people. What is your problem? Get a life.
Just ignore people like that. They are lonely.
Well said. The guy is a goose and has no life.
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What has happened to the world?? It has suddenly changed to everyone must love Hyundai and their design or you are wrong. Just becuase they have improved their quality and made better cars doesnt mean that everyone still needs to love their cars and think that their designs are drop dead gorgeous. And if someone posts that they dont like the design a hundredmillion people dont need to dislike the comment and tell the guy that he wrong. It is a personal opinion. Like me for example. I can accept that fact that Hyundai have improved the brand name, its just i still dont like their designs.
“What has happened to the world?? It has suddenly changed…”
Now, 21 century.
General Motors declares bankruptcy.
Toyota fall in serious quality problem.
Chrysler acquired by Fiat.
Can you imagine this things at late 20 century?
“What has happened to the world?? It has suddenly changed…”
Yes it has suddenly changed
Look at MERC-BENZ’ new E class designs…yuk
Look at BMW’s new 5 series designs…yuk
then look at the new Sonata…yum
MERC/BMW’s new designs are starting to look like hungry grasshoppers…
Its a pity they couldnt get the grill to continue the flow of the car.
The horizontal section carrying the Hyundai badge just looks awkardly placed.
Otherwise looks good (and very Kuga-ish)
I’ve seen the car in the metal (in KL) and looks like a SUV version of Elantra with familiar fat curvy sides. I’d hardly call it European looking. I owned and liked a Hyundai, but when it comes to design of Hyundais and Kias there are only a couple stylish cars IMO. Don’t understand all the rave about the Koreans being great looking.
Neither do i understand the rage. To be honest, i dont think there is a rage, just this site and its readers but i dont hear anyone else raving about their revolutionary new designs that rocks this automotive world…
Were you not a big fan of Audi for its ‘European looks’? That was because Peter Schryer was doing wonders on a range of Audi models only a couple of years ago.
And then as soon as he switched to Kia as its chief design officer, did his design cease to be European? That doesn t make any sense, does it? Then why would you not call Kias ‘European looking’ if the cars are designed by the same guy that designed Audis?
Your comment can only be explained by your badge prejudice and a misbelief that Koreans care can’t be ‘European looking’.
Did Alborz really drive this car? All we are told about the auto is that it has 6 speeds and is included on all except the cheapest version. Is it a dual clutch unit? Does it offer any modes for Sport, Economy, overrides etc. How is it to drive? Is it smooth off the line? When virtually all of the models have no option of a manual box, the performance characteristics of the automatic are vitally important so I am amazed at the total lack of such information.
It appears to be an impressive machine from Hyundai with the potential to shake up the marketplace for features and value but I have to disagree with the statement, made in the article, that the car is European looking.
Actually its quite far from the styling trends of recent times set by VW, Audi, Euro Fords and Beemers. It is not an unattractive car – don’t get me wrong, but it still falls into the Asian school of styling – and that’s perfectly fine. But to contend that it’s ‘Euro’ only emphasises the insecurity of Hyundai and its potential owners.
To me, the iX35 looks ‘forced’ in its attempts to be stylish and modern but then again the more ‘classic’ lines of say the VW Tiguan and Ford Kuga are pretty conservative. And the interior, from the couple of photos, looks to be more than acceptable for a $27K through $40K car but I don’t know – lacks something. But for the money – is excellent value!
As for the diesel – the raw numbers sound very impressive 135kW and 392Nm but the weakest part of the equation may be the conventional 6 spd auto. And don’t forget the kerb weight of the ‘Compact SUV’ ix35 diesel is a hefty 1700kg, so the torque comparison to the Falcon is valid (on a kerb weight basis). A petrol Falcon or Territory would still cream it – but that’s not the point, especially when it comes to diesel and fuel economy. The 2.7 V6 diesel going into Territory produces 140kW and 440Nm (in a Discovery) so the relativities are there (for power/torque and fuel economy). The ix35 diesel certainly puts the gauntlet down for others to compete against (and match) in a Compact SUV though! The diesels in Tiguan and Kuga certainly don’t match those figures despite similar size and weight to ix35.
It’s all good for competition and we consumers!
I don’t believe it has a “conventional 6 spd auto”. The fuel consumption figures given for the Active variant are identical for manual and auto models, which suggests there is no torque converter used by the auto. Presumably then, the auto is a dual clutch unit. Why have they “released” this very exciting car with an information vacuum about the crucially important automatic gearbox?
With 6 gears to choose from the converter would only be operating for a fraction of the time while moving. They can also have an algorithm that puts the box into neutral when you are stopped for an extended period of time, and instantly selects D again when you take your foot off the brake. Not impossible to match a 5spd manual with a 6spd auto like this. The CO2 is a fraction higher in the auto, so the figures are probably very close but rounded off.
Robin, you make some good points but the question remains. If, as asserted by some, the ix35 auto box is the same as the one in the Sorento 2.2 litre 4WD and the ix35 auto achieves parity with the manual box, why does the Sorento’s auto box lose 10% compared to the manual?
this seems more of a first steer. Where are all the interior shots?
Arlborz didn’t actually state that he drove the car. His involvement in the “driving program” could certainly be construed, or misconstrued that way but I suspect he was a passenger in the “driving program”.
lloyd you must be related to matthew lloyd. It is a convential 6 speed auto.
I’ve never heard of Matthew Lloyd. It is certainly not “conventional” for an automatic gearbox to returns identical fuel consumption to a manual box. The ix35 2.0 petrol 2WD claims 8.5 litres/100 km (combined) and 11.4 litres/100 km (urban) for both the manual and the automatic gearbox. That is not conventional!
No. its a conventional 6 speed Auto. If it were a twin clutch, it would not be called an AUTOMATIC. it would be called a twin clutch (or some other trademark title).
Bob, perhaps you can name another “conventional auto” that is as fuel efficient as a manual gear box. If you cannot, then maybe you will acknowledge that the ix35 has a very unconventional “conventional 6 speed auto”.
The Mazda 3 SP25 has one such Automatic that returns the same fuel efficiency as the manual. 8.6L Manual / 8.6L Auto :) There you go!
I can understand why you seem confused when your view of the world is challenged like this, and certain assumptions on which you base your reality appear to be baseless.
But i assure you, this IS a conventional Auto.
The information vacuum has been filled by Hyundai’s News Media Release of 12th February titled “New Hyundai ix35 re-imagines the compact SUV”. Happily, the content of the release is of a higher standard than the title. It is made perfectly clear that the ix35 auto gearbox employs a transaxle with planetary gears and a torque converter. I presume that Bob’s term “conventional auto” is shorthand for such an arrangement. I personally find Bob’s term inappropriate for the ix35 auto box because it is too dismissive of the engineering excellence that must have been required to extract an extreme level of efficiency from such a traditional architecture. In my opinion Hyundai (and, for that matter Mazda) deserve the highest accolades for producing such a refined design. They deserve more than to have their outstanding designs dismissed as merely “conventional”. That said, I have no intention of engaging in any further semantic argument about what is or is not “conventional” since this depends entirely on your personal perspective and time setting.
That is what I meant by conventional, yes. Its a fine piece of kit though.
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To fill in some missing info. From the Hyundai website;
Torque 392Nm @ 1800-2500RPM, gearbox 6 speed automatic with electronic sequential manual mode, ground clearance 170mm (based on kerb weight), Approach/departure/ramp over angles 28.1/26.9/17.0, cargo volume seats down/up (VDA 213/214) 2885/728 (1436/591).
.
Oh and apples for apples, not only does the Nissan X-trail Automatic have less power and torque than it’s manual sibling (and comparable ix35 diesel auto)the automatic Nissan gearbox is only rated to tow 1350kg (with brakes), all from the Nissan website. Also from Nissan website approach/departure angles 25/22. vehicle length 4630mm, wheelbase 2630mm, width 1785mm, overall height 1685mm, track front/rear 1530/1535mm. Am I wrong in thinking that the higher the approach/departure number the better??
IX35? length 4410mm, wheelbase 2640mm, width 1820mm, overall height (with roof rails) 1655(1585), track front/rear 1585/1586. It’s hard to find cargo volume for the X-trail (not on Nissan website) and from other websites and CA (which doesn’t mention which standard used {but I don’t think VDA}) 555-603L with seats up. Hardly seems that the X-trail is ‘bigger’ as alleged.
Oh and considering that the Subaru Outback (which is larger than Forester and Outlander) has 490/1690L seats up/down (NOT VDA measurement) that sees IX35 728/2885L play Outback 490/1690L (forester 450/1660). Let alone Forester, Outlander. Basically to me the Ix35 seems to have been designed slighlty more toward on road with occasional light duty off road tracks in mind. Interior space, diesel engine and gearbox wise seems to have it all over Nissan X-Trail, Subaru (name one), with the Nissans and Subies having higher ground clearance, and some subies having low range, and NO comparable subies with diesel/auto combination.
Nice post.
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How could you compare this to the Greatwall SUV??
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Comparing Korean cars to Chinese confirms it. You really are a clown.
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Iam with you crusty , very great wall like appeal ,over done styling , will look very suburban at the school run , yawn .
Indeed, they are all going gaagaa over Korean, what are they going to be like when something decent is released?
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Jeez, settle down people.
There’s people trolling for replies – just don’t fall for it.
Sometimes I wish CA would have a proper registration system rather than this anonymous system.
I dont like this ‘review’ at all. Hardly even qualifies as one. Plus what the hell is the deal with the Hyundai PR video banging on about how fluidic design is only usually found in higher priced premium cars, what a load of BS.
Im a big fan Car Advice but this was not one of your finest moments. They must put on a pretty nice spread down at Hyundai.
Both Hyundai/Kia Group and VW Group are major $pon$ers of C/A, get over it, its business…..
LONG LIVE JULIAN EDGAR, banned from all car tests due to speaking the truth…
Its business, wheels have been buttered up by Holden for years, but the fanboys lap that up. If people cant see past it then they aren’t too bright, and probably get scammed from their hard-earned regularly. I agree with Crusty that Julian Edgar does good reviews, but his site is starting to get very boring now that he has nothing to test, which sux a bit.
Wheels have been buttered up by Ford Australia too. Infact they even changed the Car of the Year rules to make sure it accomodated the Territory when it arrived the following year as suv’s were inelligable until then. Don’t tell half a story.
Anyone in the game,
with half a brain,
knows Wheels and Holden,
are the same!
For your rhym
You may have scored
If you had said
Wheels and Ford.
But the truth is wheels
Push anything local
It sells their mags
Holden, Ford equally vocal.
Every cover is Falcodore
I don’t buy it any more
They slam everything out of Korea
That mag is verbal Diarrhea
If I want honesty I’ll come here
Where most posters do not veer
From what is obvious for most to see
The Falcodores no longer lead
Large cars are largely out of favour
Our diet is now a different flavour
We’re moving from meat pies and beer
To Hyundais and a side of KIA.
okay. So $34,990 + on road costs of $1,493 + $400 CPT (according to the calculator on the RTA website). = $36,983
So the $38,990 quoted by dealerships means the dealers are taking ~ $2,100. I’d imagine that in a few months once the initial novelty is worn off, this would be quite negotiable.
and we used to crinch at the $1,000 car wash! Until I test drive one, my price point for the Elite would be about $37,000. I’ll keep my money until the first dealer gives me one for under that. Then again, ex-demos will be on from about Apr/May for probably a bit less….I agree with Robin, the way these things drive is where it’s at. I love the sound and handling of my E46 330i but when I get in my wife’s 307 HDi, I’m reminded just how well a good diesel does practically everything – particularly going up hills (effortless).
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I agree safety for the the family is paramount, but check out the top 5 EuroNCAP achievers of 2009. The little hyundai i20 out scored the volvo XC60.
If you believe the myth that older bigger cars are safer then new small 5 star cars, look on you tube at the 5th gear crash test, a large volvo 940 head on with a little Renault Modus.
The little renault went through the Volvo like a hot knife through butter, the test dummy in the Volvo came out in pieces, a driver in the Renault could have walked away from it.
Stick with the merc or bmw if you want to go used car. Or save thousands and get a new hyundai.
Hyundai has proven it can build safe 5 star cars, it would be a surprise if the ix35 doesn’t get a high 5 star score.
1949: “Volvo had the first safety belts in 1949.”
2010: “The little hyundai i20 out scored the volvo XC60.”
:-)
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Bring on the multi vehicle comparison!
Nearlly there Hyundai, but ill wait for the Kia Sportage… Sportaage way better looking, not so mummy and more agressive yet classic.
Kia still doing better looking cars im sorry by a long shot
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check out the top 5 EuroNCAP achievers of 2009. The little hyundai i20 out scored the volvo XC60.
This has all been debated before, I’ll stick with modern 5 star NCAP cars over the older tanks. Darwin will see who’s right in the long run.
Bigger doesn’t mean stronger. Don’t you watch the news. 8 kids dead in 2 XR6′s in a week.
Bigger does mean stronger, and thats all there is to it. ANY car, regardless of size, that hits an immovable object such as a tree or power pole at high speed, as happened in the 2 examples you cite, will result in fatalities. Unfortunately it’s simple physics.
Adrian Surplice is absolutely right. Might is right. You crash your little 5 star i20 head on into my Landcruiser 200 and see who comes off best. Just make sure your life insurance is paid up first though.
What are you saying Clueless Aussie, that they would have survived if they were in a little car? That’s just plain dumb. Millatime is correct, it is simple basic physics of mass and velocity. If you ever finished high school, you would have learnt that.
Go back to school and study the effects of mass at speed. The heavy the vehicle ,the harder it is to stop . Very basic physics and you both fail.
A barrage of personal attacks .. Go read the rules of the website and grow up. You’re supposed to be some middle aged man with a family but are behaving like an infant.
Ignore him Oracle teacher. He’s a troll and an abused child.
You just contradicted yourself, and proved my point, nice one…
All I proved is you know nothing about physics. If all things are equal and the cars have the same safety systems, same speed at impact and same tensile steel in the front of the passanger compartment every extra kilogram is a negative there after as it is tranfered into amplified mass at speed and therefore more nergy is needed to slow it down. If the object they are hitting is solid and will not give the heavier veicle will come out worse. That is basic energy transfer physics.
All I contradicted was you.
I agree with these other guys and I did physics in uni. The heavier car has the disadvantage when they meet a solid object. It’s extra mass is harder to slow down, so the result is more damage as it will try to travel further through the object it hits.
I don’t need my degree to know that. It’s basic. If the large and small car were hitting eachother it would be a different outcome. But both those XR6′s hit trees that wouldn’t give. So yes oddly enough a smaller car would slow down quicker on impact if all else was equal.
All the naysayers on here who still have a stigma about Hyundais, stick to your conformadores, craptivas, Subarus, Volvos, Nissans and whatever other under-engineered POS that is riding on ’90s reputation – you will never know what you are missing out on, all the better for people who have a brain. All those car makers went broke for a reason, now they are hobbled up half-breeds that are built to a price not a standard.
For the very first time I actually agree with you on something.
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We just bought a Subaru Forester but we were in the market for one of these but they took too damn long to announce a release date.
Plus we want to do some adventuring and I don’t know much about the durability of the ix35.
I don’t turn my nose up at Korean cars though as I know several people that have had trouble free motoring for many years.
I’m dead jealous of the diesel/auto option though! Subaru will be there soon enough I reckon.
I saw one today and I have to say it seems to make a lot of sense. It looks nice inside and out, very untypical for a Hyundai. They really mean serious business and would be at par with the Japanese just about now, if not very soon.
There’s just one thing I’m unsure of. The diesel combined consumption is only 1 liter/100 km better than the 2.0 petrol. The higher cost of diesel fuel, as well as buying and maintaining a diesel car, would very well offset the marginal economy benefit. Funny enough, the bigger Sorento diesel is listed at 6.7 litres/100 km, .8 better than the Hyundai.
Its also interesting to note that the official fuel consumption of the Auto Diesel ix35 is exactly the same as the Santa Fe Auto Diesel (7.5l/100km), despite being a smaller, lighter vehicle with a smaller version of the same engine.
Yes, it’s either an ineffeicient design (or the Santa fe is more efficient, could read either way?)
Or ADR testing is inconsistant.
I’ll go with the later :)
…or a cut and paste as it hasn’t been tested yet. I can’t see it being that high when they are getting 4.85ltrs on the highway in independent tests.
Not everyone buys a diesel for economy Al Juraj, especially with the latest generation diesels. The Petrol version may burn only a little more fuel than the diesel version, but it wouldn’t be able to see which way the diesel went, especially along a mountain road with a couple of passengers/luggage etc.
I remember an article in a magazine a few years ago where they had a review of a BMW 3 series diesel (E46 model, or previous shape) in Europe on a nice ‘coastal mountain road’. They also had a same capacity petrol version with the convoy as well for comparison. Needless to say, the petrol version was slaughtered by the diesel and couldn’t keep up no matter how hard they tried. 0-100 times isn’t always a true indicator of “real world” performance! :-)
Nice post and clearly someone who has knowledge about what all that torque means. In the real world when a car is laden with the family, the “official figure” for petrol cars becomes redundant very quickly. The diesel will only increase consumption marginally by comparison.
It is also far more tractible with less need to hunt gears and obviously you will spend less of your life at the bouser. That is what needs to be weighed up when considering the car. The towing limit of this car will be determined by the auto and not the engine. It isn’t much different to my Navara in output.
Speaking of which, I wonder how long it will take Hyundai to realise there is a whole new market for it in One Tonne utes? They have the engines now.
Actually I still think it will be the tow bar that will be the limiting factor, not the tranny.
You’ve hit the nail on the head DA!
Regards
Whitbomb07
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Nothing beats a VW diesel however this shows that Hyundai is the most advanced Asian car company in the world. Bring it on………….oh what a feeling !
Im very tempted to skip the “high cost” of the diesel version… here’s hoping i can tack on a sunroof and some leather onto a 2.0L ix35
Drive them both, and you may find the diesel option well worth the extra money. 400Nm is hard to look past for the extra coin. Its not all about the fuel economy.
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You look like an idiot.
Your right MK i saw the ad tonight its a girly suburban foo fighter , just another towny 4WD .
I inspected the Active base model at the weekend. Even the base model was very well appointed. I’m going to get the Highlander version. Even though it was a little smaller than I imagined; it ticked all the boxes for me. I’m waiting on fleet pricing; however I’m hoping to drive one of these away for about $38k.
It’s on my shopping list, along with the Captive 5, and when it arrives the Sportage. I’m looking forward to reading that the firs review to compare these three.
And the pricing is pretty good in Aussie – lets hope its along the same lines here in NZ.
…when will they give up on this + $320 or whatever for metallic paint?
When everyone else stops charging $500 plus.
Mazda doesn’t charge extra at all for pearl/metallic paint. They haven’t for quite a few years now.
Can’t reconcile a couple of aspects at the moment. If Jato are to be believed, the cargo capacity with seats up is 730L. That seems unlikely. The combined fuel economy being no better than the Santa Fe, which is a couple hundred kg heavier and sports the 2.2 R eng. – mmm, one of them must be inaccurate. Mr Tholstrup acheiving 4.85 l/100km is commendable, but in real world driving, even non-stop, should be somewhere 5.5-6.0 I suspect – good but not outstanding. The weight control dept haven’t exactly aced it either. At 1706 kg, it is a whopping 220 kg heavier than the class-leading Subaru Forester at less than 1500 (no diesel yet though which is often a 50-75kg penalty). Still the heart is where the decisions are often made (and it looks like a very solid package), so if the test drive causes a grin then maybe the ix35 will be a contender for my next buy.
Indeed, i’ll be asking the dealer about this fuel economy discrepancy when i go in and check out the car at the dealership this weekend :) I want one with a sunroof and Leather so if i must buy the hylander then so be it… mind you i’ll probably wait until the end of 2010 befor i do.. allot better discounting on runout model sales.
The H dealership really can’t see past the max pricing sched for the ix35 at the moment. The best I have been quoted for the Elite is 36,630 with Corp discount and a small discretionary discount thrown in. The lack of Bluetooth particularly on the high spec models is a surprise though. I’ve also had a look at the LX Captiva. Very well specified these days with GPS and Reversing camera etc and 7 seats too. But they are even heavier and the engine output is outpointed by the ix35. Warranty stops at 3yrs though and the quality could not be at the same std as H these days. I’ve had two H Getzs and the quality just keeps getting better. The i45 due later this year will get the diesel also and could really shake up the med car market I suspect..
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Again, no reach adjustable steering. FAIL.
My i30 does. Strange that this wouldn’t…….
Regards
Whitbomb07
wow … no telascopic steeing adjustment feature, thats poor for a $38k car
I will be putting that on my list of things to check at the dealer!
My wife and I test drove the Highlander today. It is a a VERY impressive vehicle. it climbs hills like a V8; the torque is incredible. The interior is very good – we couldn’t fault this car. These things are going to sell like hot cakes. I was considering buying the Outlander XLS Luxury; however the ix35 highlander is almost 10 grand cheaper and poops all over the XLS performance wise. In fact, it’s better than the VR six cylinder we test drove. We’ll be buying one.
Nice comment on your test drive! :) cant wait to hop into one my self… I just sold my 09 new gen mazda 3 to upgrade to one of these ix35′s
Congrats on your purchase Taranaki. May it give you years of enjoyment.
For anyone who hasn’t been paying attention, Hyundai doubled its sales last year over 2008 worldwide. The planet is starting to wake up. The Koreans are coming.
KIA sponsored the Australian open (big mistake Ford) and Hyundai the winter olympics. These two will be on most people’s lips over the coming years. Toyota will slowly fall from favour ,especially with all the recalls of late.
Yeah it is an upgrade, becuase Hyundai unlike Mazda isnt scared to at least try to become a luxury company. You could be a Japanese Alfa Romeo, but seem not to want to try Mazda.
What rock have you been hiding under, or maybe more accurately to fit with your name, what have you been smoking? Mazda tried the “luxury brand” thing in the early 90s, even though it was a failure due to Mazda being a small company trying to do too much and spreading themselves so thin with so little money. They had the Eunos brand as well as the Amati luxury brand that was scrapped just before release when they had just about run out of money. The models destined for the Amati label were re-badged either Eunos or Mazda. Then there was the Mazda 929. That could be classed as a luxury car attempt way back in the 70s with it’s “flash for the time” velour trim/power window option etc etc. Even the 626 of the mid 80s had technology/luxury features that most cars in it’s class didn’t have like electronic adjustable suspension, power steering, 4WS etc etc.
I am not saying one brand is better or worse than the other, I just wanted to clarify your blanket, but untrue statement. To say a brand like Mazda have never “tried” to be a luxury brand demonstrates to me that you need to do a bit more research about other manufacturers and get your facts straight before you start bagging them out with unfounded nonsense! Don’t get me wrong, I like what hyundai have been doing lately and would seriously consider them if I was after a new car, however I do not let things like that cloud my judgement. :-)
dave u r awesome. i am from taranaki
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2040 lol looking a little into the future there.. im not sure a grill would even still exist in 2040 transportation.
In a way he is right, when a company establishes its new design direction with a grille that suits many people, this is sign that they are on a massive rise, and Hyundai and KIA are both onto this.
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It is a little when you point it out but its not obvious “overall” i think they did a good job with the design.
I waited for this one because it looked great, however I too just had a heart attack at the price. The outgoing base was $22,900 including onroads, and the new model was quoted by a dealer today to me =30K! So a $7,000 premium just to introduce a new model? wtf?
It gets worse. I see deals on new Japanese Vitaras for less than the ix35. I know from experience what will hold resale value – just check how quickly the outgoing Tuscon has dropped in price.
Hyundai, if your listening, get the price back into reality.
PS I hear that a boatload are due to arrive end feb, so maybe dealers will ease off with the silly RRP pricing + massive 2K dealer on road costs margin.
Once reality sets in, I would be happy to buy one….
I have been watching this car for a few weeks and waiting on it being brought to Scotland. It will be interesting to see how much it will be as price is bing quoted £15000 – £19000 top range. If they start going of their head with cost.. Will look at Nissan.
I drove a Highlander today which was the only one the dealer had. Must admit it was a very good car, but it’s still a Hyundai and I fear resale value will not be that great compared to say a Tiguan (which I also drove today).
Drive away price for the Highlander was 42K which is only a touch under the Tiguan.
A HUGE jump compared to the Tucson. But that car really doesn’t compare at all in terms of power and features.
Thinking I might wait a while to see what happens….
What is the ‘reality’ you re talking about?
Is there any rules that Hundai vehicles should never match the Japanese regardless of its performance and quality improvement? Let’s be straight here. the ix35 diesel far outperforms the suzuki vitara in engine performance, fuel economy and cabin spaciousness.
The price increase on ix35 is simple to understand in economic sense; it just reflects the commensurate enhancement in quality, performance and therefore ‘the value’ of the vehicle.
The reality is that Hyundai have got their big increase in sales in OZ last year using price as a weapon. No Japanese could compete on value/price.
Now that they have Japanese prices on the ix35, their prime selling weapon has been removed. Dumb move as they now need to fight for every sale head on against the Japanese. This means we will not only compare looks, economy, safety but the big ones that hurt us like resale value and marque prestige. Even though I am a very serious ix35 buyer (I have held off buying 3 months until its release) I hope Hyundai wake up and start offerings some sales.
The only other major disappointment was that the CDi lacks a manual (unlike competitors). For those that have never owned a turbo car (I have for 7 years) the lag isn’t just a minor inconvenience, but its a real safety risk. I timed the ix35 from off pedal to flat to the floor and it took 3 seconds for power to arrive fully. I found that 3 seconds is an eternity when jumping out into a traffic gap (I almost hit the oncoming traffic in my test drive). Now If you have a manual, you can rev it up till the turbo boost arrives and simply let the clutch out to jump into traffic. 100% safer.
Use the brake and stall up the converter.
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What a load of rubbish, it will just be a second or two and it will warm up the transmission fluid a little – big deal. Maybe if you held it for 30 seconds under full boost it might make the tranny get a bit warm under the collar, i’m saying just for a second or two to get the turbo up. Some ECU’s wont allow throttle while the brake switch is closed thats the only problem.
$22,900 was actually a clearance price. the RRP was $24,990 plus on roads. The price was dropped late in the model life. Most manufacturers do this.
I registered my interest as soom as I heard the ix35 was coming. I saw their new pricing and nearly choked, talk about ripped off. I haven’t even bothered opening the email they sent me. I suspect the Dualis may be the way to go. I may as well buy Japanese if I’m paying these prices.
Also, what’s the deal with no Bluetooth? Why not add DAB+ radio and stand out of the crown.
Such a shame Hyundai. You missed the target on this one. Too late for me.
This what is expected from a dealer for a new Model. Consider this, if hyundai is not doing very well, will the dealer offer such prices in the first place?
Tried the previous version, would have bought the manual version on the first instance if not for my wife (she wanted a auto). So instead got a Lancer, which i don’t really like other then their 10 years warranty which i personally think it’s a marketing/PR hype.
A personal note to all prospective buyer, wait for some time a year or so for Hyundai to iron out all their bugs before buying. Also at that time you will also be have greater bargaining power
This car company’s draw card for us was always the price tag. They are now just to pricey for us and as stated before, it isn’t worth it when you consider the resale values on Hyundies. Our 2004 Terrican is worth jack-all :( Another faithful customer gone Hyundai
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Just wait until that CVT craps itself Crusty then we’ll see how good it is.
Your an absolute joke.
I’ve had my i30 for 15months, 54,000km on the clock and not a single regret about what it is and what it does, never wished I had any of it’s competitors. It’s a great car, it’s a pity you are so ignorant, but there always has to be at least 1 idiot in the village.
I would love to take you for a race along a nice windy hill climb and show you just how much your Lancer dies in the a$$.
Regards
Whitbomb07
Drove both the new VRX Lancer and top of the range i30 when looking for a new car. I’m sorry, the i30 disappointed me. It looks great, but the 2.0L wasn’t punchy at all, the drive and road feel was uninspiring & flat. Gearbox felt cheap and notchy. The interior look wasn’t quite there, although Hyundai have come a long way.
The VRX lancer drove far more aggressively, very notable difference in power with the 2.4L manual, steering gave me more feedback, overall an very extremely fun. Gearbox is short and fun. Lancer is great in the corners with extremely little roll and great grip. Obviously I bought lancer, 10k and 12 months later, love it. I hate to say it Whitbomb07, but the VRX lancer would eat the i30 for breakfast in a windy hill climb. You only have to drive both cars to see the huge difference. I went in with a open mind when test driving both (price tags were very close).
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I have to agree with Whitbomb. The diesel is the pick and would creme the lancer not just in drivability but absolutely smash it on economy. I’d have the i30. Mitsu are still having issues with their transmissions and resale is no longer and advantage.
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Sorry Whitbomb,
I totally agree with dans comments.
I like Dan went into the small car shopping search with a very open mind. The i30 was the biggest disappointment. Well maybe it disappointed as much as the Impreza, so lets call it equally biggest disappointment.
I would take the lancer any day over the i30, even in non VRX form.
Value for money in the Lancer equals i30 no probs, and style and resale leaves i30 for dead.
Ended up getting the Mazda though (SP23), as overall interior, features and quality is better than the rest. Best gearbox in class, also felt the punchiest by far (sames goes for non SP23 models).
And resale…….Mazda leaves them for dead no questions asked.
If it was my main drive though, I would prob look again at the VRX because it has a little more of a masculine touch to it, and its a little bigger
Only good if Mitsubishi are still around in 10 years. Have you seen the amount of debt Japan is in? I know Mitsubishi is not the Japanese government but the sh!t is starting to slide off the shovel over there.
Whitbomb07, Unless the i30 diesel has fundamentally different suspension, steering, braking and gearbox to the petrol, I am struggling to see how much of actually how different it would be and how I missed out. I remember walking out of the i30 after taking it for a burn and just feeling bored. After that, took the RS Impreza for a drive, which was better but it seemed heavy and sluggish (although the AWD was very good – flogging it around a sharp corner in the wet and it didn’t fault). The Impreza also lacked in styling (bucket like dash board and don’t particularly like the front end) and was underpowered. I also drove the Mazda SP23 – Andrew I agree a very solid drive and it was a very close second for me to the lancer. Very quick off the mark and responsive, fun drive.
To me, after test driving and really putting a car through its paces, I need to walk out with a huge grin on my face – otherwise why bother changing from your current car. Two did this for me, the Lancer and SP23 for a few reasons – they are responsive, good looking, good quality, aggressive, sufficient power, give you plenty of driving feedback and are comfortable. I know this isn’t the same criteria for everyone, but I like fast good looking cars. The lancer, whilst not perfect, ticked the right boxes.
I have driven a few Diesels and they still struggle to match petrol with consistent torque throughout the rev ranges, particularly in city driving when short sharp bursts of power are required. I would agree that diesel efficiency would not touch the lancer petrol, but that’s not comparing apples with apples now is it.
I just took the lancer to QLD – Sydney, my trip computer gave me an average of 7.5L/100km and I have a very heavy foot (ac on the entire time) and as we all know about the pacific highway, lots of power is needed a lot for high speed overtaking. The lancer’s Fuel efficiency is fine for my purposes, I would never make back the increase in cost for a diesel v fuel savings when driving ~10k p.a..
So its not for everyone out there, but the Lancer/SP23 definitely suited my personality. Its a drivers car, as opposed to an A-B runaround which the i30 suits well. If Hyundai can keep working on the quality and make huge improvements in the driving experience they will get there – but they haven’t hit the mark yet. Others’ thoughts?
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Wanting to be fair I checked this. I looked up on redbook a 2005 top of the line Tucson and the equiv top RAV4 cruiser. Both had devalued about 16K on private sale price by today. However being that the Tucson had a lower cost price (32K vs 36K) then the Hyundai has actually devalued more.
I can say that while Hyundai do devalue a bit more in general, This may not always be the case. Sometimes certain models, due to their popularity, command unusually higher resale. The old Tucson was not an ideal car and I would expect the ix35 to better it on resale without a doubt. This may actually end up better than Japanese car resale. We shall see in a few years time….
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Better check your redbook again, tucson resale is pretty ordinary. It’d be one of the worst in it’s class. I reckon Hyundai resale will end up as good as the japs but it’ll take a few more years yet.
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Last time I checked, Getz had one of the best resale values around.
Don’t forget that most makes are out of factory warranty at 3 years, whilst Hyundai warranty still has 2 years to run.
Like it or not, this affects resale value.
What a misleading statement yours is! Mitsubishi lancer ‘generation’ ahead of the i30? in what?
Is it the plasticly panels used all over the interior or un-spacious cabin that made you think so?
the i30 has been receiving awards and positive responses from mororing press not only here Down Under but in the US, Germany, UK and everywhere.
The Lancer is an excellent car, but only if you could buy one of thoee EVOs, forget about the standard lancer. It s not even close to the i30 in anything from fit&finish, interior to price
And by the way, do you know that the Lancer’s 2.0 petrol engine is basically a revised version of Hyundai’s in-house designed Theta engine?
Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Chrysler had a joint venture project where Hyundai primarily developed the Theta engine and the other 2 companies bought a licence to use it in their vehicles.
So if you are saying that the Lancer is ‘generation’ ahead, one reason for that would be the punchy Theta engine.
The 4G11 in the EVO is also based on the GEMA engine.
Awsome car shocking price! .. no change in hell would i pay $30k for the base model when i could haggle a Tucson drive away at 21k
The old tucson was cheap because it was not up to the standard of its competitors such as the cr-v.
Now the new ix35 is a completly different model with all technical updates and arguably the greatest fuel economy in its class. We certainly can’t expect the same low price on this new model can we?
In all fairness we should expect a price increase, but I suggest we are all shocked by *how much* of a price increase. Its a big pill to swallow after seeing the outgoing model at 23k onroad to jump to 30k onroad for this one. If it was 25-28K onroad they would probably get massive sales instead of us bickering ;)
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ix35 has the same fuel consumption but better performing engine and your saying that makes the Tiguan a winner?
I very much doubt the engine has anything to do with the towing capacity, it has been mentioned that it may be the auto tranny, but I’d put my money on the actual tow bar itself.
Apply some simply logic and physics and it will tell you that the Hyundai engine itself would be able to pull more, the limitation is somewhere else…….
Regards
Whitbomb07
It definately is not the engine. It produces more power and only slightly less torque than my D40 navara and my vehicle tows 3 tonne. it is a ladder chassis though. However in the case of the Hyundai I personally believe that as the auto is maintenance free and sealed for life that they may be playing it safe.
Can and should are two different things, there is much debate on whether it really is safe to let a vehicle tow something that weighs so much more than itself.
Poor Tiguan, 2500kg do you, would you really tow that much ??? Good Luck with that.
the rrp of theix35 is only $1500 more than the tucson. the manufacture reduced the price to run them out. if you expect it to be around the same price then you are STUPID!!! much better car inside and out.
Am in the market and had a look at the Captiva LX. Must admit Hyundai is going through major change and will be a future car manufacturer to be reckon with! However, I am going to wait for the new KIA Sportage SUV to be launched 2011. This looks like a very beautiful design. Talk about Audi Q5 styling.
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Check around for owner reviews on Craptivas. They aren’t called CRAPtiva for nothing. Lemon on wheels.
They can`t possibly be Robin, they are a Holden and are the best car in the world. LOL
holden or daewoo? lol
I’m starting to get annoyed by all the comments about the Tucson and it’s price difference.
Has anybody thought about the fact that they are selling them at cost price or below?
They want to get rid of the things to make way for the ix35! They have to be sold so cheap because they are old and outdated in comparison.
Of course the price difference was going to be considerable, everyones gotten used to these low prices for the Tucson and forgotten that they are just being cleared out, a year or 2 ago they were quite alot more than the current price.
Think about it, stop and actually compare the 2 vehicles to each other, the ix35 is in a completely different (and much better) league. What the hell do you expect?
Regards
Whitbomb07
I also was wondering how the oz ix35 prices stack up. Is it fair? So I jumped on the USA site.
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/tucson/
The base manual petrol ix35 sells for 19KUSD. At today’s conversion rate this equates to about 24.5KAUD. Locally we are $26,990. That would indicate we are paying a 2.5K premium over the US customers. I believe both are supplied from the same Korean factories at present. The US base model has the bigger and more expensive 2.4L motor to boot.
and who pays for that extra tax and adr
I made a similar comment somewhere else Whitbomb. The $22,990 is a reduction price that all manufacturers do towards the latter part of a models life. The RRP on the Tuscon was $24,990 plus on roads for the city model. it was reduced for clearance. Manufacturers know that if they can do a late run saturation there is often flow on to the replacement vehicle.
Plenty of Tuscon owners will take the ix35 for a test drive. You can count on it. I am alread yreading some amazing comments regarding the new one, particulalry where performance of the diesel is concerned. No wonder they dropped the V6. It is redundant.
hugs
Figures,looks surpassed Japanese.
So thats why they asking Japanese price.
Any Q ?
I test drove both the elite and highlander
Great build quiality on both and the diesel engine really goes once the turbo kicks in the lag is minimal but noticible.
Highlander is a great car this car will sell like hotcakes, what other car offers full leather, heated seats, reversing camera, Massive sunroof , ipod intergration & 5 year warranty as standard
Make no mistake its a fantastic car, Badge snobs will never be convinced so why try
I have a problem with the RACV test in the video above: – they sealed the tank and only filled it up when they got back to Melbourne. It said they used 70.23 litres of Diesel but the specs say the car tank is only 55 litres, so where did the extra 15 litres come from…..?
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Mate your Lancer would barely make it one way, even that would be pushing it.
Regards
Whitbomb07
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At the start you see him using a jerry to top off the tank, perhaps this jerry was again used when they ran out of fuel (they expected around Bendigo) on the return trip to add the 15 lts to the tank, they get to Melb, fill up the jerry then fill the tank to the brim = how much they used total for the round trip.
Crusty how far do you reckon you would get with the Lancer?
Regards
Whitbomb07
Ohh well the CX7 is also a nice car but price fuel is a killer… we want a cheap car that looks good and sips fuel they got 2 of the 3 right… here’s hoping prices will come down later in this cars sales lifespan.
NOT correct, the CX7 [V A S T L Y] superior to this, is avail. in a N/A ULP and DIEsel powerplants.
ONLY the hi-po turbo is a guzzler of ULP
Can you actually give a few reasons why it is ‘Vastly Superior’ instead of just throwing a few words up to further reinforce how much of a badge snob you are?
Regards
Whitbomb07
The mazda is a better car ( only in build QTY and feel ) but costs almost 50k and its just too darn uneconomical my friends mum\’s CX7 uses 17L/100k thats just shocking!!! an ix35 has a much better engine in both the petrol and diesel verions. You would be silly to go a CX7 over an ix35 for the cost of ownership alone
New model CX7 kicks off at low $30k’s
Much more frugal on fuel too, ie non-turbo, you can also buy a urea DIEsel too
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Mainly dedicated to showing how much of a fool YOU are!
Go play with your Lancer, maybe learn to drive, get over your badge snobbery, actually know what you are talking about and then maybe think about passing judgements!
Regards
Whitbomb07
I think the main reason he (Crusty Clown) is so negative is either:
1. He really believes what he is saying (which is fine as long as it is his subjective opinion but berating other people isn’t cool)
2. He is a brand/badge snob and a troll as pointed out by others.
3. He has actually purchased Mitsubishi Lancer (at higher prices almost similar to what he could have purchased entry level ix35 or higher spec’d i30 SLX or SR) and now he is being eaten from inside due to the fact he realises he made a mistake (Not that Lancer is a bad car … it is actually quite good)
Mate I challenge you to find ONE of your comments on this site which has positive votes. Sure Korean cars weren’t worth talking about 10 years ago but a lot has changed since then. Stop living in the past mate. No one here respects badge-snobbery.
You ARE CLOWN.
Nothing More Nothing LESS.
HAHA. :)
Suck it up Princess, not everyone in the world learn as slowly as you. This car has interest for a reason, and not the ones you keep harping on about.
The the nice people down the road just traded their Falcon & Hyundai Exel in and bought a 5sp Tucson (on run out) and for them it does the job, probably not up to the standard of its competitors such as the Forrester, VW, RAV & CRV etc.
Now the new ix35 enters the market. Wow, go Hyundai; a completely different model with all high tech stuff and arguably the greatest fuel economy in its class. You won’t be getting these on run at $21000 drive away! 224 comments for a Korean car , “Go better Go Hyundai”.
ix35 – 135kW
CX7 – 127kw
ix35 – 392Nm
CX7 – 400Nm
ix35 HighlanderAWD 2.0-litre R-series turbo-Diesel six-speed automatic – $37,990†
CX-7 Diesel Sports Diesel + Manual – $47,821 ( Price in NSW )
END of Story.
being a mazda fan, I’ll point out that the mazda diesel gets 136kw and 400nm in the 6,
however even as a mazda fan if I was looking at a small awd I’d be looking at the Hyundai first, its too good to ignore.
I did look at an i30 sporstwagon before I decided to step up to the 6, despite being a dearer car I got a better deal on the Mazda
I’ll point out that mazda diesel you mentioned is 2.2 liter.
ix35 – 2 liter
CX7 or mazda 6 – 2.2 liter
END of story
You all talk a lot of crap, I drove the ix35 Highlander and Elite diesel models, Just great, then went next door to Mitsubishi land, there was nothing that even compared to the great looking and performing ix35. Over the years I had Holden’s, Subaru VW, Mercedes, BMW and Toyota. Then Mitsubishi’s and weren’t they fuel guzzlers like the Sigma’s and Magna’s, yuck no wonder the Adelaide factory closed. I am on my 5th Hyundai and they never cost me anything as the warranty is one of the super advantages. Must admit the Accent was a bucket of s..t, the Sonata V6 a bit thirsty but I loved the Elantra. We live in a throw away world so update 12 month before the warranty runs out and sell privately, you won’t get the same on a trade-in. Go ix35.
Erwinator
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Source ???
AS far as I know Mitsubishi imports engine from Hyundai.
Anybody can clarify???
Yes its true, Hyundai used to use Mitsubishi engine designs in the ’80s and ’90s. Check Wikipedia. They also used to make Cortinas under license in the ’70s
Thanks. Yes 80′s, 90′s you are correct.
But now… 2010.
As far as know Mitsubish use hyundai engines now. I mean year 2010.
Am I wrong ? Anybody ???
Mitsubish, Hyundai, Kia and Chrysler all use a common 2.0 and 2.4 petrol engine design. They all put in development money into the project and so you are right in one respect. However the engines are not made in the same plant, rather each manufacturer builds it themselves. I think that you will see more of this in the future due to the high cost of developing these clean efficient engines nowdays. It makes economic sense. There are rumours of the Hyundai R series diesel engines being under evaluation by other manufactuers.
One question I have with the IX35 is that a derivative is used in the Sante Fe. It is slightly larger capacity, power and torque and is used in a car that is around 300kg heavier. Why then is the stated fuel economy almost identical for both cars. The IX35 uses slightly shorter gearing (gear box and final drive) but I would have thought the economy in the IX35 (smaller car and lighter) would have been better than the Sante Fe.
Just an observation.
They all use their own cylinder heads, manifolds, valvetrains etc as well. Hyundai were the main principal design influence in the GEMA project.
Okies, I think there were still a few Mitsubishi engines hanging around in Hyundai vehicles in the early naughties, but I dont think there is any left now, maybe in some leftover commericial vehicles or such not sold here.
Nice post. Yep, my father has had a few and says the same thing. So do so many others. Posts like your’s are common and should be sending shockwaves through the other manufacturers. Hyundai/Kia are learning at rapid speed.
have to Agree with Erwinator. Owned a few Hyundais including a Tucson. Always well cared for n the warranty. Enough demand in the second hand market for them.
Drove the Elite and will be buying the petrol. Mitsubishi wanted me to sign the deal before seeing or driving the outlander- still havent driven it.
Guys i would like to think that the price will drop on hte ix soon, but sadly, i think that initially sales will be because its a new car and then the old tucson drivers will be updating. Dont think they will dorp the price too soon. may get some accessories thrown in on plate clearance next year.
The RRP of the Tucsons was not near the 22k clearing price.
FOr the 4,5k difference, there is lots of value in the elite.
I went to the dealership yesterday to check one out. To be honest, in the flesh, the claims that its gone all european are a bit of a marketing stretch. Its still very much an Asian car in the way it feels and looks in reality. But yeah, the build quality seems okay but certainly still not Honda levels of finish.
Also, the ix35′s only been out a week and the dealer near where I live has already reduced the price of the Elite Diesel from $38,990 (the price I was quoted a week ago on the phone) to $38,600 (yesterday arvo at the dealership).
There are places offering it for $38,000. Give it 6 months, and I reckon $33,000 would be closer to the mark for a car like this.
I have to disagree with your statement that the ix35 is “Asian” in the way it looks and feels. Have a look at the Outlander, X-Trail, RAV, and CRV – they’re pretty “boxy” in my opinion. The Captiva has had a go at being a little less boxy, but they’re a piece of crap, and the CX-7 is a great looking car. The ix35 is the most aesthetic looking of all these. I had a Honda Accord Euro luxury and the finish of the ix35 Highlander is every bit as good as the Honda. In terms of performance and fuel efficiency, nothing comes near the ix35.
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What has boxy got to do with being European or Asian? Are you saying the Tiguan isn’t at least as “boxy” as a CRV ?
To explain. When I took my stroll from the VW dealer, past the Subaru & Mazda dealer, the Audi dealer, the Landrover/Skoda dealer and the Peugeot dealer, and finally to the Hyundai dealer. The one thing I noticed was that Hyundai is definitely in the same school as the other Asians in the wheel to wheelarch proportions, the ratio of the waistline to roof, the size and angle of the glasshouse etc. Sure it has some funky lines down its body. But I’d say that’s more akin to a Mazda 3 than a Golf. Wouldn’t you? The actual Euro brands aren’t doing that stuff. Even BMW is going back to less fussy lines.
And as for the feel. Jumping straight from a Tiguan/Q5 into an X-Trail/Captiva/ix35 There are definitely two camps on how a car should feel. And i’m afraid the ix35 is NOT in the European camp. I even thought the leather was vinyl at first.
Which is sad, because I had high hopes for the ix35
I like the ix35 i just dont like the price.. :) will be waiting 12 months + befor i buy one or maybe never if the price is still high! They have left a gap to fill at the $24k small SUV price range
Hey vid_ghost,
I wouldn’t hold my breath in terms of something to fill the gap. The ix35 will raise the bar in all aspects of the mid-size SUV market. It poops all over the CX-7, the X-Trail, RAV, Outlander, and Craptiva. The diesel motor is absolutely phenomenal. I hope to have finalised my purchase by the end of the week – Highlander in “Sleek Silver”.
Ummm your reply still doesnt answer my question of the gap hyundai have left for a $24k compact SUV??
THEY DONT HAVE ONE anymore! now that the Tucson has been fazed out!
The only option for people with 24k (drive away) will be the 2009/10 Kia Sportage.
Thats what i’m saying!
ix35 Driveaway Prices from a dealer in the north shore Sydney NSW
Petrol Engines
Active 2wd 2.0L 5 Speed Manual = $30,409
Active 2wd 2.0L 6 Speed Automatic = $32,469
Elite 2.4L AWD 6 Speed Automatic = $35,559
Diesel Engines
Elite 2.0L R Series Turbo Diesel 6 Speed Automatic = $38,649
Highlander 2.0L R Series Turbo Diesel 6 Speed Automatic = $41,739
I just got back from the dealer… love this car its just awesome inside out. but the prices i was quoted are just a joke! Plus the overpowering cheap glue smell of this thing when you sit inside is just ridiculous ( it made me feel ill ) unlike the CX7 or Rav4 that just have a clean leather couch smell this ix35 has a cheap plasticy nauseating one. Here’s hoping its just because its fresh off the boat and over time the price and the smell will both come down! :)
Yes they may be to advertised drive away prices, but did you haggle?
I did and managed to get one for over $1k less that the prices you have quoted with about $2k of options etc included.
Anyway, I’m sure if you are serious and have a plan from the start which is better than, oh…is that the RRP plus ORC…I’m not paying that and leaving you will be able to get value.
To be honest, yes I did buy one today, don’t really love the car, but it will serve a purpose well and I think provides reasonable value for what I need.
Yeah the guy at the dealer wouldnt budge on the price and all they could give me was free matts! lol .. no thank’s to me thats a bad deal and complete ripp off!
congratulations on your deal though, what out of the 3 did you go for? and was it in NSW? I’m going to wait until EOFY sales and try my luck again…. im a buyer who will walk away every time i dont get the price i want! and i do know how to haggle! :) the key is to make them invest allot of time in you then haggle the earth out of them.. then walk away telling them your going to another dealer to try your luck there! ( i love to car shop )
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Obviousy you have no freaking idea Scatman.
Kim Jong Il is the leader of North Korea, nothing to do with Hyundai.
Hyundai is a South Korean company, there’s a very big difference.
Obviously your lack of knowing this simple fact shows how foolish you are and shows you to be another silly badge Snob.
It’s like me saying I won’t buy something from Mitsubishi because I still worry Admiral Yamamoto is going to sail some carriers down here and attack/take over Australia.
You tell me to go and talk a walk, clean my house, how about you read a book and learn some facts, then maybe come back and make a post.
Regards
Whitbomb07
I think he was just making a joke :) inaccurate as it is. at the end of the day thats one pricy South Korean car…. They should slap on a Samsung logo on that sucker so the price is more realistic. lol
Yeah…try to haggle with 4-6 months delivery time.
The dealer can pick which car he sells to which customer.
Obviously to the one who is paying the closest-to-retail price.
Emblem of Hyundai not too bad with this ix35.
Actually it goes well with it.
mmm…
Would anyone here be more willing to pay the high asking price if the ix35 was made by Samsung rather then Hyundai :) strangly enough i know i would.
vid_ghost,
I can see why you say strangely enough you would buy the ix35 if it was made by Samsung. What logic are you using here? Because they make a good flat panel TV you think they might make a good car????
Dave, not sure if you know this or not but in korea Samsung make cars, along with a wide range of other products that for some reason dont make it outside of korea. :) Seeing there products are superior to japanese (according to reviews) i would feel better paying more for a Samsung ix35 knowing its coming from them! “if its at the same QTY as there other products”
That makes much more sense now vid_ghost.
Indeedy ! :) … i just googled some of there cars .. they dont look too bad hehe i wonder how they drive! do they use full lcd led instrument panel omg my CAR has a dead pixel right on 60Kmph lol eheh
Nope, Samsung doesn’t build the car. They used to assemble nissan’s car in korea but it was taken by Renult. In fact, their official name is Renult Samsung.
Renault Samsung motors is actually NOTHING relation with samsung.
Renault borrow samsung name from samsung.
They just pay name royalty fee to samsung.
The samsung does NOT interfere anything of Renault’s korea technology and management, everything.
Renault Samsung motors is a Renault.
they just borrow name of samsung in korea market.
I used to work for Samsung around 1997 and at that time Samsung started building their own cars which were basically a Nissan Maxima but with some extra tech features and minor styling tweaks.
I even remember Samsung ran a world wide competition among staff to name the new car. Of course since then the economy in Korea crashed and the relationship between Nissan/Renault and Samsung may have changed to the one described above . . .
My point being that once they did build a Samsung car.
Has anybody seen actual crash test results yet. The car is not listed on ancap, euro-ncap or the US crash site…..
The ix35 is a very nice car and The diesel engine alone makes it a good but the fit and finish especially interior is just poor! .. go sit inside a CX7 then an ix35… The CX7 is like buying a $10,000 lounge from a high priced furniture store and the ix35 is like going for a $900 Fantastic Furniture one lol
32k for the Base model ix32 with a 2.0L petrol engine is a joke
Cant wait for Hyundai to come back down to earth with pricing to reflect the cheap build of the car. Well i guess they gotta pay for all those TV and web adds somehow!!
Vid Ghost,
I have sat inside and test driven the Highlander model at my local and I must say, from someone who has driven cars better put together than a CX7, the ix35 wasn’t bad at all. Fit and finish were good, everything was tactile and overall impressions were of decent quality.
The CX7 is well built but don’t think it’s necessary to put it on a pedestal of Audi-like fit and finish.