High lane SHIFTER

YOU CAN SEE why the Hyundai Tucson is already selling fast in Hong Kong. Quite apart from the price, it's a fun drive with room to spare. Like other sports utility vehicles, the Tucson is a tall car with lots of headroom and plenty of ground clearance. Those de-rigueur alloy wheels and chunky tyres (235/60 R16) complete the sporty stance. Driving visibility is excellent, yet the Tucson stays faithful to a car-like position. The brush-painted metal central console is gently tilted towards the driver, making adjustments on the move easier. The front seats are supportive and comfortable enough for a gentle drive out of town, while the rear seats fold flat easily for wakeboards and lifejackets. I like the way the seat backs are virtually scratchproof and have tow-hooks. Wet loads are no problem - surfaces are easy to wipe clean. You can strap a bicycle to the roof-rails, and any children's bikes will be a doddle fitting in the back, with the low-mounting lip and wide-loading floor. The Tucson is a competent commuting car to drive - unchallenging, albeit not exactly inspiring. Once pushed, the suspension feels under-damped, bouncing over potholes and tending to wallow in series of bends. On the limit, it will always wash off excess speed with safe understeer. The tall Hankook tyres may anaesthetise any feel through the thick-leather steering wheel, but the ABS-equipped brakes have a convincing bite. With 1,975cc and 142 horsepower, it's not the swiftest SUV, but its constantly variable valve technology produces a commendably flat torque plateau throughout the rev range and and accelerates impressively at urban speeds. The four-cylinder engine is eager to rev smoothly up to 5,500rpm before it starts to sound rough. You can disable the traction-control, but really, there's no point because there isn't enough power to overcome the grip at the front-end, and all you'll feel is the steering-wheel tugging annoyingly to one side with vicious torque steer. The four-speed automatic gearbox has well-chosen ratios that comfortably bridge the gap between low-end acceleration and cruising economy. Not so impressive is the shiftronic function, so popular on all recent automatic boxes. It's a standard push-up, pull-down affair, but it requires a determined shove of the stick before anything happens. It's best to leave it in 'drive' and let the box shift itself smoothly. The trip computer agrees, showing much improved mileage when it's not being stressed. And the 58-litre fuel tank offers a generous cruising range between fill-ups - perfect for family trips. Mums should find the Tucson helpful on school and family runs. You can strap three children into back seats that are sufficiently wide and tall to keep them comfortable and quiet, and they can look out of the wide windows. I like the cupholders in the doors and armrests, too. The air-conditioning is excellent, the ride is stable for the car-sickly, and central armrest storage accommodates kiddy clutter. The radio/CD is easy to use, although the sound isn't top notch. The CD changer is hidden under the passenger seat. The Tucson's wing mirrors and its superior visibility make parking easy, despite the absence of parking sensors. The feather-light steering and tight turning circle are helpful in tight spots around Mid-Levels. Loading through the tailgate is easy because it lifts with a gentle, damped action, exposing a cavernous opening. Safety nets hold fragile items in place, and a sturdy parcel shelf will keep things out of sight. The rear window screen also lifts separately for any last-minute additions to the boot. One of the worst thing about loading groceries is that you need a free hand to hold the car keys, but the Tucson's keyless entry system does away with that problem. The 12-volt outlets in the boot and behind the front seats are another nice touch - handy for small vacuum cleaners, phone chargers, floodlights and so on. I think older people will like the Tucson, too. There's plenty of room for two grown-ups in the back. The Tucson seems great value, and undercuts the Japanese competition by nearly 50 per cent. Having looked at Toyota's RAV4 ($291,930) and Honda's CR-V equivalent, ($299,000), I don't know how Hyundai and dealers Zung Fu manage to sell the Tucson at such a price. The Tucson is a lot of car for the money, particularly for families. AT A GLANCE Tested: Tucson 2.0 What drives it: 1,975cc engine with an 4-speed automatic transmission How fast is it? Fast enough, at 142ps @ 6,000rpm and 18.8kg/m of torque @ 4,500rpm Available: From $139,000 (Zung Fu) Verdict: Fine looker and excellent value, with Zung Fu back-up