Hyundai Tucson

iluvmysephia1

when this thread started discussing on here whether the rig was called Tuscon or Tucson. Notice the spelling difference? I knew the pronunciation was <Too-son>, though!

 

I guess that still doesn't answer the question in the post above, does it?

sandpaper

I would say 'toose' seems more accurate, while 'tucks' seems more fun. I prefer 'tucks'.

boltguy

Wow, Hyundai's incentives for January do not include any Tucson rebates or Hyundai owner loyalty programs. I guess they're selling so well, they've discontinued them temporarily. That makes my decision an easy one as to whether I'm going to buy a Tucson any time soon.

andil1

I call my car "Tucs," with a K sound, although Tucson is pronounced Toos-on. When the announcement came out in Nov 03 about this new mini-SUV, I had to learn to spell it (being in the Chicago area and far removed from the Arizona city it was named after), so I remembered it as Tuk-son so I would spell it Tucson, not Tuscon by mistake. I thought Tucs sounded cute. "Honey, shall we take your truck...or the Tucs?"

tidester

I kind of like the "tucks" sound - perhaps we could spell it "tux?" :-)

 

tidester, host

alpine1

Hyundai has manufactured manual models. My local dealer has two in stock (which I saw) and another nearby dealer has 50 Tucsons on his lot including the manual.

andil1

OK, Tidester, as long as we don't have to dress in our formal attire to drive it!

a_bum

Boltguy,

 

I agree with you. Most car companies seem to be moving toward the hard plastic. I have a Toyota Celica that has all hard plastic inside. The soft touch stuff that comes in the Camry's is really nice, but in these Florida summers I think the hard plastic dash will resist cracking and fading much better. Also, I never rub my dash and say, "Oooo, soft..." As long as it doesn't rattle, I don't really care.

 

Congrats you new Tooks (Tukes maybe?) owners! Nice ride. Hyundai seems to just keep getting better.

jones1009

FYI on Gas Milage...

THIS WILL ONLY GET WORSE!!!!!

I've put almost 10K on my Tucson in 2 months, the last two tanks were 100% highway driving on the interstate over the holidays and they were 19.85mpg on the first and 19.55 on the second. We've had it completely checked out by two different dealers and both say nothing is wrong, consumer service keeps saying it's us not the car although we've driven it exactly as they have stated. We were getting 23 avg after about 3-4K and it's gone down from there. At this point I'm happy if we're hitting 22.

 

IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THIS CAR...RUN AWAY FAST!!! We're now trying to trade if off after only two months, starting to see more of the transmission problems others have stated on this board. I will never purchase another Hyundai again...the longer I own the vehicle, the worse it is.

 

So...just wanted to let all of you who are crossing your fingers on the mpg...sorry to inform you that we've all been misled by this company.

The faster this vehicle is out of my driveway, the happier I am.

delta4

jones1009,

Sorry to hear you're having issues with your new Tucson. I haven't heard or seen any owner issues regarding mileage issues being anything other than being part of the 'break-in' period. As far as tranny issues are concerned, I am a frequent visitor to multiple autowebsite forums, blogs and auto trade related sites and haven't seen any issues as serious as yours. 10k in 2 months means you're driving 5k plus+ per month. That's a lot of hauling. Hope everything works out.

alpine1

The "Traction Control" technology is provided by Borg Warner for Hyundai. Check out their website, www.borgwarner.com and look up the 10/27/2004 press release. It explains how the traction control system works.

dolomite

Well, its general knowlege that the Tuscon has pretty crappy gas mileage. The v6 automatic is the worse. But compare it to other small SUVs in it's class and they're not that much better either in MPGs. Small SUVs are not known for having super great gas mileages. Also, I dont know if anyone else seen any transmission problems with the Tuscon. But I dont see any reason to "run away fast" from this car just because of its mpgs.

danf1

It sounds a lot like someone bought a Hyundai and is regretting the decision maybe because it doesn't offer the same stigma of other brands. Now that person is looking for any reason to convince his or her better half that the car is garbage so that he or she can get rid of it and buy the socially accepted Toyota, Honda etc...

 

I don't know of too many people that would complain about a V-6 4X4 only getting about 20mpg.

iluvmysephia1

and that kind of gas mileage is par for the course. It really is. I own a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 with a 2.0L I-4. I have the 5-speed tranny and I'm getting 22-25 mpg. The Sportage must weigh less than the Tucson but I have a feeling that the new '05 Sportage with the I-4 cyl.motor and 5-speed manual transmssion will only get 22-25 mpg as well. I prefer the looks of both the new Tucson and the old and new Kia Sportage. Plus, the 4 wheel drive is really cool to have in the winter. It's helped me get out of my driveway before in the snow and ice!

 

Anybody needed their Tucson's AWD feature this winter yet?

norne

I know it's hard but go ahead and drive no faster than 60mph on the freeway until next fill up and see if your mpg improves.

dolomite

The MPG labels that are initially listed on new cars are measured on cars that run at 55 mph. Every 5 mph you go over 60, is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas(www.feuleconomy.gov).

 

The Tuscon's high final drive ratio should dismay some folks from driving too much faster than 60 mph(since accelleration from them on really sucks the big one...) but most of most rarely drive under 65 mph anyways. And since folks are doing their holiday travels this time of the year, most probably would NOT drive under 70 mph - especially when we're trying to get to our destination as soon as possible.

 

So then, when you put it all together, its no wonder why you may be getting really bad MPGs.

alpine1

Can you share with us more about the nature of the surveys? Unless Hyundai explained exactly what it will do for a customer that expressed some concerns or dissatisfaction, the survey is of no value to the customer.

andyman73

What about the load in the vehicle? And the tire pressure? Once you start loading up the vehicle, your mileage will suffer. Same with low tire pressure. Even at the factory settings, it can cause you to get lower than stated economy. These are totally free to try out. Just increase the tire pressure by 5 psi, over factory(most are way below tire max pressure) and see what that gets you.

andil1

To Alpine1's survey question, the research that is being done is quite in depth. I've had 2 phone surveys ask specifically what I'd change on the car. There was a very long written and a long phone survey asking me to rate how I "feel" about the car, trying to find out what image I have of the Tucson, based upon a lot of different adjectives--trendy, economical, sophisticated, etc. And, of course, there were the basic questions about the confidence I have in Hyundai, and what other cars I looked at first. A written survey that was generic for any auto listed many different upgraded features, asked if I had them, if so did I really want them or not, if I didn't have them, do I wish I did. The surveys do take up a lot of time, but many years back I worked in market research for a large corporation, so I appreciate just how important these surveys are. How soon Hyundai will respond is anyone's guess, but they will definitely find out what niche this car fills and what image it has.

 

As to mileage, I've learned never to expect the sticker numbers. The type of suburban driving I do is called "go nowhere fast." My 2wd with just over 1k miles is getting 16/20. But it took almost 7k miles on my old Elantra GT to get anywhere near the sticker number. I remember my 2-door '94 Ford Explorer Sport--the sticker said 15/20 but I actually got 11/16. The Tucson has the all the versatility and fun that the Explorer had, but better mileage--so I guess mileage, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

jones1009

Danf1,

I just wanted to reply to your post to put the record straight.

 

We purchased the Hyundai because of the great warranty and the appeal of the interior and exterior design of the Tucson along with the 26mpg that it advertised by Hyundai and promised by the dealership. We have never owned a foriegn vehicle and I actually prefer a Hyundai over a Toyota or Honda (I have no desire to purchase either of these brands.)

Also...both my spouse and I feel exactly the same on this vehicle. We are not trying to convince one another to change, we are both seeking a different vehicle.

Also, I did not specifiy in my previous post, but I have the 2wd Tucson, not the 4x4, otherwise you would be correct, 19-20 for the 4x4 isn't that bad. When we've taken this to different dealers and tell them what we're getting for mpg on a 2wd, they all agree that something doesn't seem right, but extensive computer tests are not showing any problems.

The reason I am so upset over the vehicle is that it was supposed to avg 26mpg with a range of 22-30 and after 10K miles, we are only getting about 20hwy.

I also wanted to thank everyone else for their mpg feedback, unfortunately I've tried everything that people have said and it's not making that much of a difference. I really appreciate the feedback concerning speed on the hwy as it relates to mpg, but we live in a real world that drives 75 on the interstate and that is where I spend my hour long commute everyday so I will continue to try to trade the Tucson for a vehicle more suited to real-world life, and it will not be another foriegn car of any kind as it seems that GM is the one company that gives mpg as promised at a real world highway speed.

 

I simply put up my previous post due to other concerns on this site about mpg (and a couple I read about the transmission) and it seems that I have put on more miles than other Tucson owners and I think that it's important to those who are waiting for the break-in period to be done to understand that it's likely not to change, and for those who are looking at this vehicle, if MPG is important to you, you may want to look elsewhere.

danf1

I didn't mean to offend, you caught me on a bad day. Yes I did assume 4x4 and with that in mind your mileage does seem to be low. Swearing off all imports over that seems nit-picky to me, but to each his own.

 

I may have been a little harsh on you because you never posted anything positive over your two months of ownership. It appears from the outside that you were regretting your decision and using mpg as an excuse. I stand corrected.

jones1009

You are correct, I have not posted anything positive because we've been so disappointed in the vehicle. I probably typed in a message before that may have been overly harsh, but I'm pretty upset about the quality of vehicle we purchased. We are regretting our decision now, but only based on the performance (or lack thereof) of the Tucson, not because we purchased a new vehicle and now have buyer's remorse. I drive 120 miles/day on a crowded interstate (75-80mph) where good acceleration is a must, and based on my miles, I'm concerned with conserving as much gas as possible. I was also looking for some interior room that a compact car can't give me. I was expecting the Tucson to fulfill those requirements.

 

I wouldn't have added anything to this forum, but I've read a few posts where others have had concerns about the mpg and the transmissions and I believe that I may have more miles on my vehicle than some of the other owners, so I wanted to add in my experience to those who were holding their breath until the "break-in" period was over.

 

We had a bad experience with the initial deal on this vehicle and I admit that it may be clouding my judgment some. However, I am concerned about the transmission and mine has even had a hard time starting a couple of times. I certainly hope that we just received a lemon and that other Tucsons are working fine, but based on other posts I'm afraid this may not be the case.

 

Should anyone be reading these forums to gather information before purchasing this vehicle, I thought that it would only be fair that I post my bad experience with the Tucson as I like to read both good and bad reviews in order to make the most informed decision possible.

 

We weren't that sold on an import vehicle when searching for something new, but really liked the Tucson on our test drive. Hyundai seems to have a really good reputation and people I know who own Santa Fe's have really enjoyed their vehicles, I anticipated that the Tucson would simply be a smaller version of the Santa Fe with minor modifications. My research before buying and now after has led me to believe that for my personal use, a domestic car fits my needs better and thus the "swearing off imports". My apologies to anyone I offended in my earlier post, but if asked I would still not recommend the Tucson, I would actually recommend the Santa Fe over it.

bodble2

I'm just curious about which domestic vehicle you have in mind which is comparable to the Tucson but would give better mileage? Saturn Vue, perhaps?

 

And why not something from Honda or Toyota, such as the CR-V, or Rav4? They are a little more pricey, but likely would offer the superior quality that you're looking for.

delta4

Jones1009

I hear ya. If nothing else you are giving your own honest opinion and feed back based on your brief ownership experience with the Tucson. (I say brief only because 1 year experience with a new vehicle can be considered ownership experience).

 

Nothing anyone on this forum says will change your mind as you have well pointed out your overall impression and experience with Tucson has been negative.

 

As to the mileage issue CRV is averaging 21 MPG, Rav4 avg is 24 MPG (these are 4 cyl). You mention GM product? To begin at the very extreme - if mpg is the primary concern, you may want to consider a compact like the all new 4 cyl Chevy AVEO which comes in a 4 dr hatchback verison and is rated at 27 MPG. However keep in mind that this is at 103 hp so don't expect quick accelleration. Equinox, a competitor to Tucson and others in its class,has a V6 from chevy and returns 22 mpg overall.

 

In all fairness, if I were you and had a change of heart with my purchase I'd probably be looking to dump the vehicle based on the factors you cited. I realize the mpg may be the overriding factor behind your rap against the Tucson.

 

You also did mention the hard starting? in your last post (did you see whether the dealer could address this?) and in an earlier post you mentioned the tranny issue with the Tucson but didn't cite any specifics. However regardless you don't appear to be a happy Hyundai owner so therefore you should definitely move on and get the vehicle of your choice which you believe suits you better and addresses your needs.

 

One more thing, while it is ok to be critical of any vehicle or manufacturer, it is not ok to slam a product just because you have had a bad experience with it. I'm not saying you don't have a gripe with this vehicle, just that overall one has to remember to keep it all in perspective. No auto manufacturer purposely designs a vehicle that will not meet their customers expectations. They are in business to sell cars and not have unhappy customers. At the very least you should inform Hyundai USA of your dissatisfaction and see whether they can offer any assistance with regards to your issues.

 

Good luck!

stever

Hyundai shows big-league credentials with fuel-cell Tucson

 

Steve, Host

marfla

I have owned a Tucson for one month. The dealership sent me a notice that they offer a personal website that will provide info on recalls, service schedule, time for service reminders etc.......

 

So I checked this out and realized the mileage is being tracked. The website has the actual mileage i have driven since purchase, and is updated each time I drive.

 

I must say I am not in favor of this technology.

 

Has anyone heard or seen this? Is this just the dealership or standard on all new cars?

 

Is this something I can deactivate?

 

And should I have been informed of this tech and the mileage would be tracked esp for the service dept?

 

Maybe it's just something I need to get use to, but ummmmm not sure about this.

 

Thanks.

norne

Sorry to hear you are not happy with the new vehicle. delta4 made a good point about contacting customer service at Hyundai motors usa. You are still within the first 90 days and Hyundai should go out of their way to turn the negative situation in to a postive.(hopefully)

 

You should also consider hefty depreciation should you decide to sell the Tucson.

dolomite

ABout the mileage tracking, can you post the link to this website so we can see if anyone else is being tracked? I personally think it's kind of cool they can actually do that....not that its a good thing or not.

dovid2

Do you mean it's updated when you take it in for service? Surely they aren't tracking the mileage

daily?

marfla

yes it is updated daily. i haven't taken it in for service, only had it one month.

 

the give you the website addy, you go type in you VIN, and boom there you are. Name, vehicle, mileage. If you had service it would show that as well. Tells you when your next service is due, service history etc.....

 

I don't mind having the service history available.

 

But yes the mileage changes each time I drive the vehicle, the webpage is updated to show the current accurate total miles.

 

I don't know if this is only by the dealership I purchased from, or for all Tucson's or other cars.

alpine1

How does the actual mileage from the vehicle get posted to the website? Did you ask the dealership about this automatic updating?

marfla

ok the dealership says its an estimate on mileage just a fluke what is on the webpage and on my car are the same.

 

There is not tracking but the webpage updates estimating what the average driver drives per day/week/month.

 

Still weird in my book.

bodble2

Maybe a micro-chip is planted on the car somewhere.

marfla

no, the dealership says no chip and no tracking device. that the webpage is showing an estimate of average miles. and is a fluke that just happens to be close or exactly what i have driven.

 

still interesting.

 

I did read that CA has proposed placing tracking devices in cars to charge tax based on miles driven and not gas tax. who knows now days what can be done. with tech almost anything probably could be done.

stever

Black boxes for cars already exist and are being used in accident reconstructions, lawsuits, etc. I've heard of GPS tracking devices but never heard of an automaker tracking mileage in real time.

 

30 million cars now record drivers' behavior (USA Today)

 

Steve, Host

jjpeter

I have read a couple of reveiws that mention the tranny in the Tucson has a tendency to "hunt" for the right gear, I'd assume expecially when climbing a grade. Does anyone have any experience with this happening?

 

I'm looking very seriously at the Tucson but want to get some more info before making my decision.

 

Also mentioned is the "numb" steering, providing marginal road feedback. Can anyone elaborate on this trait?

 

I test drove an 4x2 last night, and did concure with the steering assessment somewhat. But, it wasn't a deal killer. The vehicle is great in so many areas, especially the value component, that its just a steal, IMHO. I did not have any uphill climbs to test out the hunting of the tranny complaint.

 

Any feedback on the driving dynamics would be appreciated!

dolomite

As far as "hunting" for the right gear, I havent really noticed any of that while driving on auto. But I do notice that it is slow to switch to second gear from first when you're driving in shiftronic mode. All the other gears shifts right away.

 

I myself havent driven too many SUVs but the ones I have am sure would react the same when driving uphill. Perhaps I'm still too use to my sports car, but when going steep uphill, it does kinda struggle unless you floor the pedal a bit.

 

As for "numb" steering, I have no idea what that is. And I have absolutely no complaints on the steering on the Tuscon - it feels perfectly fine to me.

csandste

Probably because greater incentives exist for the Santa Fe. I like the looks of the Tucson a lot more than the Santa Fe, but paying almost as much for a smaller car is probably a turnoff for guys like me who can't bring themselves to pay more for less.

 

Same thing exists with the Chavy Impala/Malibu. The 'Bu Maxx is actually a fairly attractive car (as an overall concept, not styling) but the idea of paying an extra few thou. when more expensive Impalas are sitting there discounted out the wazoo is a turnoff even if I don't like the Impala ('05 not '06 which looks a lot better).

 

I'm sure discounts and rebates will work themselves out and Tucson sales will improve over the next several months.

tenpin288

quote "I'm sure discounts and rebates will work themselves out and Tucson sales will improve over the next several months."

 

I am not sure where you are getting your info about Tucson sales, but most US dealers can't get enough and the waiting lists overseas ranges from 3-6 months, depending on country and version wanted. I managed to snag a Tucson LX AWD back in November and the same dealer wishes he had dozens more. My own sister is now looking for one similar to mine and has already contacted 6 dealers looking for one. All the dealers she contacted had the same refrain, "we can't get them in fast enough!" Another sure sign a company has a desirable product is the lack of incentives on that product. Currently, the Tucson is the only Hyundai product that does not have some type of incentive on it, at least the last time I checked Hyundai's site. That sounds to me like they have a good product that is well-priced, wanted by a lot of customers, selling well and a great value.

jjpeter

Thanks for the reply.

 

I quess the reviewers, who are super picky, using the BMW M3 as their benchmark for power and handling, are critical of anything that falls short of that mark. Its ridiculous sometimes. My test drive of the Tucson demonstrated good power with the V6, although I would slightly concure with the steering complaint. We have an MB, C230 coupe and German steering is noted amoung all makes as the best on road feel. Thus the bimmer benchmark. The Tucson felt a bit floaty, err, disconnected from the road... But not to a disconcerting point.

 

I have to say, I just love the interior in the Tucson, Lexus like.

 

Dolomite, do you have the 4x2 or the 4x4? I would think the 4x4 would eliminate the tendency of FWD vehicles to induce torque steer when applying power since all of it only goes to the front two wheels.

 

Appreciate your comments!

jjpeter

I have been emailing back and forth with an Internet agent at a local dealership here in the San Jose area today.

 

I'm requesting a quote on a GLS 4x4 w/no sunroof.

 

Their quote is for $23,232, out the door. Keep in mind that taxes and fees are around 9%.

 

Any opinions on if this is a fair deal?

 

I looked at the Edmunds Total value pricing and from what I could figure, their total was $23,941, OTD, a difference of ~$700.

 

Can anyone on the board tell me what they paid for a CA purchased Tucson in the 4x4 GLS w/no sunroof configuration?

 

Thanks!

dolomite

@jjpeter,

 

 I'm running a 4x4 GLS. Its interesting that you mention that the Tuscon actually felt a bit floaty or disconnected from the road. In my intitial test drive (of course I havent test driven all those luxury Lexus or BMW type vehicles) but as compared to Rav4 or CRV, the Tuscon most definately felt pinned to the road - which I immediately first noticed considering I was taking sharper turns around curves than I ever would with my Probe GT, and hardly noticing any "wobble".

 

I'm still not exactly sure about the steering issue. It did not feel any worse if not, better than any other cars I have driven (i should mention again I have no experience with luxury vehicles).

 

The only issue I have so far (like everyone else) is the gas mileage - and the fact that there is no navigation system option for it but eh..

jjpeter

Thanks for the reply. Can I ask what your out the door price was? I mention above what I'm being quoted, and now, they have come off $250 from $23,232, making their offer $22,982.

 

What did you pay?

 

Thanks!

dolomite

I was quoted at $21,800. Unfortunately, since I'm still a student, with my not-so-great credit ratings due to all my school loans and such, I had to go with the 72 monthly payments....

Hopefully, all will go well when i graduate with a better paying job.

hpite

Can someone tell me what they're getting for gas mileage on their V6 Tucson?

solange

The most likely way anyone could track your mileage is by using a system like "ontrack," but that is very costly and I cannot imagine a dealership being so lavish in PR gimmicks that they would do that, especially without telling you. They would be putting themselves at risk for a law suit.

 

One way to check if this is only a running estimate, is to use the car in an uncharacteristic manner, like stop using it for a week (use an another car if available) or go for a huge week-end trek of several 100 miles and check the website on your return. It should be grossly inaccurate by then. Otherwise, take your car to an electronic wizard and have it passed through a fine-tooth comb for a mole.

Have fun

SD

arriba59

Posted this earlier on the Santa Fe site - missed the option for Tucson!

"So far, my two experiences with Colorado Hyundai dealers have been terrible. The first one denied the very offer of $16,999 being advertised that same day on the radio and did his best to push me into a full price "deal". The second has been an email correspondence with a Denver internet sales manager who said she could sell me a Tucson for $16,888 plus tax and destination charge. When I asked for specifics, she returned the email saying she quoted incorrectly, that $16,888 was invoice price and that MSRP would be $18,888 plus. She said "sorry". Yet, as of right now, John Elway Hyundai's website clearly says a 2005 Tucson is $16,988 MSRP!!

Bought a used Sonata 2 years ago from a Ford dealer, got treated like a queen and the car is fantastic and I felt I would never own another car but a Hyundai, but after these last two experiences (and reading Confessions of a Car Salesman), I may not deal with Hyundai at all."

 

Update: emailed her back expressing my displeasure with her 'misinformation' and received an email back from someone else at the dealership...

 

"I apologize about the confusion, the ad was ours and unfortunately

there was very little communication on what my new car manger put in our

display ad. To give you information on it, it is an 05 Tuscon gl 4cyl 5sp +

tax if you are interested in this unit let me know, since the Tuscon is one

of our best sellers and will not last at that price. thanks! sorry about any

confusion."

 

Have responded to inquire if he'll honor the $16,988 MSRP price as indicated on the website and will advise accordingly on this site.

Hmmmm, I wonder if the "Tuscon" is the same as the "Tucson".

packaging pro

I have been holding off on a Tucson waiting for the Sportage to come out. I like the Sportage because you can get the Homelink transmitter and the option packaged. I was told that Hyundai has better resale and that Kia is just an assembler of the parts from Hyundai. I was told this would lead to quality control problems. Is this just hype? Any opinions would be appreciated.

packaging pro

What kind of rates have you been getting on the Tucson and what was the terms.

batman47

I have been driven the Tucson for about two months now driving it very cold weather (Sierra Nevada), hot weather (Death Valley) and very wet weather (South California). The car has made 3,500 miles. I have visited some Hyundai dealers to query about oil change and each of these dealers came with a different brand of oil.

 

I would like to use Mobil 1 10w30 fully synthetic but I am not sure if this coud be a good choice. Will somebody give some guidelines for this change of oil. I have been told that if I use a fully synthetic oil I need to specidy, as well, the filter code number. Mineral oil use other type of oil filter. Is this true?

 

Any help much appreciated.

 

B