JN607;158262 wrote:
It's a hyndai. That's all there is to it.......Which IMO, makes for an automatic look somewhere else.

Why?

Hyundai's 2nd attempt at US market (they tried in the early 80s as well) has been much more successful, and at a much faster rate, than when Japan originally started it's entry into the US market.

Korea has stolen the value and technology leader/acceleration crown from Japan in a number of areas (just as Japan stole it from the US in a number of areas).

My reasons for not looking at a Hyundai are mostly because they're still working on 1st order problems - looks, reliability, powertrain, layout, quality. But they're getting all of them addressed. The looks of that Tiburon are tremendously better than the first tiburon.. which looks ridiculous. The reliability/quality of Hyundai's has gone way up... soccer mom's buy them now (and don't hate them).

When they introduce an RWD Tib the layout/powertrain will be a damn sight better.

The stuff that draws me towards german cars are what i call "higher order" issues. BMW and Audi have engineers that adjust the acoustics of their exhaust systems so that they sound "right" -- not intrusive at low rpms, but forceful and distinctly german at high rpms. The pedals in a BMW are made specifically for heel & toe shifting (the gas pedal is floor hinged, for instance), and with the brake pedal near maximum compression, the gas pedal falls neatly under foot for an h&t blip.

Audi pedals were, for a time, spaced closer together to allow for a rallyist style of driver to take better advantage of them.

The hazard light switch in almost all european cars is high and center on the center console, so that someone unfamiliar with the vehicle (or a passenger) can activate it without any difficulty (compare that to the location on the steering column of most 80s ford products).

Basically, Hyundai has only been a credible automaker in the US for a few years, and look how far they've already come. Theres no reason to think that they won't continue improving at a much faster pace than the Japanese companies did when they were still in the marketshare aquisition phase in the US.

South Korea has had an auto industry since the 50s. The story of the S Korean government's insistence on home-growing industry and technology companies is interesting, but it's hard to argue with the results, even if it took 50 years to get there.

(and if the chinese government doesn't throw a wrench in it.. China is set to upstage Hyundai sometime in the next 20 years)

This is just the 3rd facelift it's gotten since 03

Complaints:

• cut-line from bumper to fender is way too far back. The front fender is what.. 2 feet long?
• the cut lines vs body creases at the bottom of the door don't make sense. the door cut should maybe be on the body crease line?
• wheels are pretty forgettable

The front end actually looks a bit Aston Martin.

Is this one RWD? If so, its a hit-it for sure.