The Landshark

Hey everybody, I've had my used 2003 Tiburon GT for about a week and a half now and figure I'm ready to write this review. I've put over 1000 miles on the car so far! I deliver pizzas at night and drive 15 miles to school on the interstate everyday, so I know how the car handles all around. Let's get started!

Exterior
NICE! I have the carbon blue paintjob and the 17 inch rims that come standard with the 6-speed. I also have the high rear spoiler. I bought the car used with clear corners and an exhaust on it. All of these features along with the Tibbys smooth lines turn lots of heads. When I bring a pizza to someone's house, they usually say "What kind of car is that?" And I respond back "It's a Hyundai!" I laugh to myself as they stare at it like yeah right, Hyundai couldn't make a car like that. It's a great feeling. I absolutely love the way the car looks on the outside

Interior
A PLEASANT SURPRISE! I'm a big guy.... almost 6'4 and I weigh 235 pounds (yes, I play football---Defensive End), so i was a little shady about getting a sports car. I can't believe I actually fit! I do lean back a little more than most people when I drive my car, but I've got 6 or 7 inches of headroom to spare! The dash is organized neatly, all controls are easy to reach and functional. The instrumentation looks very clean with a large speedometer and Tach. The leather seats are comfortable, I could ask for A little more padding in lower and middle back, but again, I probably just kinda crush all that out of the way! I wish I had heated seats, but other than that, I can't complain. The sound system is nice....for a factory system. The speakers themselves are great, and the sub is unexpectadly nice. I just replaced the cd player and it made a world of difference. All of the highs are a lot crisper and I just get a more pure sound. I highly recommend this (I didn't even care to replace my speakers after hearing the difference). The hatch is very convienent and provides a decent amount of room with the seats folded down and the privacy cover gone. i could ask for a light somewhere in the rear, but that's all I can say about the interior, Well done.

Engine/Performance

I purchased my car with a cold air intake and an exhaust on it. I don't know how much of a difference that makes (I'm guessing 25 hp.) but I can't complain about the speed at all! I can easily beat a stock mustang GT, it's more than fast enough to get pizzas to a house in less than 45 minutes! This is a very heavy sports car. I'm not sure where all the weight is exactly, but I wish I could get rid of some (besides my "plump" self!) This would make the car handle better as well as give me gas milage! Gas prices are killing me right now, and I'm driving my car a little sporty right now, but I'm averaging about 21-22 mpg. The car feels heavy at slow speeds (parking, etc.) but when you get it up to about 25-30+, it seems to loose that slugishness (Thank you!) The 2.7L V-6 doesn't put out the factory claimed 181hp, Hyundai sent out a letter saying it was really about 170-171hp. However, for those of you thinking about modifying your cars, the new V6 delta (The 2.7L) is said to break after about 250hp....meaning don't try to be fast and the furious without redoing the guts of the engine! Like I've said earlier, my intake and exhaust add power, and there was never any problem from me, but I'm not anywhere near 250+hp (nor do I plan to be, I'm a happy man!) The gearbox is very easy to shift through and the clutch is very light, but has a very large "catchpoint", so shifting either really fast or really slow is the best way to get a smooth shift. Being a FWD car, understeer is detectable, but not as bad as I expected. Since it is a sports car, and on low profile michelin pilots to boot, you are gonna feel every bump in the road, but it's not gonna rattle your teeth like a Camaro SS or a Trans AM will! You get just the right amount of feedback from the steering wheel....enough to let you know you're driving like an idiot and you need to stop! All around, a great performer, especially for the money.

All in all, I'm extremely happy, I got mine used, loaded with every option minus the sunroof with 18000 miles + clear corners, a cold air intake, and an exhaust for $14,5000. That's a deal I'm so glad I took! Other than my few MINOR gripes, I couldn't be happier!