2003 Hyundai Tiburon

Last July, when my ten-year old Geo Storm finally gave up the good fight, and died at the side of the road amidst clouds of smoke and steam, I was forced into buying a new car.

I should state right up front that I consider cars to be wonderful examples of human-kinds ability to seamlessly blend art and functionality. I LOVE cars. I enjoy looking at cars, driving cars, talking about cars. But ... I do not like buying cars. Frankly, I struggle to believe that anybody who is sane can justify the huge expense associated with purchasing a new car today.

So, my search for cars was focused on the low-end (aka cheap) category. Over the space of three weeks, I read everything that there was to read, and test-drove a wide variety of cars including offerings from Ford, Suzuki, Honda, Kia, Mercury, Saturn and a whole host of others.

In the end, I selected a Hyundai Tiburon. It was the right price, it drove well, it looked good and the warranty was excellent. I negotiated a deal where I left the dealership $15k lighter, but the proud owner of a black, 2.0 litre, 5-speed automobile. The car also came with a sunroof, 16" wheels, power-everything, cruise control, upgraded stereo and everything else that you would typically expect from a car MUCH more expensive.

Now, eight months later, I think that this was a good choice. Here's why:

Exterior
After eight months of sitting outside in Texas sunshine, the finish still looks wonderful. I have washed (and waxed) it three times since I purchased it, and the finish is still excellent.

Interior
The interior continues to be in excellent condition, in fact it looks brand new. I haven't especially looked after it, in fact I haven't even cleaned it yet, but everything looks and feels good. Nothing has broken, and all of the power elements work fine (windows, sunroof, cruise etc.). The front seats are comfortable and shaped nicely to the generic contours of the average driver (I'm 5'11" and 170lbs). However, the rear seats are something else. There is virtually zero legroom, and not much headroom. It's fine for my 5 and 7 year old daughters, but an adult would suffer in the backseat. Even with my children in the back, I have to move the drivers seat forward a little to allow them to sit comfortably. This is really a two-seater disguised as a 4-seater.

Ride/Handling
Overall, the ride is good. The suspension is stiff and responsive, and there is very little 'roll' when cornering. I do have a very minor 'buzz' at around 3,500 rpm, when accelerating, that I haven't been able to locate, but that's about my only (minor) gripe. Acceleration is smooth, and when it's time to stop, the brakes are solid and confidence building.

Engine
Since I opted for the less powerful, 2.0 DOHC engine, it isn't the most peppy performer on the block, but it is reasonable. This car is not going to compete with the 350Z next to you at the lights, but it'll do fine against the Accord behind it. Since I have a manual, I have a little more control over acceleration than the average US driver (who will choose automatic 8/10 times). If I shift in the higher rpm's, then I find that my little shark is pretty quick-off-the-mark. Incidentally, the transmission is really good. Clear and concise clutch, and solid gearbox. I enjoy shifting gear in this car!

Visibility
There's only one word to describe visibility ... poor. There are lots of blind spots, and this is really a vehicle for somebody that already has lots of driving experience, excellent road awareness and makes appropriate use of rearview and side mirrors. Frankly, this car would be dangerous in heavy traffic in the hands of a chronic lane switcher.

Issues
Since purchasing the car, I have only had one issue. After driving for around a week, I found that the drivers window was not closing correctly against the edge of the door, resulting in wind noise. A quick run to the dealership had this fixed, and I have had no problems since.

So far ... so good!