First drive: Hyundai ix35

Click for more photos Hyundai ix35 Hyundai ix35 It’s not perfect on the road but Hyundai’s stylish ix35 makes a convincing value case in the compact SUV segment. First for the subjective assessment: this is arguably the bestlooking Hyundai yet. While the popular i30 is undoubtedly a tidily designed hatchback, the new ix35 dramatic creases, aggressivelooking hexagonal grille and strong proportions form a convincingly styled compact SUV that is worth more than a single glance. It a design that is likely to strike fear into rival car makers, because the ix35 debuts the Korean car maker new fluidic sculpture language that looks set to make Hyundais look more desirable than ever. Advertisement: Story continues below The question on our original drive of the replacement for the Tucson, however, is whether the ix35 dynamic looks are reflected in the driving experience. First impressions on the country roads of Mount Macedon, Victoria, are that the ix35 is not about to set a new benchmark for road manners in the ultracompetitive compact softroader segment that includes the likes of the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Nissan XTrail and Volkswagen Tiguan. The steering is vague and prone to kicking back over midcorner bumps, and the new Hyundai underpinnings dont reveal a great deal of enthusiasm for corners. Body roll isnt excessive, though, and there isnt a shortage of grip from the 18inch tyres of the rangetopping Highlander model. Even if dynamics arent at the top of a shopper wish list, though, our first drive of the ix35 suggests the ride will be busy on anything but smooth surfaces despite Hyundai making the effort to tune the SUV suspension for local roads. The ix35 felt solidly constructed, though, even when tested over some rough, gravelly terrain. And there plenty to like about the new 135kW 2.0litre turbo diesel a smaller version of the punchy 2.2litre diesel found in the bigger Santa Fe and its Kia Sorento sister car. There not quite as much torque, but 392Nm produced from 18002500rpm ensures there a noticeable Rosetta Stone Japanese shove in the back when you press hard on the $37,990 ix35 Highlander throttle pedal. And the standard (albeit parttime) allwheeldrive system ensures the front wheels wont spin excessively when accelerating hard from a standstill or out of a corner. It certainly more effortless (and more fuel efficient 7.5 v 8.5 litres per 100km) than the 2.0litre fourcylinder petrol that powers the $26,990 entrylevel Active frontwheeldrive model that Hyundai says will account for half of ix35 sales. Plenty of revs are needed, particularly when hills come into play, though at least the engine is relatively quiet when pushed. The new (optional) sixspeed auto does its best to downshift as quickly as possible on inclines, though it could do with dropping two gears rather than one. Drivers can opt for the tipshift function, though calling it manual mode is stretching the truth slightly: the gearbox wouldnt always change down from third to second when requested and the auto also upshifts automatically before the engine reaches its redline. The base model ix35 also drives the front wheels only, so for those looking for the benefits of extra traction on wet or slippery roads the Elite and Highlander models are the pick for their parttime fourwheeldrive systems (which send power to the rear wheels only when necessary but can be locked in 50:50 mode). The shortish launch drive route meant we didnt get an opportunity to try the biggercapacity (2.4litre) version of the 2.0litre that fitted to the midrange Elite ix35. (It priced from $31,990, or $34,990 if you select the 2.0litre turbo diesel.) The ix35 cabin differs subtly between the three trim levels available, with engines, seat material and features the key distinguishing points. Hyundai interior designers have aimed to match the success of their exterior design colleagues, with a smart dash that is mostly black with splashes of silver plastic.

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