- coupe 144,802
- 1,329 below average
- 1,995 great
- Jonesboro, AR
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,329 below average coupe 144,802 silver
2003 hyundai tiburon review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Okay, the 2003 hyundai tiburon is not a ferrari clone but there's' no denying that it has ferrari 456gt styling cues in its sleek new design. It also has some ford mustang, mercury cougar and toyota celica as well, which is not all bad. a hyundai? Yes, the company has been working hard to produce attractive cars with performance and panache, and it looks to have succeeded with the all-new tiburon. more important, the quality of hyundai cars has improved tremendously in the past few years, according to the respected quality gurus at j. Power and associates. tiburon means shark in spanish. There are just three option packages: automatic transmission 900), an upgraded stereo system with a power sunroof 948), and an anti-lock braking system 499). Those who don't want to do their own shifting in the gt v6 only have to ante up $750 for an automatic transmission but they lose the 17-inch wheels. The sunroof option costs $649. in addition to all the standard features on the base model, the gt v6 adds 17-inch wheels, leather seating surfaces, sport tuned suspension, and a rear spoiler. It also gets a premium infinity stereo system complete with a 360-watt amplifier, six speakers and a large subwoofer. pricing for the gt v6 is a little more complicated but there are two versions available for $17,999 with the five-speed manual. One keeps the leather seats, while the sprint package gives leather up for anti-lock brakes and aluminum foot pedals. the most exciting setup for enthusiasts is the gt v6 with the six-speed manual transmission. There are three packages, called ultrasports 1, 2, and 3. Ultrasports 2 keeps the leather seats but costs $850. More than anything this is true of sport coupes. This is where the tiburon competes and it looks delightfully attractive compared to the awkward styling of the old tiburon. although there is nothing exceptionally different looking about the new tiburon, hyundai's own in-house designers have managed to put together a derivative style that looks good from every angle. The car looks bigger in photographs than in real life. The front of the hood leads down into a small horizontal grill that is swamped by a large bumper. A much larger five-part radiator grill opening is nicely integrated into the lower part of the bumper and includes two small round projector spotlights. the car's side profile is the best. It follows the classic lines of a sports car with a heavily raked windshield and a roofline that sweeps all the way to the back of the car. We used to call them fastback coupes! Hyundai's designers have added pizzazz to the profile by adding two false vent grilles and sculptured creases that flare back from behind the front fender along the doorsill and across the upper part of the door. The creases lead into the rear fender, which is flared and has a top edge higher than that of the front. In the rear the fenders curve into the large almost ovoid shaped one-piece taillight clusters. the tailgate (yes, it really is a hatchback) has no spoiler on the base model but comes with a small lip-type spoiler on the gt v6 with a five-speed manual or automatic. The six-speed gets a bigger spoiler that helps differentiate it. interiorcompared to the old tiburon the interior is slightly less sporty in appearance. The biggest drawback is that everything is finished in black making it a bit somber. The dashboard sweeps across the width of the cabin with just a smallish instrument pod and two heater vents to break up the shape. The fuel and water temperature gauges separate the round tachometer and speedometer. the stereo system is located in a flat center console panel with large knobs for heating and ventilation located beneath. The manual transmission shifter has a short throw and is well situated for smooth shifting. A proper parking brake is located on the left side of the center console leaving room for a cupholder and a small storage tray. the bucket seats are okay but not as sporty as one might hope for as they could do with some more side support for spirited driving. We liked the cloth seats much better than leather as they grip better and are less sweaty in summer and warmer in winter. There are six speakers strategically located inside and a large subwoofer in the trunk. Crank up the volume and one is enveloped in good sound. A cargo net would be a valuable addition to help keep stuff in place when throwing the car around corners. driving impressiongreat looks are important but a great driving experience is really more significant. Fortunately the tiburon gt v6 does really well. We couldn't agree more. Put the (aluminum) gas pedal to the metal and the front wheels scrabble for grip. Not for long though as the 215/45r17 michelin tires get to work and the car sprints forward. The engine has a pleasant husky sound thanks to the dual exhaust. We found it'll pull reasonably well in sixth gear from 35 mph. It's a very different driving experience from cars like the celica gts and civic si that thrive on revving over 6000 rpm. the power rack-and-pinion steering feels fine, it's precise with just enough feedback for fast driving. On the highway it's barely noticeable. Not unexpectedly the car tends to understeer, what with the weight of the aluminum v6 engine mounted transversely between the front wheels. during a brief test drive among pylons laid out in the infield of las vegas speedway we found the tiburon easy to throw around. The handling is fine with little body roll. It's nothing exceptional but more than adequate to hold its own against other like cars. It would be pretty easy to tune the suspension still further to get a really good handling car. All models get anti-roll bars and gas-filled shock ab. Anti-lock Brakes✔ Tachometer✔ Power Windows✔ Bucket Seats✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Leather Seats
1,995 Jonesboro, ARJonesboro, AR at autoshopper.com