Hyundai’s crossover ix35 model aims to impress

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Friday, August 20, 2010

The sales figures in recent years are proof positive of the impact Hyundai has had on the Irish car market and the company’s slow but sure rise up the sales charts is indicative of how the Irish public has engaged with the South Korean company.

And, in the last couple of years particularly, as Hyundai has completely revamped its model line-up with such as the i10, i20, i30 and the Santa Fe all coming on stream and making a significant contribution to the upwardly mobile nature of its sales.

The latest arrival for the company — although the full range of models will not be seen until next year — is the ‘crossover’ ix35 model which is aiming to take a handy slice of a growing segment. Initially only available with a two-litre turbodiesel engine, although a smaller diesel will be available for 2011, the ix35 has gone in against some fairly serious opposition, not least the Nissan Qashqai, which has been one of the great automotive success stories of the current recession and which has sold by the shed-load despite the financial climate.

Hyundai are obviously hoping to garner a share of that success and from what I have seen of the ix35, there is no reason why it should not.

With a price which is a deal cheaper than most rivals, the Hyundai has an obvious initial appeal, but once more — in my view anyway — its overall strengths are compromised by the fact that it is a faux 4x4 and not the real deal at all.

Regular readers will know of my general dislike of such machines and will have seen that disapproval expressed recently with regard to the likes of the BMW X1 and the Toyota RAV 4, to mention but two.

The same applies here as I would personally prefer to amputate a leg, rather than buy one of these two wheel drive things which masquerade as the real thing, but having said that the Hyundai is not the worst of them. There are obvious understeering traits as you would expect, but, even on Irish roads, the ix35 is not too bad a handler and grip levels are reasonably good and the level of body lean is acceptable enough.

The spec too is impressive for the price and standard gear includes alloys, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking and a very impressive sound system, among other items.

Interior space too is generous and the driving position is very good; the dashboard too is quite attractive to live with and is easy to find your way around as well.

I don’t like these things as a rule, but this was one of the better ones I have driven and while it might not be as grand as some of its rivals, its still not a bad option.