SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get at home.

Unlike most car reports, what you read in these pages will not be a faithful reproduction, albeit slightly reworded, of what appeared in the manufacturer's press release. We look for background material, user experience and whatever else we can find that's beyond the obvious. Our guiding rule is that you will be able to tell that the car was actually driven.

*To read one of our archived road tests, just select from the alphabetical menu of manufacturers' names on the left. Hover your cursor over the manufacturer's name, then choose from the drop-down menu that appears.

*Pre-owned: Our tests go back quite a few years, so if you are looking for something pre-owned, you might well find a report on it in here.

*Please remember too, that prices quoted are those ruling at the time the reports were written.


We renew acquaintance with the Hyundai iX35/Tucson, upgraded for 2014

New engine, new face, realigned features

 Posted: 14 August 2014

What’s new about Hyundai’s iX35 - slash Tucson - medium SUV for 2014? It’s the same size it has been since 2010, it has new head lamps and LED tail lights, a slightly reworked grille, reshaped roof rails and restyled wheels, so there’s not much that’s particularly different. Great: Shortest car review you ever read – can I go now?

Seriously though; it does go deeper than that. Equipment added for 2014 includes reclining rear seats on introductory level Premium models, tilt and telescopic steering wheels across the range, bigger cup holders with blue mood lighting, a new audio system with RDS radio, CD and MP3 player and Bluetooth, and a 4,3-inch colour LCD touchscreen with rearview camera display on Executive and Elite models. The backup camera’s screen was incorporated into the rearview mirror on early versions. Six-speed gearboxes, manual or automatic, are now standard across the range.

Our test unit was an Executive model; meaning that it’s manual-only, 4x2-only and its sole powerplant is Hyundai’s new 2.0-litre petrol engine. Now we’re getting somewhere. Technically the engine isn’t brand, spanking new – it’s a stroked version of the 1800cc NU motor fitted to Elantras since 2011. It displaces 1999 cc; is returnless, multipoint, fuel-injected and uses dual constantly variable valve timing (D-CVVT). Power output is given as 116 kW at 6200 rpm, while peak torque of 192 Nm is generated at 4000 rpm. Its dual overhead camshafts are driven by means of a silent chain rather than the belt used on the 1998cc Theta ll.

It is smooth and pulls strongly although the numbers don’t give much away. Zero to 100 km/h comes up in 10,7 seconds rather than 10,4 with the previous engine and top speed is 185 km/h rather than 181. Fuel-wise, my unscientific test regime under a variety of conditions returned an average of 9,5 litres per hundred km. Performance differences are probably a question of gearing although I felt that sixth (3000 rpm at 120 km/h) was a touch too long-legged for any but the flattest of roads.

Suspension remains the same with McPherson struts, stabiliser bar and coil springs in front and a multilink setup with coils and anti-roll bar at the rear. Bigger, 300mm, ventilated disc brakes replace the 280 mm front units used previously. The rears are still 262mm in diameter and solid. The electrically boosted steering features Flex Steer (normal, sport and comfort modes) on all but Premium models.

ABS brakes with EBD are fitted across the range while ESP, vehicle stability management, active yaw control, downhill crawl and hill start assist are common from Executive level up, rather than exclusive to top diesel and 4x4 models. Other luxuries fitted to upper models are leather upholstery with adjustable lumbar support for the driver, ionised dual channel air conditioning, and automatic head lights. Similarly the two Premium cars; 4x2 petrol - manual and auto – have two airbags whereas all others are fitted with six.

As a practical, city-oriented SUV, the new iX 35 ticks all the boxes. The rear hatch lifts easily to reveal a flat loading deck that's at hip level to most users, there are six moulded lashing rings, a courtesy light, a 12-Volt socket and a pair of side wells for small items. The spare is a fully sized alloy wheel with standard tyre; 225/55 R18 in this case. There is one pull-down, on the right, and rear seatbacks are split 1/3:2/3.

Those in the back seat are accommodated comfortably with sufficient head, knee and foot space for most 1,82 metre-plus passengers. Three head restraints, as many full belts, an armrest with cup holders, grab handles for everyone but the driver, seatback pockets and door bins look after safety and convenience. Entry and exit is easy. While back there, I noticed that the rearmost pillars are very wide although glass inserts relieve the gloom somewhat.

Driver and co-pilot share an armrest with deep storage box, two cup holders, ashtray, an open storage box with auxiliary, iPod and USB connectors, a 12-volt socket in addition to the cigar lighter, a fair glove box and medium-sized door bins. Both makeup mirrors are lit, front and rear power defrosters keep glass clear in foggy weather and a sunspecs box is fitted overhead.

Driver convenience is assisted by a parking brake properly sited for rhd, cruise control, a full suite of satellite controls on the steering wheel, the gear lever within easy reach, nicely spaced pedals and a footrest that’s easy to get at. My only whine is that the doors no longer lock automatically as you get underway.

Briefly, apart from the new petrol engine, not much is truly new although some features were democratised and there has been some face-lifting. But considering price increases of only about R10 000 for equivalent models, in the face of fragile exchange rates, Hyundai has done well to bring in the updates while keeping its pencil sharp.

Test car from Hyundai SA press fleet

The numbers
Price: R349 900
Engine: 1999 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, D-CVVT, four-cylinder
Power: 116 kW at 6200 rpm
Torque: 192 Nm at 4000 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 11,7 seconds
Maximum speed: 185 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 9,5 l/100 km
Tank: 58 litres
Luggage: 591/1436 litres
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km; with roadside assistance
Service plan: 5 years/90 000 km; at 15 000 km intervals

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you thoroughly disagree with what I say? That's your privilege, because if everybody agreed on everything, the world would be a boring place. All I ask is that you remain calm, so please blow off a little steam before venting too vigorously.