10:46am Thursday 2nd September 2010
By Steve Teale
Fancy a smart 4x4? A sexy off-roader? Look at BMW, Land Rover, Ford and Hyundai. That’s right... Korean’s finest is a sensible alternative to the smartest brands.
Here’s the Hyundai ix35, a formidable-looking vehicle which triumphs in several ways. It’s affordable, has style and a five-year warranty. Five years! It isn’t very long ago that some major manufacturers begrudgingly gave you a 12-month warranty.
No wonder the ix35 is catapulting Hyundai further up the motoring league table. When it came to the UK, selling cars like the best-forgotten Pony, no-one really gave it a second thought. They sold cheap cars at a cheap price.
Now a new range of cars is helping this expanding brand to become one of the major players. Together with the other new Hyundais (the i10, i20 and i30), it is gaining a reputation for reliability to go with its affordability.
So, what exactly is the ix35? It’s part 4x4 and part estate car (what the industry terms a crossover). It means it can offer the space, height and image of a proper 4x4 while delivering the economy and driveability of an estate car.
At less than £17,000, it costs much less than most of its rivals. It’s packed with equipment and has incredible quality when compared with Korean models of a few years ago. Not quite Audi or BMW, perhaps, but Hyundais really aren’t that far away.
It’s a chunky-looking car with smart styling. It looks rather like the Ford Kuga – no bad thing. It’s spacious and great to drive. This is a diesel version, which is the one to go for, offering a fantastic combination of smooth power and admirable economy.
It zips to 60mph in under ten seconds, yet manages to return more than 40mpg around town and above 54mpg on a run. That would be acceptable in a supermini, never mind an off-roader. In truth, this vehicle isn’t a 4x4, it’s a 2x4, but there are four-wheel-drive versions available.
Ride and handling is always a moot point with off-roaders. After all, a car designed to traverse streams and fields is never going to offer smooth motorway driving, but this is pretty refined.
Standard equipment is good, too. It has 18in alloy wheels, six-speaker stereo system, a formidable array of airbags, cruise control, leather trim and heated seats. Add to that ‘panoramic’ sunroofs (a tilt and slide glass roof at the front and a fixed glass roof at the back) and reversing sensors. Importantly, it also has USB connections which can be used by iPod fans.
It doesn’t sound much like a budget brand to me, but Hyundai still appeals to those buying on a budget. In fact, it sold more cars than anyone else under the Government’s successful scrappage programme. More than 30,000 vehicles were sold in this way, and while many were the smaller Hyundais, quite a few also chose ix35s.
Initially available with a 2.0-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engine, with the option of on-demand four-wheel with the diesel unit, a 1.6-litre petrol and super-efficient 1.7-litre diesel followed.
It’s a struggle to find an angle from which the ix35 suffers aesthetically. Granted, it’s not supercar exotica, but it’s more than a match for its European rivals and a shape drivers can be proud to be seen at the wheel of – an important factor when considering the ‘badge snobbery’ issue.
Inside, there’s a similar appeal. Build quality is strong and the interior layout smart and stylish. An attractive set of dials greets the driver and there is plenty of thought for the occupants; the window and door mirror switches are angled towards the driver, for example (a trend that appears to be to comfort in the modern era what damped grab handles were to comfort in the previous decade).
It’s roomy, too. Headroom is naturally very good, but legroom in the rear is surprisingly generous and the boot is not short of potential. The ix35 does not feel particularly wide, however; three adults across the rear bench may find things a little cosy.
The 2.0-litre diesel unit provides evenly distributed torque, making it an undemanding car to drive. Refined on the motorway and with a duly responsive and well-behaved chassis on a B-road, it’s hard to find fault.
The steering may be a little springy for some, with the wheel whipping around aggressively to the central position when emerging from a junction, but this does equate to a responsive feel.
In terms of road-holding, the four-wheel drive chassis has obvious benefits, but the two-wheel drive version is very capable.
The ix35’s piece-de-resistance, however, is its equipment. Two trim levels are available, Style and Premium, with upgrade packages bringing sat-nav, upgraded dials and a more powerful sound system.
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