Underwhelming Wednesday: Hyundai Tiburon

As of the last four or five years, Hyundai has been noticeably improving their standing in the world car market. With sporty offerings like the Genesis Coupe and the upcoming Veloster, both employing optional turbocharged engines, it's hard to deny their attempts at grabbing the sport compact market. They also have legitimate luxury cars, with the Genesis Sedan doing markedly well against it's considerably more expensive competitors. However, in the mid 1990's when Hyundai decided it was time to step up their game, their initial product had little sport and very little luxury. The Tiburon was undeniably not an asset to the Hyundai lineup.

Introduced in 1996, the Tiburon sported two engine choices, the 1.8 liter four cylinder from the Elantra, making 130 horsepower to the crank, or the higher performance 2.0 liter with a modest increase to 137 horsepower, both turning the front wheels. If a buyer was keen to go fast, obviously they would choose the two liter which would net them blistering performance numbers such as 8.3 seconds to 60 miles per hour and a top speed of 125. Not to fear though, in 2003, they gave the car a much needed update. They added an optional V6 (2.7 liters of fury!) and a six speed manual transmission (only available on the SE model, not the GT model?) and things got a touch better. Only a touch though, if I'm honest. Performance numbers still weren't great, with most publications finding it took 7.2 seconds to get to 60 MPH and attaining a top speed of 135. One would expect slightly better numbers considering it wasn't a particularly heavy car and it had a six speed manual mated up to a V6, but then we have to realize that the output of that V6 was less than impressive. 170 horsepower from a 2.7 liter engine is not competitive in today's sport compact market, nor was it any good back then.

Hyundai ended production in 2008 to make room for their rear wheel drive turbo Genesis, and it wasn't a second too late. The Tiburon did little as anything besides a commuter car and for something that is designated as a sports car, there is no greater insult.